Saturday, October 4, 2008

down time


I was at home by myself for a good part of the day today...and it was fabulous.


I did get out for a while to do some kid-free shopping, and of course I did my usual driving/wrangling/domestic diva routine after school got out. But the real zen moments were those few hours when the house was all mine. Dogs were sleeping, noise was muted, and I puttered around quite happily with not a productive thought in mind. It was just what I needed.


I drank coffee and read the newspaper. I fiddled on the computer. I shot down taking a nap, but only because I was enjoying myself too much to sleep. And around lunchtime I spent an hour doing my signature "oh my god, I have the house to myself" move. I made a huge bowl of popcorn and flopped on the couch with a book. A Little House on the Prairie book, to be specific. It's usually the same thing. Popcorn and Laura Ingalls Wilder. Sometimes I read something else, but not often. During these few hours of solitude, these tend to be the books I turn toward. What in the world does this mean? Is there a prairie/popcorn connection I'm not aware of?


Anyone else have quirky little rituals like this?

9 comments:

Altaglow said...

Can we take a nap toether while I'm there? It would be wonderful for me.

Irene said...

I always have the apartment to myself, but my supreme moments are when I guiltlessly sit behinf the compueter for several hours straight without a thought of doing anything else. That to me is pure bliss, because all other things go on the back burner where they belong, to be taken up again at some other time.

LCM said...

There could be, I think it's Farmer boy where they play the game of how many popcorn kernels and how much milk can fit in the same glass. I love the descriptions of food in that book.

Devon said...

I used to love those books and tried to get my daughter into them.. no luck. She is now 12, maybe, hmmm.

When I have time like that, I put on a Jane Austin DVD and knit! Pure heaven!!!

Iota said...

So what we really need is for someone to make a movie of a Laura Ingalls Wilder book with Hugh Grant in it. Then your life would be complete.

aims said...

There's something about popcorn isn't there? My ritual - at bedtime I make a huge bowl - think bigger than mixing bowl size - of popcorn and go to bed with my book and my cup of tea waiting for when the popcorn is done. It sits on one of those cup warmer things so that it doesn't get cold.

Sigh....pure bliss - every night!

Anonymous said...

RC,
That sounds like bliss to me. I love having the house to myself, LOVE IT. It rarely happens, but when it does I usually pull out a book and make a big bowl of pop corn with a diet coke. Popcorn is such a comfort food for me. I loved those books so much and my girls did too. I also loved Trixie Belden, I still pull those out from time to time. Sadly, my girls never got into them, as much as I tried.
My only problem with having such a quiet house, when I read, I start to nod off.

Have a good weekend.
XXXXX

Rudee said...

Those are precious hours to be treasured. For me, I put on a chick flick and knit.

willowtree said...

"Anyone else have quirky little rituals like this?"

Ahhh...yeah I do, but instead of a book, a bowl of popcorn and a couch, they involve a magazine, a bottle of beer and some lubricant. However, as your mother reads my comments, I will not be elaborating.