Monday, August 4, 2008

Weekend ABC's - H is for Housekeeping & Hiding



I like to think of myself as a pretty social little chicken.  I can chit chat with a doorknob and have often times found myself wishing I was.  Especially when a cutie at the club didn't turn out to be quite the intellectual I had hoped.   Even now I prefer the kind of bar where I can find a place to perch, sip my cocktail and people watch to see who comes my way carrying a nice smile and challenging wit.  (But if Kanye West's "Gold Digger" comes on, please get out of my way or I WILL run you over on my way to the dance floor.)

When I was asked earlier in the week if I wanted to get on the VIP list for a popular Portland club Friday night, the answer was YES.  When asked if I wanted to go to a local brew pub for their annual Bones & Brew festival on Saturday, the answer was YES.  And when the weekend rolled around?

The answer was NO.

Do you guys ever have weekends like this?  I wasn't sad, wasn't mad, wasn't glad, bad or any other Dr. Seuss rhyme you can fit here.  I.  Just.  Didn't.  Want.  To.  

I took my dog for a walk.  Didn't change anything.  I read a magazine.  Didn't want to budge. Had a cup of coffee.  Nope, still nothing.  Watched a couple of cooking programs.  No desire to cook.  The only thing that sounded good?

CLEANING MY CLOSETS.

And yes,  I know.  When I relayed that to the squad at lunch today, one of the guys who has LITERALLY taken a month to hike through the whole State of Oregon on the Pacific Crest Trail and another who only counts it as a good weekend if he can bike, run AND hike looked at me like my face was melting off.  When I looked to the third for moral support he was like "don't look at me, I built a deck this weekend."  

I even hesitated posting this.  Like, "man, I am SUCH a loser."  But honestly?  It was THE most relaxing weekend I've had in a long time.  Because after a couple of hours of trying to convince myself of all of the reasons I NEEDED to go out on Friday, I finally stopped playing tug of war.  I dropped the rope and said "I'm done."  I finally just let myself be.

After a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon with Ray LaMontagne singing in the background, the back and forth rock of the ironing board and the soft sigh that came from the iron each time it passed over a crisp white sheet, I remembered.  One of the items on my Summer To Do List was "Listen Closely."  And it was no longer the sigh of the iron I was hearing, but the sound of my own breath.  

Slow.  
Even.  
Real.

Quiet. 

(And future husband, if you're reading again?  That toilet paper is TOTALLY for guests.)

8 comments:

Big Hair Envy said...

OK. This SO doesn't count because YOU ARE GOING TO PARIS! Enough said :)

(Sometimes!) Serendipitous Girl said...

But it was on my list!

Bella Della said...

I clean to relax. Enough said. Well, not quite enough. When I am stressed I reorganize the closets and dressers. I am weird like that. So, it goes without saying that your do nothing/clean closet weekend is like totally appealing to me and I am not afraid to admit it!

PS- My dance floor days are long gone but let me tell you "Gold Digger" gets me jamming in the car :)

TD said...

I am totally with you... I have just gotten to the point in my life where it is a Friday or Saturday night and I can say "I have zero plans tonight, and I couldn't be happier about it!"

Candy said...

Yeah I hate it when I have a shit load of things to do, and all I want to do is nest.

Anonymous said...

I swear to friggin God- WE ARE TWINS. Possibly separated at birth. I do this same thing and I am this same way. I'm so slammed during the week (and Miss Social Butterfly) that I just want to hole up in my cozy home on the weekends and eat frosties and watch Golden Girl reruns. In fact, that sounds pretty damn good right now too! ;)

Anonymous said...

Okay, Ashunabashed said Golden Girls. I am like so hot right now! We have the whole collection on DVD! Can the crowd scream "KOOL KIDS IN DA HAUS!! WOOP WOOP"!
Now, back to the topic at hand. SSG, you are one of the most giving, kindest, biggest hearted people I know (not to mention, like totally Sexy Spice). You spend a lot of time with other people, and I think once in a while you should spend some time with yourself! So many of us enjoy our moments with you, that obviously you should do the same! You are a bright, beautiful, amazing, independent women, I mean damn girl, do what you want too do!

Okay, now that Dr. Phil has let go of my medulla oblongata, YOU HAVE AN IRON??

Unknown said...

Wondering around and found your site. You are such an awesome person and I totally agree with you on so many levels. I have never felt more normal in my life. We should start a club or something. I love the way you write as well. Awesome.