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For a few weeks this summer, Alex had to travel for work or family obligations, and I flew solo with the boys. After a while, I was feeling a little zonked. So! We had the idea that, over this past weekend, Alex would take the boys to the beach, and I would SPEND THE WEEKEND HOME ALONE ALL BY MYSELF!!!!
Although I regularly have alone time in my day-to-day life (solo walks, dinners with friends, etc.), I hadn’t spent an entire weekend alone at home for 11 years! Here are 10 things I did.
1) First, I set out for a long stroll around the neighborhood.
2) While walking, I listened to the Rewatchables podcast, in which funny, smart friends chat about popular movies. I especially enjoyed the episodes about Goodfellas, Get Out, When Harry Met Sally and The Talented Mr. Ripley.
3) On the podcast, Amanda Dobbins said she was too “ensorcelled” by Jude Law’s character to care that he was a pretty bad guy. I immediately googled “ensorcell” and it means “enchant or fascinate.” Did you know that word? (It’s now my goal to casually drop it into conversation.)
4) For lunch, I met my friend Gemma in Manhattan. When I couldn’t decide between eggy toast and arugula salad, the waiter said he would decide for me. Eight minutes later, he came back with a mix of both!
5) After lunch, we walked to a little shop and I discovered a sexy lipstick to wear this fall.
6) In the afternoon, I took a nap. A NAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A nap.
7) The next day, I stopped to get a coffee at Poppy’s, our neighborhood café, and the barista showed me her toast tattoo. “My mom always told me that toast makes everything better,” she said. “I took it to heart.”
8) Then I watched the special animated Pen15 episode and laughed out loud many times. Have you seen it? The girls drive down to Florida with Anna’s dad and develop crushes on two guys at the hotel. It felt JUST like the Florida vacations our family took when my sister and I were in middle school. So dramatic! So emotional! A 21-hour-drive!
9) For dinner, my long-time friend Jason and I went to Red Hook Tavern. He told me funny dating stories and we guessed each other’s love languages (mine is always and forever words of affirmation). The conversation reminded me of Sex and the City, when Carrie says that Hamptons houseguests are required to sing for their supper: “Brokers give investment advice. Architects, design advice. Single people give married friends tidbits from their sexual escapades.”
10) The weekend was epic! Having NOTHING important on the schedule, along with ZERO people requesting snacks or water, felt like the deepest breath. But, 48 hours later, I heard a little knock on the door, and there they were: my babies. And, funnily enough, I was thrilled to have them back. xoxo
P.S. What parenting is really like, and would you ever take a motherhood vacation?
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