Just 30 Minutes

One day last week, between track meets and doctor appointments, I left work at 3:30 to meet Lyss at the doctor for her second meningococcal vaccination. The appointment took all of five minutes and we were on our way at 4:02. She had to be at work at 5 but figured what the heck, she’d just go in early. That girl…

I could have gone back to work and worked 15 more minutes until the ‘end of day’ but because my 18 year old has a better work ethic than I do I went home.

I got home a half hour earlier than I usually do.

But what do you know? Olivia didn’t have any homework that day. I know! Miracles abound.

I called my mom to check in, it was her and my stepdad’s 26th anniversary. I told her how cold it was supposed to be the next day and suggested that she skip the track meet and just stay home and warm.

Then I called my dad to check in with him since I hadn’t talked to him in a few days and he had been in the emergency room just the week before. He was doing well, but, in his words, just didn’t have much gumption. I told him he should just rest and continue to recuperate.

After that phone call I went down and transferred towels from the washer to the drier.

I put a few pieces together in our current puzzle.

I packed Alyssa’s and my lunches. (I know, she’s a senior, she usually does pack her own lunch but on days when she has to work until 9 or so, I pack it for her because I want to and I like being able to do small things to still take care of her.)

I made dinner for Olivia and by 6:30…the evening was spread out before me like a blank canvass. What WAS I going to do with myself?

It’s amazing how that extra half hour seemed to stretch itself out.

Yes, there were a few things that coincided with making those 30 minutes seem like a lot more. No homework is a HUGE gain in time. Dinner was just reheating leftovers rather than actually making something more involved. The towels were already clean in the washer, just needed to go into the drier. But oh how good it felt to have a whole evening of nothing ahead of me.

I think I’ll enjoy retirement when it finally rolls around in fifteen or so years…sigh.