The Sound of Silence

I think when I clean.   Since this is both physically and mentally taxing I try not to do it very often.   Occasionally, however, circumstances are such that it can not be avoided.  Today was one of those occasions.

I woke up this morning to the strangest sound.  The sound of silence.

No obnoxious bleeting coming from the Finding Nemo alarm clock.  No children sqwaking about the injustice of being made to wear "handsome clothes."  No wailing about a missing "blankie."  Nothing.  Silence. 

This silence is brought to us by New Jersey.   -   New Jersey, providing childless weekends since 2004. 

My sisters-in-law, both intelligent adults, both successful in their respective careers, both stone cold crazy for arranging to take ALL THREE children for the ENTIRE weekend. 

I love my crazy in-laws.

So....here I am facing a choice of running 6 miles or cleaning the house.  Glancing at my dresser where the piles of clothing have gotten so large that I can no longer see the mirror I opt to clean. 

It is here, surrounded by various cleaning products, methodically wiping down the soap scummy bathroom that I begin to think about creating a TV show, writing a book, starting a scrapbooking business.

My mind races through images of TLC reality show pitches and a variety of book titles.  I see myself in an cozy home office in a pair of clean khaki pants having found the answer to our financial worries.
The TLC reality show -would feature our life - just two parents, a few children and thier struggle to not order pizza.  I think we would delvelop quite a following.

The book would be about my life, as a mother, a teacher, a wife and a friend.  I charm audiences with my relateable stories of life, love, and living in a suburban town. 

And then my husband calls from the family room, "I have a movie on pause, wanna watch it?"

"I'll be right down." I yell, abandoning my cleaning.

I'll write the book/ pitch the show/ create the business plan later...but right now I am a childless woman on a Saturday morning on her way to watch a movie.