Irritants, Individuality, and Flip Flops

I'm Back!

Nice as it is being away from the routine and drudgery of the daily grind, when you've been mostly away from it for 5 weeks, it's good to get feet back on solid ground and start back with the familiar.  August is a busy time around the office, and there's plenty of work to be done in preparation.  So that's where I am now...settling in for the mad rush.

I miss the familiar when I'm gone.  The way my bed can lift my head up just that little bit.  Knowing where the supplies are when I run out of soap or shaving cream.  My chair.  Being able to sit around with just my underwear on and not worry about someone walking in.  And a thousand things more.  The comfort of the familiar is really what I miss when I'm away from home.  Which doesn't make me unique, I'm sure.

But I also enjoy my time away.  As a very intelligent blogger put it, sometimes it's nice to not have to answer to anyone, and roam around Target for as much or as little as I want.  You may be thinking...you are staying in a relationship and a marriage, and that's the cost of admission.  And you would mostly be right.  However, I'm also a believer that I am still an individual, as well as part of a couple.  At my wedding, during the unity candle, we left our individual candles burning to signify that while we were united as one on the big candle, we also maintained our identities as individuals.  In theory, but not so much in practice, it appears.

Whenever we spend 2 weeks together, there are irritations.  Small pebbles in the flip flop of life. (Can you tell I haven't worn regular shoes for a couple weeks?)  A couple steps is ok, and they usually slide out or I shake them off and move on.  But occasionally, it doesn't go away.  Each step is a reminder of the irritant, and it keeps going until I come to a full stop and take the shoe off and bang the rock out.

Where I'm going with my strange analogy is the irritation that can happen between two people with no space.  I get along with the wife 97% of the time.  But occasionally, when I feel put upon, or taken advantage of, I make it known that I'm irritated.  Followed by a lecture about my behavior, and me going off and pouting about it for a while.  Immature?  Maybe.  But it seems to take care of it.

I can't be perfect.  I can't think that every time she wants a Popsicle, that it should be my responsibility to go get it.  Or that because she doesn't like to talk on the phone, that I have to make every phone call, and I enjoy it. Frustrations are a part of life, and just getting it out helps me, but causes hard feelings when she witnesses it.  So I watch as much as I can and try to keep it under control.

So to circle back...time away from each other recharges my batteries.  And lets me be me without having to be perfect.  That's why I enjoy it.

I was hoping to have a story for you all, but all my leads dried up when I was away from the group for a day.  And the one hookup I've been working on from the next town over is out of state this week, bad timing since I will be home alone one night.  Never know, something could pop up!

Until next time...hugs and kisses.