Day 6 - The "mbwngtm" challenge: Always look on the bright side...

of life! Do-do, do-do, do-dooo.

As you may know, Arran is still away in NZ doing a mountain bike race called The Great Southern Brevet. Because he is insane. Still. You can track his progress here. He is going to be away for another 2 days at least. 

As the date approached when he would pack up his trusty stead and head over the ocean, I became more anxious. I had to keep having chats to myself about "changing my attitude" and "being positive" or "remember you can always drink wine". 

As it turns out, everything has been fine and while its better to have him around I have enjoyed a number things while he has been away:

1. I have the whole bed to myself. And an additional pillow. I haven't had to fight for room in the bed or for some of the covers. I'm sleeping pretty well. So nice. I had a great Aunt and Uncle who slept in separate rooms and I can see the appeal.

2. I don't have to endure bike bits and related paraphernalia in the yard, in the kitchen, in the lounge room and in the bedroom. I was able to return the kitchen scales to the kitchen (from the bedroom) where Arran was using them for weighing bike luggage, and I haven't needed to retrieve the washing-up detergent from the yard where it is often used to rid a bike of mud.

3. There is no stinky wet lycra sitting around on the cream-coloured carpet in our bedroom or on the bathroom floor. Can't tell you how good that is.

4. I haven't been forced to watch a bike related video on YouTube for a week.

5. I haven't needed to quiz Arran on how much he spent on bike bits out of our joint account or credit card when he has his own bike allowance. Yes he has a bike allowance. A very generous one. One that was put in place to prevent the never ending spending on bikes from our joint account and credit card. It doesn't work.

6.  I enjoyed a bottle of very good wine over a number of nights without having to share. Yep this one is selfish. I know.

7. I haven't been woken up a third time in the wee hours of the morning. The first time is usually Charlie wanting to be fed at around 4am. The second is Arran's alarm going off at 5am to go for a ride. And the third is Aiden grizzling at around 6am for someone to come and get him. Without Arran here I can sometimes get an additional hour of sleep in. 

And my favourite....

8. I haven't had to think about what I would like for dinner, at Breakfast. Arran always wants to talk about dinner at breakfast. I am not a morning person and I have to force myself to eat breakfast. It's not my favourite meal. And I don't want to talk about dinner when I have just eaten, or am eating, breakfast. You might think I sound ungrateful. Isn't it nice that Arran wants to organise dinner and ask me what I want? You would think. But what actually happens is this:

Arran: "What do you want for dinner tonight?"

Me: "I don't know! I'm having breakfast! I can't think about dinner now!" in a frustrated tone

Arran: "But what do you think you would like?"

Me: "I DON'T know! Tacos?" Again, frustrated tone.

Arran: "I don't want Tacos. Could we have enchiladas?"

Me: "No, they're too fiddly! You asked me what I want and I told you! Why do you ask me if you have no intention of us having what I would like?" Yes, the tone is frustrated.

Arran: "I wanted to see if you had a good suggestion"

Me: "I don't care what we have for dinner. You work it out"  KILL ME

This is not the end of the dinner conversation. I usually get call around lunch time when he has thought about dinner some more and has some of his own suggestions:

Arran: "What about Moroccan Lamb?"

Me: "I don't really like Moroccan Lamb. You know that. Can't we have Tacos?"

Arran: "What about Burritos?"

Me: "Sure. Fine. Whatever" Start looking forward to having Burritos. Arrive home and Arran is cooking a stir-fry.

Was talking to Arran tonight and he reckons he will be able to fly home from NZ on Friday night. I think I will cook him Tacos.