The Party's Almost Over

Pardon my lack of posts the last week. I haven't really had anything interesting to say, I'm still working on a 2 or 3 part post, it's just emotionally wrenching to get through.

Son was home this weekend and spent about 5 minutes with me. He comes home for good in two weeks. He'd better come home with an improved attitude. He was not at all pleasant t0 be around this weekend. I cannot believe he is a junior this year. I am getting old.

Any money he made over the summer (very little) he spent on a new Boost Mobile cell phone. The big plans of working all summer with his father never really happened (like so many of ex's promises.) Son was supposed to be saving for car insurance so he can register his truck. He thinks he's so smart. He informed me that he can't get a job without his truck. I laughed. I felt very old and cliche` when I informed him: "When I was your age, I road my bike 4 miles to and from my after school job." (Uphill, both ways, in blizzards). He'll just have to do the same or, get a job near a school bus drop off point and I can pick him up after work. His normal teen tendency towards instant satisfaction is exacerbated by his ADHD. He's certainly old enough to learn some patience and how to save money if he wants something. At this rate though - he'll be walking until he's 30.

The summer is almost over and, I am sad. It was much easier to adjust to being alone than I though it would be. Kind of nice actually. The house stays clean. I do two loads of laundry a week instead of one a day. I run the dishwasher once every 10 days instead of 2 or 3. My grocery bill is 1/3 of what it is when he is home, ditto with the electric bill. I have only been home two of the last 8 weekends. Having a life is kinda nice. Already, I can't wait for next summer.

One comment son did make this weekend brought me some satisfaction though. He begged me on Friday to buy some of his favorite junk food for snacks. He complained that he gets no snacks and only kool aid to drink at Dad's. (Maybe Mom isn't the Wicked Witch after all). I granted his request with the stipulation that this is a one time deal, when he moves back home he will have whole foods to snack on - no more, sugar filled, empty calorie, expensive cakes, cookies or preprocessed crap. He's going to have to learn to live without Doritos and Hostess and God forbid, - eat more fruit!

While I have learned to enjoy some freedom for the first time in several years, I hope my son & ex have learned a bit too. Ex: that it isn't so easy being an actual parent of a teenager. Son: that it really isn't so bad living with Mom and he actually has it pretty damn good with me. We will see how quickly the memories fade once school starts.

Here's to one last weekend of FREEDOM.