Sometimes I am so damn efficient that I scare myself. Like a power house in pajamas, I start my day at 6:00am. I get up; say good-bye to my teen-agers who are bolting out the door at 6:30am to catch their ferry to school (huh?). As much as they complain about island life ruining their social life, they get to take a BOAT to school! That is so TOTALLY going to beat any stories from grandpa about walking 8 miles to school uphill, both ways, in the snow, with nothing but a potato in his pocket to keep him from freezing solid. I throw on a pot of coffee, check my email, log in to my IM so that I can begin communicating with my bosses in Boston. As my computer comes to life, I turn the lights on in my younger children’s rooms with a sing-song voice “Gooooood morning! Time to wake up!”, grab a cup of coffee and put in on the steamy bathroom counter for Jason when he gets out of the shower. “Thanks, honey.” I hear through the pouring steam. “You’re welcome.” I say, and then pause, “Heeeey. You’re naked.” I say. No answer. I shrug, sip my own coffee and walk to my desk to take a peek at what awaits me for the day.
As I begin scrolling through emails, I hear the slow and grudging progress of my grade-schoolers getting dressed and making their beds. Sarah comes out in a black, red and ivory plaid dress and pink tights. And pink Sketchers. I turn her around to look for ivory tights and black shoes. Dylan literally rolls out of his room and lays gingerbread-man style in the middle of the living room and pretends to sleep. I look at him just as Jason speeds by me buttoning his shirt, stopping briefly to kiss me on the head.
Approximately 30 minutes later, Sarah and Dylan have eaten pancakes, packed their lunches into their backpacks, found shoes and jackets and are out the door with Jason.
I’m alone at last.
I pour another cup of coffee, put on a CD and begin to work. As I realized for a moment just how much I love my office (the living room), my co-workers (the cats) and the commute (non-existent), I reflect on some of the pros and cons of my occupation:
Pros
· I get paid to work in my pajamas. No pantyhose required.
· I can shave or not shave - nobody cares.
· I can save on my water bill by not bathing as often.
· Huge savings on gas for my land yacht. Less mileage, too.
· No co-workers coming into my office to complain about their
boss/subordinate/salary/benefits/sex life or lack thereof.
· More time with family, especially children.
· Tax write-offs for internet access, home office, etc.
· I can play any music I want as loud as I want.
· Snacks and drinks are as close as the refrigerator.
Cons
· I know immediately when the cat has used the litter box.
· Cats want in, want out, want in, want out, want in….
· No going to lunch with my coworkers and no socializing with them.
· I only leave the island once a week…. Groceries, fast food, even (gasp) the MALL.
Turning into a scary cat lady.
· More time with family, especially children.
· Snacks and drinks are as close as the refrigerator. But mostly can’t take the time to make
real meals or really even dig for a healthy snack.
· I don’t get a shower until dinner time.
· I think “Oh, just one more thing”, look up and its 7:00pm and no dinner in sight.
· Anyway, I meet my deadline today with no trouble. A rare occurrence…not the meeting
the deadline part, but the ‘no trouble’ part. Inevitably I can count on a site I’m working
on going down, my email not working…something.
I send off my report with a click and a smile. I vacuum, switch laundry loads, clean the bathrooms, then shower and ACTUALLY DO MY HAIR. I pick up Dylan at a friend’s house, Sarah at the bus stop, then hop on the 3:00pm ferry (while on the ferry, I use my SmartPhone to pay my power bill and my car payment) and grab Becky and Amy on the mainland side before they get on their bus, do my grocery shopping, get gas, go to the bank, get supplies for Becky’s Honor’s English class then meet up with Jason for dinner before getting home on the 6:20 ferry just in time to unload groceries, supervise homework, bathe kids while Jason goes to Kristi’s to lay hardwood floors (a barter for Sarah’s piano lessons), and all of us complete and accomplished either in bed after a chapter of James and the Giant Peach (Sarah & Dylan) or sitting here watching Michael Bublé on American Idol. (The rest of us).
These days do not come often. The days that I end by turning off the lights to soft music, blowing out my jar candles, and putting my arms around myself in the living room and say…”I did good.” But today was one. And that, is good.
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