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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Mrs. Cranky’s Day Off


Mrs. Cranky’s Day Off
 

Last year I offered to help my son, Matt, and DIL, Devon, by babysitting their two Crankettes on Thursdays.  Devon’s mom sits for the other four days while the “Kids” are at work as teachers.  Devon’s mom needs one day off, and I need to sit one day to undo her grandchild spoiling (JK…sort of.)

After one of my earliest sitting experience, when the Crankettes and I had not yet established ground rules and I was having difficulty with understanding toddler talk, I suggested to Mrs. Cranky that maybe I was just too old and cranky to babysit.

No way!  You promised and you damn well have to go and sit every Thursday.  You just need to suck it up!!”

I was surprised by the forcefulness of her conviction.  After all, my sitting meant she would be alone on Wednesday night as I had to stay at my sons overnight so I could be ready to sit at daybreak.  It meant she had to spend Thursday morning and afternoon alone and would not see me until she comes home from work Thursday night.

Given the strength of her conviction and the sacrifice Mrs. Cranky was enduring, I pulled up my big boy pants and continued to toddler-sit.  I am glad I did as since the Crankettes and I have learned what makes each other tick, babysitting has become more fun than chore (for one day at least.)

Two weeks ago I got a call from my son.  Both he and Devon would be off the next two Thursdays for spring vacation.  I told Mrs. C that I had the next two Thursdays off and she made a little face.

What was that all about?”

What was what all about?”

“That face.”

“I made a face?”

“Wait a minute; you’re disappointed that I am off the next two Thursdays!”

“NO…well maybe a little.”

“But you won’t be alone.”

“Yes, I won’t be alone…I can't catch up on my shows without you interrupting every two minutes to ask what just happened, I can't get a full night sleep without you tossing and turning waking me up, I can't sleep late in the morning without you turning on your computer at 7:30, and I can't do whatever I want all day Thursday before work.”

So there it is, all out in the open. Grandpa Joe Thursday is not just about giving Devon’s mom a day off from babysitting; it is also about giving Mrs. Cranky a day off from ME!

22 comments:

  1. amen to her reaction! :)

    (and you still have word ver on...)

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  2. I absolutely understand her reaction! As much as I love my husband it can be a refreshing break when he's not around for a while. It's really a win-win-win situation...

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  3. Ditto the above comments! Sometimes it is so nice to have a little alone time to do whatever the heck you want without someone constantly asking you what's to eat, etc.!!

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  4. I cannot imagine why my wife would not want to be around me 24/7. Based on your first three comments, I would say it must be a girl thing.

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  5. Lol Joe - I can imagine your surprise ;) - I love Monday and Wednesday nights when SD is at work and I can catch up on all my soaps on iplayer.

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  6. Mrs. Cranky lost her cool and got caught! LOL She was supposed to be nonchalant when you told her about your days off. Oh well, now you know the truth. I love my husband and children, too, but on Monday morning when they all "leave," after a weekend of 24/7 togetherness, I feel like doing the happy dance.

    BTW, I recently told my husband that the click click click of emailing and texting while we're in bed had to STOP! That repetitive sound used to drive me crazy. Just sayin'

    You're a GOOD Granpa!

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  7. My sympathies to Mrs. C!!

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  8. I'm sure you haven't done anything to warrant this attitude from Mrs. C. Actually, I get comments all the time from MY Mrs. C. that I'm constantly underfoot and she needs some private time. I guess we have this in common.

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  9. Don't think Mrs. Cranky didn't conspire with her kids to get you out of the house to begin with. :D

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  10. This is not at all unusual among many married women.

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  11. It IS hard to believe that Mrs. C. would not want your amazing self with her 24/7.....but then I remember Pete and me and understand that 24/7 can be too much even when you are paired with a Star.

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  12. If I were you I would arrange to be away for at least a little while to keep things copacetic.

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  13. Haha! Well, think about it this way. you get a day off from Mrs. Cranky
    ;)

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  14. Yes, it's a girl thing. It means we don't have to keep reminding you to breathe in, breathe out. We don't have to make sure you get three meals a day. We don't have to pick up that banana peel that you left wedged between the arm and the seat cushion of the La-Z-Boy. We don't...perhaps I've said too much already.

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  15. I don't blame her. I mean, by your own admission, your're a Cranky Old Man! ;)

    S

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  16. My husband is a fire fighter and works 24 hour shifts, sometimes two or three in a row, which means we might not see him for three days. Now, it's very busy in this house (as you well know) and when he asked, "Did you miss me?" I'm like....um, yeah...sure of course! But really, the time just flies by and I'm so busy I don't have the chance to miss him. Three days will feel like one day. And to be truthful, when he comes home, he throws a wrench into my whole system! The flow of the days and our routines fly out the window "when daddy's home" -- don't get me wrong, I DO like when he's home. I do! But it's an adjustment. And when he's home, I can't stay on my computer in bed because the "tap, tap, tap" bugs him. And it bugs ME that it bugs him. And when he's home, we have to watch things like, "The Deadliest Catch" and things like that...when I'd rather watch reruns of Seinfeld or Friends -shows that make me laugh. So when he tells me that his Overtime got cancelled and he will be home on a day that I was expecting him to be gone, I'm not as thrilled as I should be, I guess. Sounds mean, I know. But I'll just say that I know how Mrs. C feels.

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  17. Ah, don't take it too much to heart, we women need our alone time :D

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  18. As much as I love my husband sometimes you just need some time alone.....just you and the remote

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  19. Heh, heh, heh, how I can relate to Mrs. Cranky, especially now that my hubby is between jobs, or retiring or...something!

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