Single vs Parent

OK, I admit it. I'm a boring old fart. Although I'm a good single mom, I currently make a terrible single woman!

I probably left things a bit late - but did manage to rustle up a friend for dinner/drinks on my kid-free night. However, they bailed by cellphone shortly thereafter, after I'd already got toffed up and driven to the location. Tried a few other folk - no-one was available. So I wandered around - went into Wordsworth and found some cool books, looked at movies, looked at restaurants.... all the time pondering "do I want to just go alone?".

Came up a No - and not just for the "alone" thing. I looked at the food and realized I'd rather be eating home-made baked potatoes with my home-made mayo, olive oil and garlic - and the rest of the gigantically lekker salad I had for lunch. I'm not quite sure I trust restaurant kitchens either - and I like to know what goes into my food. I looked at the drinks and realized I had better stuff to drink at home. Both of which were free as opposed to over-inflated restaurant prices. I looked at the movies, and although there was one I wouldn't mind seeing, I have many free ones at home. I'm not willing to pay that much cash for some mindless entertainment - I have better things to do with my moola. I looked at the restaurants, and remembered the look of horror and pity on the hostess's face the last time I asked for a "table for one", as well as the sidelong glances I got from other folk (not that I mind, just wasn't lus for it tonight). I drove past a bar and a clubby-type place and thought "nah...".

So after a few cool shots of the sunset thanks to my ever-present camera (with a gaze at the new moon), a book browse and a bit of a wander... I came home!

And made my potatoes, and salad, and drinks. And fired up the computer to hang with the Landy UK forum, and update a few things I couldn't get to today, and entertain myself with stuff I know well and enjoy, as well as taking time to read things that stretch the mind a bit.

Perhaps I wouldn't be a boring old fart if I had more than a single evening in which to get used to the idea of not having to be a mom. As it is, it's strange for me to not have to make two suppers, get school goodies sorted for tomorrow, worry about bedtimes and such. I'm in, I'm out, I'm doing my own thing. Happy enough - just not used to it.

Thing is, I'm going to have to get used to having a life on my own again. One parent shared with me on Tuesday night that her son (my son's age) has a girlfriend - she has to drop him off near where they're going and come back in 3 hours. In the meantime she gets to entertain herself. The kid doesn't yet have a girlfriend, but it's coming. It will be my turn soon! Maybe then I'll have time to learn how to let my hair down again.

Thus another opportunity to be wild and woolly passes me by. I've more than made up for it in younger days, but that was a loooonnnng time ago. Perhaps I've passed my expiry date after all? :-)