By 8:30am today I was actually able to sit down at the computer and get online. It's been approximately nine weeks since I last had the chance to do this. Why, you might ask? Well, nine weeks ago was the start of summer vacation for my youngest and it was her duty to monopolize the internet during that time. It wasn't just her though, my husband calls it when he steps in the door in the afternoon and there he stays until late evening. Between those two, my own work, household chores and errands, I never had a chance. There were a couple of times I noticed the empty desk chair, hurried to finish up what I was doing, turn to head over to the desk and it's just too late--the chair is occupied once again. There's no use arguing or fussing about it really, but sometimes it does get frustrating for me. I do need some time online to get to my email and stay in touch with my publishers and editors, as well as sending off manuscripts. I always had to ask for one of them to get up and let me have at least five or ten minutes to get those things done. A constant summer internet struggle.
But there's always a flip side. I'm online this morning because it is the first day of school for my internet hogging daughter. The desk was dark and the chair empty. Free and clear it was, and I felt the force return within me! I did my morning chores and errands and fixed my breakfast. With my coffee cup half full, I made my move, leisurely, over to the computer desk. I logged into my email and read what I needed to read without an impatient internet junkie standing at my side. I answered emails, prepared a newsletter to send out, and even surfed around a little! I let out a deep, satisfying sigh. And then it hit me, how quiet the house was. There would be no sleepy-eyed kid wandering into the living room giving me a backwards glance to see if I'd notice that she'd be getting online not long after shoving the covers back. There would be no more rolling of the eyes when I demanded that her chores be completed and lunch eaten before she got anymore online time. There would be no more huffing when I announced that it was time to turn the computer off because she'd spent enough time on it for the day (plus her dad would be coming home soon). The word "no more" gets seared into my brain as it must for all parents with almost grown children.
As I sit here, enjoying my morning internet time, I know I'll savor these last few summers with my internet hogging daughter, because I know more than just summer days will be drifting away. Someday soon, she'll have her own computer in her own place. I wonder, as she heads over to sit at her desk, if she'll glance back over her shoulder and miss me as much as I'll miss her.
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3 years ago
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Dang it, woman, you're gonna make me cry! I'm having a hard enough time with the concept of my son turning four, let alone growing up and leaving the house...whaaaaaaa!!! ~sniffle~
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post--I feel you deeply on the computer time struggle. It's not easy having one computer in the house hooked up to the Internet, and multiple people interested in using it. Plus, my dearest son knows exactly when I'm concentrating hardest on my work, and feels obligated to interrupt...urgh.
I will have to complain about your title, though. You are totally screwing up my denial that summer will never end! You suck just a little bit, ladyfriend. ;)
xoxo,
Michelle