There’s nothing quite like the first week of back to school to light a spark under your marriage. I don’t think I have the strength to sign one more school form, cross reference yet another medical form, or enter one more sporting event on our family calendar. But I do have the energy to sit in a nice restaurant, sip a fine glass of wine, and stare at my husband across a plate of carefully-crafted sushi. And, we won’t be talking about the kids.
This past week was, and already the one ahead is promising to be, grueling. The school supply list required a trip to three different stores, there were late night runs to the grocery store for paper bags for the required book covers that are due tomorrow, the endless parent information nights that we drag ourselves to when we really should be putting our kids, and ourselves to bed. I’m just done with all of it.
That’s not all. Re-entry to land-locked life, from a summer at the lake, has been difficult. First, people are EVERYWHERE; I feel so cramped all of a sudden. Secondly, my sunsets, which once looked like this, now look like this:
That’s the sun there, behind the garage, between the telephone lines. We don’t even have telephone lines at the lake. We barely have cell phone coverage. And, we’re fine with that. Inner turmoil is running rampant through my mind now that I’ve left the lake, and I’m back here to stay. Difficult to put into words.
So, tonight, while fixing dinner, I’m already planning how we’ll take full advantage of my oldest son’s capability of baby-sitting his younger brothers, so that we can sneak off for some adult time. Then, my husband comes home with a frown. He’s sick…it’s something he ate.
I mixed up some peppermint essential oil for him, he rubbed it on his belly, and in a few hours he was doing much better.
Still, there were more roadblocks to come. My oldest son opens his homework… he has a lot of homework. Lots of homework. So, we’ll be staying in tonight, after all. I’m beginning to think there’s no break in sight until next summer at the lake.
I envy your summer at the lake. Sorry re-entry is so hard.
I’m sorry your re-entry was rocky. Hopefully you’ll all have settled in in a few days and then you can get that much-needed date!
Homework! Dudelet started reception today (he’s four and two thirds) and he’s apparently going to get ‘homework’. Dating your partner sounds like a great idea but I think we’re still a long way away from that…
Summer, come back! Come baaaaaaaacccckk!
Sorry you missed your spousal sushi date, Susie. (Sorry, couldn’t help the allure of alliteration.) Hang in there, sounds like a lot all at once but I’m sure things will settle down. Heck, you have a kid old enough to babysit — that’s golden!
I guess it’s the crazy school year that makes summer so special.
Homework. It’s so silly. While the teachers are just trying to do their jobs, I think sometimes they forget that their students have more than one class.
Ah I understand all too well. By the time I’m done with my forms, memos, bulletins, etc. I have homework in 2nd grade, 9th grade, and 12th grade. Then there’s the PTA. Who dreams up all this “stuff”? It’s great that you and hubby do date nights (we do that here too) and just think what you have to look forward to next week… Now, I ask you…why do we parents have sooo much paperwork to do each and every year? I’ve got an idea…Perhaps if we keep a file with a copy of each of the forms, when the forms come due next year, we won’t have to fill them out! : )