My husband’s hours are kind of tough, those closest to me know this.
I am left to do most of the “dirty” work around here and it is exhausting.
This year has been hard with my menopause, headaches, the kids’ schedules, etc.
So it has been challenging to say the least.
The past few weeks especially have been an uphill battle with homework, issues, and plans reaching an all-time high.
It has been tears, frustration, temper tantrums and just storms from morning until the lights turn off at the end of the day.
It was at one point that I literally turned my phone off one day after my youngest got off the bus and my teenager was safely home, that I just needed the world to be shut away.
I just couldn’t “adult” anymore at that point.
Two days later, I left for Ohio.
I ran away from home.
To be clear, I asked my family to run away with me.
It was Memorial Day weekend and when I told my youngest my plans, she said, and I quote, ” Aww, I was thinking we could just relax!”
You know, like she does 363 of the other days out of the year.
It was then suggested by my oldest that I leave without them.
Wait, what?
Go…..alone?
Really, I mean are you sure, I mean…….OKSOUNDSLIKEAPLAN!
Now, I am not one to run away from my problems.
But sh#$ got too real for me.
Normally, I never get to run away from anything.
But this time, I was allowed to get the hell out of Dodge.
With a hall pass.
I frantically threw clothes in a suitcase as I made sure it was okay that my 15-year-old was SURE she wanted to watch my seven-year-old ALL DAY on a Saturday afternoon while my husband was at work while I was driving to Ohio.
“Yes Mom, GO!”
“ARE YOU SURE???”
“YES!!”
I quickly packed, kissed and hugged them goodbye, then left.
As I got to the end of the neighborhood, I had second thoughts and sent this text:
I miss my kids immediately after I leave them.
Is anyone else like that?
They can drive me NUTS then as soon as I leave them, I immediately insanely miss them.
I wanted to turn around and take them to Target to get a slushy and something from the dollar spot and spend the rest of the day together.
But I knew that she wanted to do this just as much for me as I needed this weekend for myself.
And I really needed this weekend for myself.
UPDATE-as of the publishing of this we have indeed acquired the driving permit!!
And I have my first gray hairs.
As I finally started driving down the tollway, I felt like I was missing something.
It was this unfamiliar feeling.
Oh yeah.
Freedom!
That’s it!
It was weird to have control of the radio station, the snacks, my thoughts.
It was quite unsettling, not going to lie.
Not as exciting as I thought it would feel.
Traveling alone wasn’t as cool as I thought it would be, but I popped a mini donut I snagged from the kitchen table on the way out into my mouth, cranked up the Totally 80s and sped down 294 toward Indiana.
Once I get into Ohio, I immediately feel like I am 10 all over again.
I am transported back to the backseat of my parents Volare station wagon and I am a little girl.
Every time I see that Ohio sign, I am immediately a child and I am coming home.
I am back, my problems are few and I am loved, comforted and all is right with the world.
So here is the real reason I went to Ohio: my soul sister Vikki, one of the two dear friends who came out to save my soul this winter?
Well, her son graduated from college this spring and he was getting ready to move to West Virginia and I was worried I wouldn’t ever get to meet him.
That is unless he comes to Chicago to cook for me because he is going to be a world-famous chef someday.
HE BETTER COME TO COOK FOR ME.
Well, I needed to meet him before he moved away because this particular weekend was his graduation party/birthday party for his sister, aka my twin.
OMG, I WISH I COULD WRITE A POST ABOUT VIKKI’S DAUGHTER BETH.
When her name isn’t Bethy.
Or Bethyboo.
Sorry.
Had to go there.
I love her.
She completes me.
It was during one of our daily group messages, that it was suggested I should just come out that weekend.
Just go.
I am not a spontaneous person.
At.
All.
I made the decision to go 45 minutes before I left.
Because when people drive six hours to save a person’s soul on a cold February day, well, they mean a lot to the said person.
That person is me, by the way.
In case you were confused.
I have a way of confusing people.
Oh, and Vikki had no idea I was coming.
I didn’t mention that?
So there was that.
So those are my shoes in her driveway six hours after I left Chicago.
I took that picture after I got there, shared it on her Facebook wall and surprise.
It’s good to be “home”.
Ohio people sure know how to have fun.
They call “baggo” corn hole.
And they light a fire to paper and call it lanterns or something or other.
These were so cool and it didn’t catch a tree on fire or anything!!!
Allegedly.
Some of the most fun people you will ever meet.
Also known as Cheech and Chong.
I haven’t laughed so hard sober in my life.
Best bonfire I have ever seen.
By the way, it’s not called a “bonfire” in Ohio.
It’s called a “fire”.
Sorry, us city folk call it a bonfire.
I’ve been away far too long.
Although I don’t remember having “fires” when I lived there.
Unless it was an actual FIRE.
Then it was a PROBLEM.
I got to go to JB’s and pet dogs.
