A Super Saturday

A few weeks ago I had an entire day off. That meant no baby and no schedule. Only one large 8 year old who is almost entirely entertained by himself. I wasted it. Really. By the end of the day all I could think about was how I had wasted the entire day. How depressing! Now I’m trying to figure this out. Why did I think it was such a waste of a day?

First of all I got to sleep in till 9:00. I went to a Super Saturday where I got to experience a wonderful Italian cooking class and a smoothie making class. I got to spend time with Victor, eating lunch that I didn’t have to cook, making soap that I didn’t have to clean up after, and tying a quilt. I came home and cleaned out the fridge, washed dishes, cooked four batches of granola, worked on a blanket, and wrote a blog. What was so unsatisfying about that? What more could I have asked for? Something bigger? Something monumental?

Somehow all of the little things we do, day in and day out don’t seem to add up to anything great in our minds. Should they? What’s wrong with a Mother looking after the basic simple needs of her family; cooking, cleaning, teaching, creating and loving? These are things we can’t live without so why do we want to put them at the bottom of our list?

I am very happy with my lot in life. I feel lucky that I enjoy being at home with my kids. I enjoy trying to be the best Mother, chef, and cleaning lady I can be. Would I rather teach my kids to clean a bathroom or teach them how to hire someone to clean a bathroom? I think you know the answer to this. Which one raises independent, resourceful children? And besides, which one saves me money?

I know a lot of women who don’t feel this way. They want to hire a cleaning lady while they’re out slaying dragons but I’m happy to leave the dragons to Stranger. MAN are there a lot of dragons out there. He's not a Stranger for nothing! I’m satisfied if I slay a closet, a telephone salesperson or a refrigerator every now and then. Die leftovers, die!

I keep fantasizing about getting a vacation from this relentless job. Where would I go? What would I do? I need to get away and get recharged to handle life’s challenges.

No I don’t! That's what blogging is for! First of all I’m too cheap to spend money to go somewhere. Secondly I don’t want to leave my kids. Thirdly I don’t want to leave my comfortable, although muddy, house and lastly, I’m the most boring unadventurous creature that didn’t roam the earth. I stayed home and knitted a blanket instead.

Ok, if you kidnapped me and drug me on an all expense paid trip to Europe I wouldn’t complain very loudly but otherwise me and my Tomato are staying put. And anyone out there calling it The Great Pumpkin had better knock it off!