Mix It Up

This morning, I got up at an ungodly hour (3:00 a.m.) to drive Jim to the airport because he’s off to Arizona for a week-long bicycling camp. This week he’ll be riding around fifty miles each day, in the mountains and through the desert. The last time he attended Desert Camp was about four years ago, and he’s been chomping at the bit to get out there again so he’s pretty excited. I’ll miss having him around (I kinda love him, you know?) but I’m thrilled for him because he works really hard and this getaway was just what he needed in this frigid, depressing, blizzard-filled, miserable, okay, rather spring-like winter we’ve experienced this year in Chicago.

Though I will definitely miss him–as I mentioned above, and will now point out that since I have written it twice already you should know that I’m totally serious about missing him, for real–I rather enjoy the abnormal House Rules I follow whenever Jim travels.

Number one. Although we generally stay up later than Jim likes to (10:45 p.m.) because we get up at 5:30 a.m. daily, I usually stay up even later when he’s gone. Like, midnight. I usually go upstairs at the regular time and watch old “Seinfeld” and “Friends” reruns in bed until I can’t keep my eyes open anymore. And yes, I still get up at 5:30. I’m a night person AND a morning person: can’t help it. Related: naps will be completely necessary this week.

Number two. Our late, great beagle Bijoux–who was abnormally large for a pure-bred beagle (48 pounds)–used to sleep with us. She used to take up most of the bed, really. Before we brought Roxie home at eight weeks old, I promised Jim that he wouldn’t have to deal with being crowded out by a bed-hogging dog. When Jim’s out of town, however, Roxie cheerfully trots over to the side of the bed and jumps up and down like a giddy school girl until I help her up because she knows that the rule about her sleeping in her own bed goes away when Jim is gone. In fact, she often sleeps with her head on his pillow and the rest of her body under the covers, a position she maneuvers into all by herself. Weird, I know. Don’t judge.

Number three.
There is a ban on the following: The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, and any other channel that broadcasts anything remotely educational.

Number four. There is a ban on the following: “The Matrix” and all of its sequels, “Rocky” and all of its sequels, and any movie that stars Clint Eastwood.

Number five. This probably won’t surprise you after reading numbers three and four, but watching reality television is heavily encouraged, as is the watching of chick flicks, classic movies of the 80s, and “Project Runway” marathons.

Number six. No matter how exhausted I get, I will not complain about it when Jim gets home because I did it to myself. (and as much as that sounds like a rule that he might make FOR me, he did not: it’s all mine.)

Don’t get me wrong; I love how things work around here when Jim’s home. When we were first married, however, he was in the Navy and was out at sea quite often, leaving me to lead the crazy schedule of my choosing while he was gone. I have always enjoyed the chance to mix it up now and then. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m pretty sure I’m missing a trashy reality show marathon of some sort…

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