Dinner without Dad

Ernie’s at a business dinner tonight. I knew all day that he wouldn’t be home for dinner tonight and I planned accordingly. (i.e., I happily did nothing!)

Tonight my friend called at 5:45 pm and hastily said, “I’m so sorry! I hope I didn’t interrupt dinner!”

To which I happily replied, “Not at all, Ernie’s not home and I’m currently washing all the windows while the kids run around in their underwear and watch Dora the Explorer.”

Ah, sweet respites.

Now, in case anyone thinks that I like my life better when Ernie isn’t home- well that just isn’t true. I think that I have sufficiently documented my complete adoration for him at length. In fact, I have been driving Ernie to work every morning since the kids started back to school 2 weeks ago, for no reason other than that we like being together. Today Ernie drove himself to work (knowing he’d be going to dinner tonight) and I’ve suffered “Ernie withdrawal” all day because of it.

Just the same, it feels a little bit like a vacation to throw my strict time schedule out the window:

5:00pm- Set the table

5:30pm- finish up cooking dinner

5:45pm- call Ernie and find out why he isn’t home yet

6:00pm- Family dinnertime

6:45pm- kitchen clean-up

7:15- start the bedtime process

I don’t actually follow this schedule every night- even though I tell myself I’m supposed to- and on the nights that I don’t, I am racked with guilt over not providing the set table, full dinner, spotless kitchen, etc. (because I provided cold cereal, ramen, or McDonald’s instead).

Ernie going to dinner tonight saves me from being a slave to the schedule and at the same time liberates me from the guilt of not actually following said schedule.

It’s a fabulous win-win. Especially because I know that tomorrow night he’ll be home for dinner.