Home Alone

The Home Alone movies, which Oliver has watched umpteen times, are about a child accidentally ending up either at home alone or alone in a hotel. I'm referring to a fifty-one-year-old woman having a week alone at home. Last year while the three kids were at Camp Good News, I told myself I didn't want to do this again; so, I signed the boys up for a week of camp in June, but then the Bible quizzing competition was scheduled later than usual, which meant I had to contact the camp and move the boys' registration to the end of July into early August. The upside of all three kids being at camp at the same time was that Paul and I were able to have a date on Sunday. We hadn't been on a date since September 2022. Our first stop was Lowe's to get three things for the house. Then we had dinner at Texas Roadhouse and shared a dessert at TGI Fridays because I had about $7 left on a gift card for that restaurant. Prior to coming home, we stopped at Lingle's to get Coke for Paul. We watched part of a movie together, and I asked Paul to sit on the couch with me. We finished the movie on Monday evening. On Sunday afternoon before the boys left for camp Paul did some spackling in the family room. I'm hoping he finishes the spackling and sanding either today or tomorrow because I'd like to do the painting by Friday. 

On Monday I took the van to the Honda dealership for some factory recall repairs. I was there for three hours. I also talked on the phone with Aunt Janet and Charlie Beares that day. Yesterday I met Tab for lunch as an early birthday celebration, and we also walked around Lewisburg talking for a while. I did some shopping at Walmart and the Dollar Store before lunch and picked up ice cream at Old Mill Creamery afterwards. I don't have any plans today through Friday, so I am at the point where I am REALLY missing my kids. Milo is a nice companion, but he doesn't talk! Paul and Al sold the company yesterday, which is an amazing answer to prayer. I'm looking forward to being able to go on dates with Paul more regularly in the coming years. I was hoping to take a ballroom dancing class with him this fall, but I think that will have to wait until 2024 in light of my participation in the Sound of Music. If the kids end up being at camp at the same time next summer, I shouldn't be home alone. I should have the company of my husband! When I first moved to Pennsylvania in 1996, I was frequently at home alone as I lived by myself. It's a blessing that this hasn't been the norm, especially for the last 15 years that I've been a mom. 

Many months ago, I had planned that we would spend August 6-7 in the Pittsburgh area so that we could visit the Bushy Run Battlefield on their annual battle reenactment and spend the day at Kennywood on Oliver's birthday. At one point we thought those plans might be cancelled because we'd be spending the week in Maryland, but since the Benners bought a home, they aren't traveling east next week. When I learned of a free music festival that is taking place near I-80 in the western part of the state on Saturday evening, I decided to have us leave on Saturday afternoon instead of Sunday morning. Katy Nichole is one of Nadia's favorite artists, and she will be performing there. Originally, We are Messengers was supposed to be the headliner, but they backed out a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully, Consumed by Fire is coming as well as some other groups. Sunday morning we'll visit the Pittsburgh Zoo/Aquarium and then go to the battlefield. After that we'll have dinner with Nadine and Charlie Beares before we spend the night at a Holiday Inn in Pittsburgh. On Monday, which is Oliver's birthday, we'll spend the day at Kennywood Amusement Park and then drive to Virginia. Tuesday we'll spend several hours with dad and say goodbye to Margie before we return home.