Sunday, April 05, 2009

It Has Come To This

It is Sunday. The best day of the week. It used to be the worst day of the week for me. John is always gone. Everyone else is always at home with their families, so I can't really get together with friends. Everything, and I mean everything, closes early. The gym childcare closes. The library closes. The entire world shuts down so everyone can be at home with their families. But not us. No. We are usually going bonkers and I'm ready to gouge my own eyes out by 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Not anymore.

I did something about it.

I hired a weekly babysitter. Every Sunday afternoon/evening. If John is around, we have her come in the evening while we go out. If he isn't, I have her come in the afternoon.

Best. Thing. EVAHHHHHH. I just smile all day on Sunday because I know I am getting some free time later that day. I can put up with anything on a Sunday. Becca doesn't want to nap? Fine! Great! Let's play outside! When the sitter arrives, I want to just hug her and squeeze her the minute she walks in the door. But, instead I grab my purse and run the hell out of here for FREEEEEEDOM!

But, then I get in the car, and pull the diapers out my purse, and think, "Now what?" I can't ever decide what to do . Having that much freedom almost paralyzes me. One week I went to Outback Steak House and clipped coupons in a bar booth while eating a giant plate of cheese/bacon/ranch french fries. I looked like a fuh-reak and I couldn't have been happier. With my scissors. And my newspaper. By myself. At Outback. God.

Last week John arrived home right as the sitter arrived. So, we went out to eat and then to the bowling alley. But, even the freaking bowling alley closes early on Sunday. And apparently, it costs a bajillion dollars just to bowl one game. We did squeeze one quick game in, then handed over all our money. (WTF? Didn't it used to cost, like, a dollar? I think it is probably cheaper for high schoolers to do drugs now than to go bowling.)

So, we left. It was only 8 p.m.

Becca wouldn't have even been in bed yet. There was NO WAY we were going home before she went to bed. But we couldn't think of anything to do. So we went to Walgreens and bought some M&Ms.

Then we went home. At 8:20. Because why pay a sitter all the rest of your money (that the bowling alley didn't take) when both your kids are in bed asleep?

Tonight John is coming home right when the sitter arrives again. So, we're going to a wine bar and to see Adventureland. My goal is to stay out past 9 p.m. Ahhhh....living the dream.

15 comments:

Susan said...

This is how I know we're sisters: "One week I went to Outback Steak House and clipped coupons in a bar booth while eating a giant plate of cheese/bacon/ranch french fries."

Anonymous said...

Susan, You clip coupons and eat BACON?????

Sioux said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Susan said...

No, but I would eat a big pile of fries with gross toppings alone in public while doing something lame. In fact, I do have taxes to do...Cheesy Queso Green Chili Fries, here I come!

Unknown said...

I have a once wk sitter on Tuesday afternoons. I do the same things you do. Well, now I hit the gym. But, have time after for doing stuff and sometimes I just don't know what to do. But, I don't care b/c no one under the age of 5 is calling my name.

Let me know if Kristen Stewart played herself or an actual character. Her performance in Twilight wasn't very good. As in, she played Kristen and not Bella. But, then again, that whole movie wasn't good, most likely b/c the production company didn't realize that the book Saga had millions of fans and nearly every women (and their dates) b/w the ages of 13 and 45 would go see it five times each (thus the Indie director and shitty screenplay). Anyway, I'm hoping Kristen Stewart can actually act and her performance in Twilight was bad b/c of the poor directing and crappy budget. If she's bad in Adventureland too, I'm thinking going to see New Moon in November will be a waste of my time and money despite the fact it has a bigger budget and better director than Twilight. - Excuse the TwiAddict tangent.

Erin said...

Sounds like the BEST PLAN EVER.

Swistle said...

You are a genius. A weekly pre-arranged sitter is a GENIUS idea. It takes the worst part (the calling around) out of it.

Do you have any big huge bookstores (Barnes & Noble, Borders) near you? Those often stay open even Sunday evenings, and they have coffee and treats and comfy chairs and books and magazines.

Re bowling: I KNOW RIGHT?? What is WITH that? I used to go bowling as a cheap thing to do.

sgtsharp said...

What did you delete??

Sunday is the perfect night to go a movie. the last showing, cuz everybody is at home hating life,
and you can pick & choose your seats.

The Quinn Report said...

We had the same dilemma today. Andrew's parents are in town and we couldn't decide what to do with ourselves. Now that we're home (and didn't get anything accomplished other than my race), I have a zillion things on my list to do.

It makes my head hurt like hell.

Anonymous said...

Yes, tell us what you deleted :) And our bowling alley (in Severna Park, MD) is 24-7 crowded and costs a kajillion dollars and usually when it's time to pay you don't have enough cashola and you have to leave them one of your kids or wash dishes or SOMETHING. I mean, for realz, people, it's BOWLING. Maybe their insurance is high? Or something? I dunno!!!! Did you guys have fun tonight????

lisa said...

Fantastic idea. I've contemplated something like that....this week is spring break and hence no school and Im a little daunted at the thought of being with both kids 24/7 with no break.

Tracy said...

oh my goodness, you have made a great decision. The bowling thing is horrible. I prefer to stay at home and bowl on the wii.
I have given up on having alone time (not really, but). It is just like you said, paralzying. i don't know what to, can't slow down to enjoy it and at the end of the time, i have accomplished NOTHING. So sad.

Katie said...

I didn't delete anything...whoever wrote something deleted it!

Lisa, I KNOW. Spring break here too. I'm scared. Someone hold me.

sgtsharp said...

open Bowling is all most unheard of up here in Minnesota, Mostly its always bowling leagues.You all are lucky back east atleast you have open Bowling.

kia (good enough mama) said...

Wine AND staying out past 9? You're CRAZY!!! Hahahaha