dinosaurs

The strangest thing is happening to me right now - as I type. I have nothing to do. Seriously. This morning I had a study group at my house for our upcoming exam. It was a grueling but successful 5 or so hours. (And I think everyone appreciated the nibblies I made.) After they left, my housekeeper and I set to loading the dishwasher and tidying up. That was done fairly quickly. Everything was tidy and the kids were playing with Julia (who most of you haven't heard of yet - dunno why). I sat down to check my email. I had none. I sat on the couch with Oscar for a few minutes watching Mr & Mrs Smith (which is kind of like my anthem right now). He decided to go back to playing with the others. I decided I could start preparing dinner, which consisted of taking stirfry out of the freezer, putting it in the microwave to defrost it and then putting it in my oven. Then I set the table. Then, having nothing more to do while dinner did itself, Steve fixing his car, the kids playing with Julia, my house in complete order, I checked my email again. Still nothing. Not even crap subscription stuff. I walked into the kitchen again, checked on dinner and then stood there, looking blankly around me. I opened a beer.

I called my boss - to ask her if she has ever gotten to the point where she has nothing to do. She complimented my housekeeping and told me that she has never had a moment where everything is done. We talked about work for a few minutes. She suggested I go back to working on my book. I stood in the kitchen for a few more minutes. I randomly did some yoga stretches. I checked on the dinner. I gave Steve a five minute heads up. I stood around some more. I took dinner out of the oven. I called everyone to the table. I served dinner. When everyone was finished, I finished clearing the table. I washed the dishes. I put them away. I wiped off the table. I played a little game with the kids. I'm not sure how it started, but the general rules were to catch imaginary dinosaurs as they were coming out of the floor and to run through the house screaming until we got to the door to throw them outside and then to run screaming through the house back to the boys' room where more invisible beasts were rising from the ground. They got worn out. I put on a movie for them. I checked my email. I walked through the house again to see if there was anything that needed to be done. I stood around for a few minutes.

In a little while I will give the kids a bath. Then I will get them ready for bed. We'll all sit quietly on the couch. Then I will put Oscar in bed. After that it is Felix's turn. And then what? I suppose I can check my email again. But since I will have none, that will take 30 seconds. It is all too strange and it isn't even 7pm. I'm even a little afraid to finish this blog. What will I do between now and bathtime? Check my email? I might have more luck pulling imaginary dinosaurs out of the floor. And with any luck, they'll destroy the floorboards so I have something to do besides check my email.