We are on another long holiday weekend! This is a FIVE day weekend as there is normally no school on Wednesdays here and today, Thursday is l'Ascencion a religious holiday observed nationally....and of course then Friday would have to be 'off' too...and then the weekend. So there is five days of school-less bliss for les enfants....and oddly enough, so far, bliss for the maman.
Yesterday, Oldest Garcon got an invitation for a sleep-over from one of his school-mate friends. This particular buddy is 'Anglais' although he has lived in France for some time and is brilliantly fluent in both English and French. Although it seemed odd to have a stay-over on a Wednesday night it actually felt less complicated than a normal weekend night, so plans were made to drop him off at the Ami-Fran-glais home which is about 35 minutes from our house.
But here is what happened...around the time that French Guy was ready to take Oldest Garcon to Ami-Fran-glais' house, Petite Fille was fed, changed and needing a nap--so I suggested that because she had been having trouble settling that she might go in the car with French Guy and les enfants on the long drive out to the stay-over destination.....that would be about 90 minutes or so in the car and surely she would catch some Zzzz's and be in a way better mood when they returned just before dinner time. And so it was....
Suddenly they all departed....and suddenly the house was quiet in a way I can say honestly I have never heard before since moving in.....in fact this would be only the second time since her birth, that I was separated from Petite Fille and the first time in almost 5 months that I was completely alone in our home---sans tout les enfants!
So what did I do---?!?!? Did I open the windows and let the breeze in? Pour myself a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc and fill the tub?
Mais non!---I..............in a frenzy known only to genetically mutated tidy-ers....gathered all of the cleaning supplies I could cradle in one arm with the broom and rags in the other and I sprinted....yes---bolted....up two flights of stairs to the third floor to begin in all haste.....clock ticking.....to.........CLEAN.
Some of you are out there reading this and nodding in true compatriotism..... (I just made up that word I think.) But you know what I mean, right?! So I started in the boy's bedrooms, which includes the big attic-like 'closet' that contains all of the cat's provisions and I cleaned.....and cleaned and cleaned.....legos with legos, transformers with transformer parts, playmobil with playmobil.......then the stairs, swept and mopped, then Petite Fille's room which is mainly putting away laundry, then our room, the bathroom, the stairs.....well you get the idea. But what you may not realize is that these tasks do not bring weary resentment--these tasks provide sheer---unadulterated----JOY. Oh yeah--crazy right?
At 6 pm French Guy returns....with Middle Garcon and Petite Fille--who slept the entire journey...and is tres rested and cheerful. In about an hour, we have friends coming over for aperitif--and guess what?--the house is sparkling and spot-less from top to bottom!!! BLISS.
Now I pour that glass of chilled-white! Friends come over, we sit and make easy and relaxed conversation, Petite Fille falls asleep and is put down to bed. Friends stay until 10 pm even though it was 'only for aperitif' and after they leave French Guy, Mois and Middle Garcon start a movie to watch all together under blankets in the veranda.......Not good enough? Did I mention that is was a CHICK FLICK?! Could it have gotten any better than this?
When was the last time that the house was perfect BEFORE the five day weekend....when was the last time that we sat with friends and lost track of time....when was the last time that we were able to give undivided (almost) attention to Middle Garcon....and forget that! When was the last time I got French Guy to watch a chick-flick with me and not only stay-awake but LIKE it!?
PERFECT......Parfait! And better yet---Unexpected-Perfect.....and I would venture to say.....there is nothing better than that! Oui?.......Oui.
A bientot,mes amis......
1 comment:
I agree-unexpected perfect times are the best! Yours sounds divine. I am one of your true compatriots as I too would spend my time alone in the house cleaning. Our home is in a state of continual clutter-a virtual dust mite haven. Impossible to keep up with four children, one dog and a husband whose idea of organization is to see where it lands ;-) When all is sparkling-it is truly bliss. I just wish it would last a little longer…hope yours does. Thank you for sharing.
Cristine
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