Sitting here on the couch and all I hear is the sound of the air conditioner running. Blessed, blessed peace.

Robert went to bed last night around 11:00 and I stayed up, fully expecting that this morning would bring our usual weekend routine of he getting up with the kids and myself sleeping in. By the time I signed off the computer and puttered around a bit, it was past 1:00. Then I awoke around 6:30 and couldn't get back to sleep. "No matter," I told myself. "I'll just lie here until Eliza wakes up and Robert departs the bed, and I'm sure I'll get some more sleep after that."

What I did not take into account was the fact that my husband has had a slight cold for several days and that he would end up having one of those mornings where myself and all three kids were on the bed, next to him, talking and laughing and bouncing around, and he still wouldn't wake up (or pretended not to wake up, at least). I finally gave up and brought the kids to the living room myself.

Needless to say, I'm running a bit short on sleep today. Eliza went for her nap around 11 and I did lie down and rest some, but she got up not too long after I did and I'm still feeling stretched a bit thin. Consequently, Robert, being the kindhearted and indulgent soul that he is, said that he would take her along to his dad's house for a couple of hours. (Usually he only takes the older two, being that they are pretty easy to keep entertained over there.)

So now here I sit, basking in the quiet. I have a takeout order which should be delivered in the next ten minutes or so and then I'm going to relax, eat my lunch without sticky or slimy little fingers creeping into it, and watch some of the Frasier reruns I've TiVo'ed. (Every so often I will attach myself to a particular old favorite t.v. show and really enjoy watching the whole series all the way through. Right now it's Frasier. I'd forgotten just how funny that show was.)

Ahhhh....it may not be exciting, or glamorous, or sophisticated, but some days there's nothing I like better than the prospect of what lies before me this late afternoon. When I've spent the entire week being pulled at and screeched at by a cranky toddler this is just what I need.