When the Cat's Away...

This week, MacGyver is out of town for his job.  He left us, feeling a bit guilty, and set off with his co-worker/best friend/kiddos' godfather (also known as "the Don") for a few exciting days in Mobile, Alabama.

The moment the door shut, I thought "the cat's away, so the mice shall play!"

Now, don't get me wrong--I love my husband.  Adore my sweetie.  I swear he's the one that wakes up early and puts the sun up in the sky for us.  But, here and there, it's really awesome to have him go away for a few days...

I don't think I'm alone, either, in believing this.  A totally non-random poll of friends and acquaintances has shown that the moms (not the dads!) believe that a few non-hubby days with the kids is simply fabu.  We stay up later.  Eat enormous amounts of crap and fast food (yeah!! no cooking!!!!).  We refuse to clean or vacuum.  The laundry fairy only visits when we're down to our last pairs of undies.  Dishes in the sink?  Yep.  Why?  Because. We. Don't. Care.

Now, this does not include those of us with hubbies (wives, or co-parents, or significant others, etc.) who are in the military and are gone for long lengths of time.  Nor, does it include those whose better halves travel all the time.  That's no fun, and frankly, sucks.

But, for those of us who get to see all our sweetie darlings every. stinkin'. day. It's nice for a break.  It really does make the heart grow fonder.  And, it relieves the craving for Squisito's pizza (since we basically live on that and Lucky Charms for days at a time).  By the time MacGyver's back home, I'm itching to make something homemade for dinner, and living in sloth and gluttony isn't as exciting as it was a few days before.

And, you know what?  I think that, deep down, the husbands like getting away too.  Yes, my sweetums complains that the hotel rooms aren't homey, he doesn't like eating out every meal of the day, and it's really boring to watch TV by yourself at night.  But, then, he doesn't have someone complaining about his choice of TV show (really?  another conspiracy theory/aliens/UFO show?) and wanting to watch the Real Housewives marathon instead.  And, theoretically, no one is asking for a refill on their juice or if they can eat the rest of his meat, and can you please cut it up for me, no, not that way, like little triangles, and can I have the rest of your potatoes too, and can you take us out for ice cream, why not?, that's not fair, he hit me, she looked at me, etc. etc. ad nauseum....

He makes it sound like travel is horrible. All the lines.  All the airports.  All the questionable food.

And, yet, inevitably, he calls to tell me goodnight and I hear laughter and music in the background.  Sometimes he and the Don are at a nightclub/restaurant drinking bottles of wine with a bunch of co-workers in South Beach.  Or, I hear the surf and seagulls from Hernando Beach where they're talking to surfers and guys fishing on the pier while their table is called at that restaurant that looks out over the ocean.  Once, they were getting dinner in Little Havana and I got to hear the descriptions of all the street vendors and their meals. It sounded awesome!  I could almost taste the pulled pork and fried plantains...

So, my point is, I think some travel and time apart is really good when you've been together as long as MacGyver and I have been.  The kids are excited that daddy's gone so they can pile into bed with me and snuggle all night.  And, they get to be excited when he comes home, usually with trinkets and souvenirs for them.  And we both get the excitement of a little change in scenery and routine, and that can make everyone feel a whole lot better.

I hope he remembers this when I try to get away next month for a "girls' weekend"...