Also I will miss him

Joe left this morning, out early for a holiday with his mum.  (That’s right, I holiday with my mother, and he holidays with his. That’s because we’re adorable.) I love it when he’s gone.  I know that sounds wrong, but I do. It’s like a little vacation here too.  Joe gets lots of time when he’s home and I’m not, but it hardly ever goes the other way, and it’s hard for me to even articulate what I love about it without making it sound like I don’t like it when he’s here – which I totally do, but being entirely alone in my own home is so novel that I can’t help but gleefully embrace it. I suppose it’s possible that it’s a holdover from the years the girls were little, when I was never, ever alone, or maybe my mum is right, and it’s one of the consequences of being the eldest child, but I can’t tell you of the simple joy of waking up in a house alone, of eating what I want when I want without considering what anyone else would like, of not negotiating for the bathroom, and not having to talk to anyone for a whole day if that’s what I choose.

It’s not like I have big plans for this time – I have lots of work to do, and lots of commitments with the family over Easter, but there’s a few things I’ve been thinking up to do while I was alone.

1. Hang up all the pictures that we took down when the house got painted a while ago.  I’m going to hang them anywhere I want to. It’s not like Joe would stop me, or probably even care where I hang the pictures, but it feels delicious to not even ask.

2. Reorganize Joe’s dresser. Every time he opens one of the drawers and I see that he’s got tee-shirts, shorts, pants, socks and underpants all mixed in together it gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies.  He swears that this system is fine, but I think he’s just willing to live with it so he doesn’t have to organize it. With him gone, I can touch all his things and put them proper order.  Joe has no idea how much he’s going to love it.  (Also, by the time he reads this, it will be too late.)

3. Eat things that Joe doesn’t like.  I can’t think right now of what that would be, but as soon as I think of it, I am going to do it.

4. Knit. Okay – I do that anyway, but I am going to do it alone.  Hey, did I mention that I finished that cowl/infinity scarf?

diamondcowldone3 2015-04-03

Pattern: Diamonds Go Around. Yarn: A Bevy of Swans DK in Pompey (that’s the brownish one) and Parted.

diamondcowldone 2015-04-03

It ended up just long enough to go twice around my neck, which I think makes it a scarf, not a cowl, according to what you all said in the comments.

diamondcowldone2 2015-04-03

I love it a lot, which is a little sad, because it’s a gift for a friend. I am consoled by knowing that I have another two skeins of this yarn to make another one for me. Someday.  First I’m finishing the Phi For You shawl, which is only about 5 long rows from done.

phiforyoualmost 2015-04-03

Can’t wait to show you the whole thing, because it’s totally charming, and also – not for me – and that’s okay, because that particular shade of purple and I have an uneasy relationship.  I’m also pounding out a tiny surprise, but you’ll have to wait to see that.

5. I am going to sleep in the middle of the bed. Or maybe diagonally.

6. With all the covers.

I’m so looking forward to the next several days.*  What do you like to do when you’re alone? Do you like it? What tiny pleasures do you find in solitude?

*with one exception, but I’ll tell you about that tomorrow.