Where did the week go?

The humidity has broken. It's about time - the heat here is killing me. As I've mentioned before - so pardon the repeat - I am missing fall. Turning leaves, cooler temperatures, apple cider, bonfires. I feel a strong need to reclaim that part of fall.

It will happen eventually. But not soon enough for me.

It's been a busy week. Gary has been gone, which means I'm the only parent. Lucky for me, our girls are pretty even-tempered and we have not had any major meltdowns. And in some ways, I don't mind it when Gary's gone - no elaborate cooking, my time is my own. But I miss him, too, and I know the girls do.

Tuesday I had lunch with Maddie; Thursday was Alison's turn (I took Sylvia lunch last week). They both invited me to stay. And let me tell you, high school and middle school cafeterias are not for the weak at heart. They are loud. Crowded. And full of food that is anything but appetizing. Alison's friends were eating school lunch: Pizza, tater tots, and rolls. ??? To be fair, they purchase these items a la carte. And I saw other kids with salads (the salad line was shorter, one of her friends said). But mostly, I was turned off. But not by seeing Alison - it was fun to visit her in the middle of the day.

Stupid work stuff this week. A friend mentioned that she knows a career counselor - sort of like therapy without having to discuss your dreams and your parents. I should get her number and decide what I want to do when I grow up. If I grow up.

At present I am importing CDs into iTunes. Gary told me he had put in about everything he wanted from our music collection ... which I mistakenly took to mean was everything I like, too. But a quick glance at all the CDs he did not include was shocking - no Nick Lowe? Dwight Yoakum? Paul Simon? REM? Tom Petty? Beatles? Van Morrison? Are you as outraged as I am? And that's not even the full list. I may have to file for divorce. I mean, really - this is almost unforgivable.

He'll be home in just a few minutes ... perhaps he can redeem himself with gifts from Germany. One Ritter Sport ought to do it. For the uninitiated, they are chocolate bars. The best. Let's hope I'm eating one later tonight ...