Well, the King of our castle is off to baseball camp. Over the next week Andy will be in the field and up at bat, he will pitch and catch, spit pumpkin seed shells and talk it up in the dugout. He will have Yankee trainers rub his shoulders, ice his knees and disingenuously marvel (while appearing completely credible) at the athletic prowess of these campers-of-a-certain-age.
Andy left with a suitcase filled to capacity. Two baseball gloves; cleats; Yankee swag from his prior camp days – baseball hats, sneakers, long-sleeved t-shirts, short-sleeve t-shirts. For all I know there are Yankee socks and underwear carefully folded in his suitcase along with dress shirts for their special bonding dinners, jeans for those casual evenings of drinking at the hotel bar, etc. You want to make sure you’re one of the cool kids at camp – sartorially as well as athletically. His carry on? A Yankee bat bag, of course. The amount of testosterone which is now coursing through his body is exponentially greater than it was a week ago. Buh-bye sweetie.
So, for the past couple of days I have been on my own. The palace has been alive with frivolous pleasure and impetuous pursuits. I really hesitate to share it with you, lest you think less of me as a result. A wanton woman, with a fickle tendency to move from one amusement to the next.
I have organized the pantry, the shelves of spices and the linen closet. A new featherbed sits atop our mattress. Two books finished; new music filling the house with the volume high enough that it can be relished in any room. In a moment of cheeky adventure, I scoured Whole Foods for some highly caloric delight that would normally never make its way past my lips. I ended up with sesame seed seaweed wraps and a bag of Good ‘N Plenty from the drugstore. C-r-a-z-y, huh?
I know what you’re thinking. If I’m cavorting with such abandon so early in the week, how will I manage to maintain this pace until the weekend? Stamina my friends, I have stamina. And a somewhat perverse definition of having fun. Breakfast at the diner with my kids – goofy and fun. The sun offering gorgeous shadows and prisms in the kitchen while the dishwasher hums and the Sirs grab a mid-morning snooze – delightful. Knowing that my husband is having the time of his life – it’s fun for me too. Happiness need not shout its presence to me, I hear it loud and clear in this moment – right now. The week will unfold however it will, with bitter cold weather expected and an abiding warmth at the prospect that I need do nothing differently in order to feel happy. It really is ‘all good’ and I challenge any umpire to tell me that I’m not ‘safe at home’.
Waiting for the Karma Truck 
Oh, Mimi, I love this!! Have you yet done a very provocative dance in your living room in your nightgown? Please do that! Also, eat a serving of something right out of the pot, and watch as many chick flicks as you can fit in. Sing out loud. Do not hum. Talk to yourself a lot, and answer back. Burp out loud if you drink some pop. Do not say, “Excuse me.” I could think of more fun and wanton ideas, but now, I have the flu. 😦
Oh yuck!! I’m so sorry you’re sick!! Feel better!! I have been singing out loud and will continue to talk to myself unabashedly…;-)
Go for it girl!
🙂
I love that you are having this kind of time…and that you savor the little moments. I can FEEL the sunlight in your kitchen while the dishwasher hummmms and music fills the house and it makes me feel happy! I think it speaks volume about someone, and the endurance of their character, stamina of spirit, when such delight is found in this kind of sublime simplicity. Not to mention Good and Plenty! Who needs fancy sugar from Whole Foods when good old fashion candy works just as well, perhaps even better?! Enjoy every moment xoxo
Yay – I love that you’re able to ‘feel’ this delicious moment..And you’re so right – why bother with designer sweets when there’s Good & Plenty around!! xoxoxo ,me
How wonderful to have the opportunity to entertain yourself and to do it so well…I can totally relate. Surrounding yourself with music will keep it going all week. Enjoy happiness, Mimi!
I will Fran..far better to enjoy happiness than realize it’s passed you by and you didn’t notice! xox
Heh, great article Mimi. Richard is going skiing for a few days next weekend. Now I am looking forward to it!
Call me!! We can meet for lunch! xoxo
Aah, these are the days. Isn’t interested what we cherish at this point in our lives.?Enjoy, sing and dance . . . .
So true..
Your delight in Andy’s adventure and your concurrent down time is palpable, my dear. I’m thinking a few bubble baths (*after the UPS or FedEx man’s runs are done for the day and no errant sneakers have a chance of arriving on your doorstep mid bubble, of course), perhaps a bowl of cereal for dinner, an afternoon spent under the covers watching some terribly silly movie, and maybe a happy hour that starts at 4:00 p.m. could all be delicious possibilities. May you suck the marrow out of this next week! Xoxox, l
“Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need – a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends, worth the name, someone to love and someone to love you, a cat, a dog, and a pipe or two, enough to eat and enough to wear, and a little more than enough to drink; for thirst is a dangerous thing.”
-Jerome K. Jerome
Of course, the fact that my maiden name is “Jerome” makes this quote all the more delightful…And I have the gift of knowing that I have all of this and more…I do like the cereal for dinner idea – hadn’t thought of that…xoxo, m
Mimi,
Enjoy.
Tom
Thanks Tom – that’s the plan!
I LOVE this–nothing better than having the house to yourself; it’s the best part of being a grown up-you can act like a child! Don’t forget to stand on your bed and give a concert, using a round brush as your microphone. It’s important that you flip your hair back every 4-5 seconds. Remember to wait for the thunderous applause between songs.
As to decadent treats, this is exactly the situation in which you need to consult a plump friend. Do you know that the grocery store sells frosting in a can? No cake required.
Honey, I’ve been singing into my microphone-cum-round-brush for years now (though when in the kitchen, I have a wooden spoon that is perfect)..And why didn’t I think of frosting??? Great idea (perhaps tomorrow though, for this afternoon is dedicated to football and knitting)…;-)
I can’t believe I forgot to mention how perfect “These Are Days” is for such an occasion? Just thinking of that song makes me smile…
Me too – it’s always been one of my favorites!
Well I got my first bruise today. Pete and I went out to throw a bit and get the juices going. It didn’t take long before a ball got under my glove and bounced right into my shin. I hope your private irreverent moments are totally free of shoulda and coulda. Have fun doll.
Andy
Ice, ice baby!!! You can’t be sidelined before you get in the game!!! And I’m not the ‘shoulda’ one honey – you are..xoxo
First, WOW!! Look at your new page. It looks great! Second…I love that you love that time to yourself. I can completely relate. I watch Moulin Rouge just about every time my husband leaves town. And get salted caramel gelato…:-) I guess we all have our favorites. Enjoy,my dear!! you deserve it!
Yum…salted caramel gelato sounds amazing!!! I’m really into salted caramel at the moment…with three marshmallows. Heaven..
They sell it at whole foods…I can’t remember what it’s called, but it is divine!!!!
Big grin!
It’s chillin’ time and you’re going the other way. Movies. Cookies. Long solitary walks. Sounds like you need a life coach! 🙂 (Love the song btw)
I’ve always been a bit turned around…ah we’ll..;-). Glad you liked the song – one of my favorites.
Baseball camp…………..ok………….we don’t have such camps in Aus well not that I am aware of……
Hope you have a great time home alone and enjoy it
Oh Mimi, I can just imagine how wonderful it must be to have the house to yourself. It is such a treat when we get to play in the castle alone 🙂
So far, so fun…I’m sure by the time he’s due home, I’ll be looking forward to his arrival too!!
happiness need not shout its presence – love this — may be the topic of my newspaper column this week
🙂 So happy you liked it!
I used the quote in my column and my blog post today
I read it – it was awesome (your column, that is)..
thank you — it was a little disjointed today–but I was on deadline
Lone time is good to pursue those activities you like doing without interruption.
I have been truly luxuriating in the absence of shoulds…though I know that by the time the week ends, I will be looking forward to Andy’s return…;-)
Ah so the secret life of Mimi is exposed to all, enjoy it all and have fun when you two reunite.
I go really crazy when on my own, have you noticed? 🙂