Last Day of Alone Time

John doesn't return until tomorrow but this is my last day of "alone" alone time.

Today, I'm going into Ottawa to spend twenty-four hours with my grandson while his parents go to Toronto (have fun my little chickadee -- I know we will).

So, from about 1:00pm today, I won't be alone anymore.

But it's certainly been fun while it lasted.

And herein ends my "doing nothing" vow cuz I'm thinking I'll be kind of busy for the next 24 hours.

Although it's not going to be too onerous for me.

I plan to break all the rules -- isn't that what Grandmas are for?

We're going to McDonald's for supper tonight.

We're meeting a friend for breakfast tomorrow morning.

That'll take care of the meals.

Then I have to take him to his swimming lesson.  That's really going to take me out of my comfort zone.

It's not the first time I've taken him to his swimming lessons.  But he's no longer allowed in the girls' change room because he's eight years old now.  Up to and including the age of seven, children are allowed to accompany their opposite-sex parent in the change room so that they are not unsupervised.

(Rant starts)     It's always bothered me that women would prance around these rooms fully naked when little boys are present (I wonder if the same scenes play out in the boys' rooms, with men/little girls).  It's one thing to be so nonchalant in front of your own child; quite another with the general public.  Apparently it's OK for seven year old children to witness this display of public nudity; not so for eight year olds.  I understand that such intermingling needs to be stopped at some age but I really wonder if eight years old is a suitably appropriate age to be sending our unsupervised children into rooms filled with strange adults.  (And don't anyone try to tell me that ONLY other parents of children taking lessons can be lurking about these crowded pools, or for that matter that a person cannot be a threat simply because his/her child is taking swimming lessons!)   And not just men are potential predators.      (Rant ends)

By eight years old, children can certainly be taught to kick up a storm if someone tries to do something. And for the most part, given the setting and the child I'm dealing with, I really don't anticipate any problem.  Besides, my daughter tells me that my grandson is under strict orders to be "very fast or she's going in" and he knows she means business.  I'll issue the same edict.

Having said that, I will nevertheless be out of my comfort zone for however short a time he's in that room!

Mom & Dad will be home by the time he's finished his lesson, so I guess we'll all have to go out for lunch.

Then we'll just hang out until it's time to go to the airport to pick up my husband ...

... whom I've missed so very much all these six long days ...

... are they over already??????????????