Friday, October 17, 2008

I Want.....

...to spend the weekend in a swanky hotel room. With a swanky bathroom with a deep and long whirlpool tub. And a fluffy white robe. And toe separators and a bottle of Essie's "East Hampton Cottage." And room service. And a bottle of champagne. And a DVD player, plus a stack of James McAvoy DVD's. And a laptop computer with internet access. And if I'm feeling ambitious, maybe, just maybe, a long, meandering walk around the city.

Oh, did I mention that I want all of this alone?

Feeling a bit Greta Garbo tonight. Momma needs to get away from the "office." No matter how much someone loves her job -- and truly, I wouldn't trade mine -- we all need to leave the office now and then.

And I think I'm thinking this way tonight because long ago in a galaxy far, far away, I went on a shoot to L.A. and stayed at the Four Seasons. And after a long, sweaty day of shooting outside during a heat wave, everyone else came back all excited to celebrity watch in the bar (James Woods gave me a once-over... whoopee). I took a different route. I had already spent all day with this group of people. So I put on my suit and went to the pool. Which late in the evening is completely empty. I had the entire pool to myself and just floated on my back staring up at the night sky. The others likely thought that I was stand-off-ish. But I thought it was a perfect way to get out of the "office" that I'd been in all day. And besides, I hadn't heard of James McAvoy yet.

So I guess that's where this post is coming from. Getting out of the office. Coming up for air. A little sensory deprivation, maybe. But when your "office" is your home and your kids, feelings of guilt come with that desire.

But things are looking up. A friend's wedding is next week, so that's an excuse to get out of the office. And next weekend, Urban Dad & I will go out for our anniversary to a favorite restaurant for a leisurely dinner (future post right there, huh?). So again, an excuse to get out of here a quick two nights later. And thank God for Best Namma Ever! coming to visit, 'cause that saves us having to just hand over a cable tv payment to a babysitter (mr. mcavoy has three movies going on HBO just now...).

These are the things that excite me right now. Anyone else go through this? Anyone else feel all "bad mom"-ish when you do?

9 comments:

Tonia said...

I get that way too! My dh knows that the best gift he can give me is an empty house. (maybe I can convince him to let me stay overnight at a nice hotel ALL BY MYSELF for my next birthday) That would be a great gift!

I don't think it is "bad mom" -ish to do that. We all need something that relaxes and rejuvinates us - alone time is one of those things that does it for some people!

Sheralyn said...

Yes, I get that way too. Unfortunately my DH is not that sensitive to it, so when I need to be alone, I have to take it myself. And its very rare that I do.
I make myself not feel guilty, I remind myself how I'm with the kids and the family and the house day after day after day and that once in a while, its ok not to be. We're only human after all, so we shouldn't beat ourselves up for this small need.
A hotel room by myself would be sheer unadulterated beauty. Books, bubblebath, and chocolate is all that is needed.
Enjoy your anniversary dinner. :)

Jenni said...

Don't feel guilty. Everyone needs a little time alone now and then. It allows us to do a better job when we come back.

Darcy @ m3b said...

I am going to Mexico in Dec. And although I will be doing bridesmaid's duties, my fam will be at home. And although I will miss them a ton, I know it does me good to get away a little bit.

G said...

I know how you feel - I absolutely love my little bits of time alone here and there.

And yeah, I get the bad mom feeling too...

Welcome to Great Goblets! said...

Oh I hear ya! I've added working part time to the homeschool thing so now taking time away is really limited and the guilt when I do almost makes it not worth it. Whoever said you could have it all was so sorely misinformed. ;)

Dy said...

I refer to it as "feeding my inner introvert". Oddly, though, since that part of me is an introvert, I usually need Zorak to take the small ones out of the house (off the property - down to the garden does. not. count.) and leave me to speed clean so I have time to sit in a tidy, quiet home and enjoy reading, sipping, and glancing around at the tidiness. It's weird, but it is so refreshing for me.

Dy

Hen Jen said...

I hope you have a great anniversary! I think I am just coming out of the stage you are suffering...the needing to get away and alone, just so you can have a moment to have one coherent thought. I usually run away to Barnes & Nobles for a latte something and quiet.

It does get easier as they get older, I don't find myself needing that away time so much anymore...hubby was just commenting tonight that I don't want to go to the bookstore very much anymore.

Enjoy your breaks, and don't feel guilty, it helps you be 100% when you get back.

chicago_mom said...

I know what you mean. DH and I had a one-night stay at a hotel room in Chicago for my birthday, and although it was EXTREMELY nice and I enjoyed being with him...I couldn't help wishing that part of the time was just me alone in the hotel room flipping through weird television that annoys dh. Like home shows, or stupid movies, or oprah. He is a "goer" so we went the whole time and I kinda wanted to stare out the window and think about stuff that I don't get to think about at home, you know? Anyway, maybe we should declare an annual Chicago moms-night-out, but we could get hotel rooms in the same hotel and only meet up for one drink or something! Haha. Here's hoping.