The training this week has me worn out and frayed to the core by the time 5 p.m. rolls around, so today when I got out of work and started down the street for my Real Life routine, I started singing. It wasn't good or anything, but it helped get my headspace a much-needed clearing out before landing in the land of Mom.
Graeme came out of wrestling practice about as wound up and frustrated as I had felt just twenty minutes earlier. We talked, set each other straight, and then took the most circuitous route ever towards home, enjoying the various Christmas lights along the way. Once in the door, we skipped over the routine for a brief second to fetch the string of lights that has only the last half functioning. We plugged it in to the outlet by the door and ran it outside, winding the colored bulbs around the stairway railing. It isn't a great sweeping display or anything, but it's our little bit of cheer to add to the neighborhood. And it picks up the tree lights shining through the front windows.
We cleaned up our rooms. We put away groceries. I showered and made dinner, and he showered and ate dinner while doing his homework. We went through his backpack and found all manner of things that needed purging, organizing, turning in and throwing out. I paid some bills. We did laundry and dishes. We watched a bit of television. Ice cream was had and holiday menus were planned.
All in all, I think we had a fine recovery from what was a pretty rough day all round, and with the both of us having bizarre dreams lately, we wake up as tired as when we hit the pillow, so gold stars are in order. Normalcy has its upside.
Tomorrow Graeme wrestles in the evening, and he's looking forward to it. Chances are pretty good he will have a match, which have been in short supply lately. I have another day of what is turning out to be training as an exercise in frustration and futility, but I'm looking forward to the wrestling meet afterward.
Perhaps I'll be able to keep my mouth shut tomorrow. (But I'm not going to kick myself if I don't.)
