Friday, my darling, we meet again at last. All week I wait anxiously for your return, so that we may steal away together. Will I dress up for you, curl my hair, wear those heels? Or are we staying in tonight, wine and candles and our favorite movie?

Perhaps we will drink wine and clean the house?

Yes, that’s the super awesome Friday night I had! Twas invited to a few things, but the rain (I know, I know, would I melt if I went out in the rain?) and the amount of boring chore- and school- related things I have to do beckoned to me from inside my home.

Plus. The fact that both of my roommates were out of the house weighed tremendously in favor of staying in tonight.

I was home from work by 5pm. I stretched out on the couch. Shoes and articles of clothing removed bit by bit, reveling in the electric blanket whose warmth threatened to send me into early slumber. I rallied myself into a workout with Bob Harper (still shaking), scrounged together something resembling dinner, then settled into a two hour bubble bath with two dollar wine and John Steinbeck. East of Eden is like the book that just won’t end and I don’t want it to end. I am so involved in these characters at this point. I have laughed, I have cried many times, my heart has physically hurt reading about their trials and tribulations. I can’t remember the last time a book moved me so.

I peeled my raisin-toes and curling hair out of the tub. I cocooned into vanilla lotion and soft jammies and padded back out to the living room, where my old Christmas candles still burned and Modest Mouse wailed softly on the iHome speakers.

And suddenly I was struck with the urge to clean the house. Top to bottom.

I wish God would have blessed me with roommates who desired to live in a clean environment as I do. Alas. Tis my burden to bear and I bear it with lots of wine.

I poured another glass and got to scrubbing. 

Three hours later, the house smells of lemon and pine and sparkle. There remains a long list of chores to complete tomorrow, and I have hours and hours of school work to get through in the next two days, but I am warm and relaxed and accomplished. Its 1am and my eyes flicker closed and I know I could fall asleep sitting up on this couch. Long, long week.

So I will get up and force myself through the motions of blowing each candle out, checking the doors and windows, setting up the morning coffee, charging my phone, etc., so that I won’t wake bewildered at four am, spooning my laptop.

Goodnight, Friday. You have loved me well.