Back to Life, Back to Reality

So we’re back from an almost a month’s vacation in sunshine state Florida. It was fun-filled and the kids had  a blast, they didn’t want to leave. But some good things must come to an end and so here we are – back home in Virginia. School starts in a week and the kids aren’t happy about that. Especially my 6th grader who already has homework. Can you believe it? While I am all for getting a jumpstart on the schoolyear, it would have been nicer if schoolwork started on the first week of school and not while you are relishing the last few days of summer vacation. But oh well, maybe it’s just me.

We went to almost all the bodies of water in FL – ocean, river, lake, estuary, pool – you name it! We are so dark and I am loving it! For a change we don’t look like anemic humans! I am basking in the glory of having a tan for even though I am Asian I am a little on the fair side. And living in Virginia doesn’t help either. The cold winters and staying indoors doesn’t appeal to me at this point. Being bundled up while it’s freezing outside and suffering all the cold and harsh weather gives my skin a beating. What am I talking about? It’s still summer, or what’s left of it, I should enjoy it!

Anyways, while we were in FL and DH was left in VA, he constantly called me especially when bills came in and when it’s time to eat. “What do I eat? Pls give me an idea.” I fought the urge to laugh maniacally and tried on my best supportive wife voice which could have earned me a Grammy. “What do you have in the fridge?” I hear the fridge door open and an audible sigh “leftovers” he said. “Well if you’re so tired of it, why don’t you just eat out or something? It would make more sense to eat out instead of do all the work for one person”. “You’re right. I guess I’ll just go to KFC”. So it went, KFC one day, Pho the next day, chinese buffet the other, and so on and so forth. Until the day he discovered TV dinners. He called me one day so excited about the newest Stouffers Chicken meal. “It’s really good! We should try this sometime!”. I swear, my husband is so spoiled with home cooked meals that the fact of not cooking it himself and just opening the box and nuking it makes it taste good. In fairness though, those TV dinners ARE good.

I knew that the boys were missing their Dad so much when my 11 yr old said: “I miss Dad so much, I even miss his annoying country music he plays on the radio”. To which my 9 yr old exclaimed : “yeah”. Guess absence does makes the heart grow fonder.

When our FL vacation was coming to an end I couldn’t wait to finally sleep in my own bed, cook in my own kitchen, walk in my own floors, do the laundry in my own washer and water my ever thirsty plants. Opening the door to my own house after a 3 week absence, the familiar scent of my own house was what I was hoping for. But when I opened and inhaled I smelled – polyurethane? I forgot that DH waxed and finished the hardwood floors, a task we’ve been putting off. The floors looked gorgeous which made up for my disappointment of not being able to “smell” home. The house looked nice and neat and I am just so glad to be home.

special thanks to www.Papelmeroti.com  for the image.