Oh the Places I'd Go ...

Sleep ‘til 9:18A if J. allows it (which he usually doesn’t … he starts asking for breakfast and meowing in my face just before 6A. Why don’t cats understand weekends/days off/anything you say?). Groan and roll around a bit, throwing my arm over my eyes, then rise at 9:24A. Or maybe 9:37A. Or maybe … well, by 10A at the very, very latest.

Put on a two-cup pot of coffee. Wait in agony.

Coffee! Probably out on the back porch, in PJs and a sweatshirt b/c it’s still about 68˚F. Granola bar.

If The Boy isn’t up, get his butt up. Make his favorite breakfast: granola bar and a cold Coke.

Stretch a bit, fill up two Nalgenes, and jump in the car to head out to one of many nearby 4-mile hikes. Stop the car halfway out the driveway and run back inside to grab the sunscreen for just-in-case.

After the hike and a long pseudo-argument, find vestiges of willpower against The Boy’s pleading and head home for a late and homemade (therefore inexpensive) lunch. Back out on the porch, of course, but this time w/the umbrella up.

Maybe a game of cards (Harry Potter Uno, anyone?), maybe dominoes, maybe—if luck is a lady—I’ll read a magazine while The Boy does a little work. Just hanging out, killing time before:

Showers all around (J. likes to jump in when we’re done and sometimes doesn’t even wait until the water’s off) and off to the super-bargain matinee! With a stop at Target first for contraband chocolate. If I’m feeling super-sneaky (which I probably am), I’ll have stashed a Coke and a Dr Pepper in my bag before we left home. Then we have a movie and popcorn for dinner.

Eventually get back home after perhaps a stop at Lowes or Home Depot to check one more time to make sure the shade of green I want for the bedroom is really the shade of green I want for the bedroom. We’re not buying the paint yet, just visiting it.

Return to the back porch for more games or reading. When the mosquitoes chase us inside, choose a DVD (“House” if we haven’t already finished Season Three; we also just bought The Aviator for $5 at Target, so there’s that option), settle in on the couch. Check the weather at 10:12P, then gather up the cat and head to bed.

Could someone remind me why I didn’t call in sick today?