Hope you all had a fun & relaxing weekend.
Me, I got spoiled. On Saturday my husband took the ladies to a friend’s birthday party, leaving me with 3 hours of complete freedom. WOW. I walked into town. I stopped for a chocolate croissant at a little cafe – all by MYSELF. I went clothes shopping at H&M. I cannot tell you how nice it was being able to try on as many clothes as I liked – so many in fact, that I lost track – with no children beating on each other, pestering me about how bored they are or grabbing my behind. I’d almost forgotten what it was like. And it was AWESOME.
Sunday, a beloved & very brave friend took the ladies to the Camden Aquarium, leaving John & I free to go walking with our dog Max, who absolutely LIVES for these rare jaunts as only child.. We explored a local nature refuge, spending a lot of time off the beaten path.
Back in the day this land used to be a whole town. Streets with shops and homes, and people. Before the Philadelphia redevelopment authority confiscated the land and razed it all to the ground to make way for airport (and Korman Suites) expansion. A very sad story, especially since this area, known as The Meadows, was long home to my husband’s family. The whole place is very surreal. Open fireplugs sprout from the ground like metal flowers, and the ground is littered with half-buried construction debris, tires, empty beer cans and other trash. The oddest thing is how many lifeless shoes we found dotting the landscape. Dozens of them. What could have compelled all these people to not only remove, but LEAVE, their shoes like this?? I half-imagined we’d turn a corner and find a big mound of corpses. It’s a very strange place. Feel free to check out a few photos HERE.
And now it’s MONDAY. again. Back to the workweek. I tend to get a little depressed on Mondays. But sometimes I enjoy feeling maudlin, so I’ve been watching the old Boomtown Rats song on Youtube and sort of reveling in it. Another weekend gone. Oh well.
It’s strange how although you do enjoy time without the children, it really can feel rather overwhelmingly lonely too. I’m getting used to my son being ‘Mr Independant ‘. Take tonight for instance, he is at his girlfriends, and with the husband at work that just leaves my daughter and I. It feels ok but if my daughter goes out I feel as though someone has chopped off my arm! Do you ever think that you have no memories BC? (Before Children) ;o)
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Time brings with it change and change is not always for the best. I can understand your feeling of sadness after childhood haunts have been effectively erased from sight! I can’t show my children my old school, just a huge housing estate stands where I spent so much of my childhood.
It does sound as though you had a lovely weekend though and Max would have been very pleased with the atention all being on him! :o)
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So is Philadelphia the most highly populated place of one legged people?
don’t worry dishy–another weekend is well on the way! make this one a cheerier one–have fun with the kids and enjoy the sunshine and blue skies. :*
Daff, I know what you mean about missing them. Especially when they were very little, John & I would get a night out to ourselves and end up rushing home just to be w/ them again. It’s amazing how children completely envelope your heart. And yes, sometimes I forget what life was like BC. Saturday was an unbelievable treat. But I found after 3 hours I was missing them. The time apart actually makes me appreciate them more.
I cannot speak for the one-legged, but if they are looking for some moss-covered shoes there’s a real bounty at Tinicum. WHY they’re there, I haven’ the foggiest. If there’s one place I wouldn’t want to be walking around barefoot, it’s there. Every few minutes we were combing each other for ticks – even though it’s April they were everywhere. I found one pressed against the small of my back and let out the biggest scream. Thankfully John grabbed it right off, but I HATE TICKS. YEECH.
Curly – I am ready for the next one=! Last weekend itself was wonderfully happy – it’s just Mondays that get me down. That and cleaning. And when you have to spend Monday cleaning, boy that is the pits. PS: Did you send the airhorn yet?? 🙂
I spent the weekend playing with my grandchildren and having a birthday party for
my youngest daughter. I had to go back to work to rest! Fun was had by all! I am looking forward to the next weekend so I can REST!
BTW…I always missed my children after a couple of hours away from them.
Connie, I know exactly what you mean. My parents tell me all the time: “That’s why you have children when you’re YOUNG.” Kids are wonderful, but exhausting. I am looking forward to being a grandmother one day so I can spoil them and then send them HOME.
We have a friend who lost his wife to cancer. He is now raising their 9 year old twin boys alone – and quite fairly describes work as his only time of relaxation. I think of him every time I want to complain about being overworked. then I shut my yap.
dear god, woman! i forgot to mail the airhorn. is your address really the one in your THINGS I WANT section? i’ll post it today or tomorrow. sorry…i’m a bad blog buddy.
No problemo, Curlygurl. I am most appreciative of your sending it whenever you get the time. And YES, that address is 100% real. No wonder I am not receiving a free boatload of wine and a brand new Dutch oven. People must think I am KIDDING about sending me presents. Is it not customary to ask for these things? Air horns? Green scarves? Hmmm.
Do you want a green scarf?
Ooooohhhh, Yes PLEASE!! If you could find a sort of hippie-ish one like Tash wears in Jam & Jerusalem, I WOULD BE IN HEAVEN!!!
PS: No pressure.
😉
xoxoxo
I don’t believe it! I love Jam & Jerusalem! I love it! (Dawn French cracks me up so much!) I have the dvd of the first series! Classic…
I’ll watch an episode again tonight and get the scarf look embedded in my brain then I’ll go hunting for you! :o)
xx