Sneaking Away, originally uploaded by cheryl.
Between work, school, sleep and everything else, there's sometimes not enough "me" time to keep me sane. Today I stole a little time for myself not once, but twice.
After dropping the kids off from school, I decided not to do anything productive with my two-hour window of freedom today. I stopped by the library on the way home and picked up my next book in the Dexter series that I had put on hold request.
I did feel sorry for the pitiful puppy and take him for a walk on this beautiful fall day - so that did take about 20 minutes of my freedom. But we both enjoy our walks, so that's okay.
And then I took a blanket out to the back yard for a little R & R time. I started in the shade, but eventually moved to the sun. My good puppy came to lay down beside me and keep me company. I rubbed him with my feet while I read. We both enjoyed our down time.
I stole a few minutes again later in the afternoon. The drive home from school was eventful - what with Sawyer throwing up all over himself, the car seat, and the entire back half of the truck while we were driving - and the afternoon quickly slipped away. I had thought maybe another walk with the kids or even a short trip to the park before dinner to enjoy the last of the warm weather, but no such luck. Instead I got everyone inside, cleaned up the sick baby and put him on the couch with a movie and a blanket, and then headed back outside to clean up.
It took nearly two hours.
Car seats had to be unbuckled and carefully removed. Did you notice the plural on that? That would be because my other twin decided to pee in his car seat on the way home. Potty training for Sawyer - score. Potty training for Xander - still very much a work in progress.
But, I digress. Car seats removed, completely hosed off, scrubbed and sanitized. Third row seats carefully removed, completely hosed off, scrubbed and sanitized. Floor mats to be carefully removed, completed hosed off, scrubbed and sanitized. Carpet inside the truck to be sprayed, wiped, sprayed again, wiped again.
And then the doors had to stay open for another hour just to get rid of the lingering smell. Yes, it was that bad.
Last but not least, I also had to do a little damage control on something my oldest son pulled this afternoon. There was bubblegum stuck to the inside of his window. That was not fun. And Connor certainly heard about that. He was near tears when we talked about how any kind of gum or candy or anything ever smeared on that window or seat again will result in complete loss of food or drink in Mommy's truck for him - no drinks, not even a sip of Mommy's drink, no suckers, no snacks, no nothing. The mess was that bad, and that annoying to remove. But I think he got the point.
So that was my afternoon. And when I did come back inside, I decided it was time for another break. Connor's teacher had forgotten to put homework in their take-home folder, so we considered it a free pass night (that part he liked). Sawyer was sound asleep in front of the credits on his movie. Xander was begging for the computer. I put a movie on for Connor - his choice - and let Xander have the computer. I stole a few more minutes with Dexter.
Ah, peace ... you know, reading about a serial killer. To each his own, right?