All by myself!

For some reason, when I wrote that blog title, I wanted to burst into song!  But I am ‘all by myself ‘ for a whole week.  Well the teenager is lurking somewhere under this roof, but he could quite happily avoid me and not speak to me for days on end; so to all intent and purpose I am ‘all by myself”.

It’s really funny isn’t it, that as parents, whilst we love our children dearly and we rush around after them like mad people without giving it a second thought, there is a moment every now and then when we think that we would like to press the pause button.  Wouldn’t it be great if there was a remote control that was usable on kids.  Especially one that could mute, pause, rewind and fast forward.  I don’t want much do I?  But you know what I mean.  A pause button would mean that you could drink that elusive hot cup of tea or coffee, go for a wee without World War 3 breaking out, watch that one short thing on TV.  It would be lovely.

Well I have the next best thing; a week on my own.  I have lots and lots of A level French Orals to mark and so it has become an annual evacuation to leave me to do them in peace.  My husband takes the three little ones to South Wales where they can all be spoilt rotten by their grandmother; who secretly likes the fact that I’m not there but would never admit it. 

So whilst I am slaving away on Twitter, sorry no; my marking, I get daily reports and photos about their exploits in the park and at the beach.  Last year was the first year that they went away for a whole week and I really looked forward to it.  It’s not being mean, I just relished the thought of seven childless days where I could just be me.  It was no barrel of laughs as I really did spend the whole week working and the even sadder thing was the fact that from the minute they had gone, I missed them like hell.

Maybe it is part and parcel of this whole motherhood thing that these little people that you love and who drive you crazy really are a massive part of you and it’s only when they are not there that you realise that being without them is like losing a limb.  I was so so happy to see them when they came back it was unbelievable and they were pleased to see me, but they had had such a lovely time with Daddy, that I wasn’t overwhelmed by the reunion.

So this year I was prepared for the tugging of the maternal heart strings.  It has helped having the teenager here.  Every now and then he grunts when he’s hungry and I think he is certainly unimpressed by the hugs and kisses I keep giving him.  But I feel  a bit like a teenager myself.  I have been waking up late, loafing around in my pyjamas, going to bed ridiculously late and yesterday I had a nap in the day!  I know!  I did cook a ‘proper’ meal today which was lovely as I have been eating rubbish and sweets for the last three days.  Because I can!  Without worrying that I will get told off or be setting a bad example.  Today I have a bottle of wine.  To myself!  I will possible regret that tomorrow morning though!

I did think about having a day in a spa, but to be honest, I have so many jobs here at home that need doing, I would feel guilty pampering myself for a whole day and soon enough Friday night will arrive and it will be back to the normal but amazing chaos and noise of family life!  And then I will have to start acting like a proper grown up again!  Cheers to that!

How about you – What would you do with a week to yourself?