I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane

No... Not me... That would be the husband.

Every so often, the husband is required to go away and be charming to people, often for several days at a time. This morning, he flew out to San Diego to take part in the madness that is the San Diego Comic Con. I won’t see him for a week.

People assume that the husband and I spend all of our time together. This isn’t strictly true. He puts his backside in his chair at about 6 o’clock in the morning, often before I’m awake, and I generally don’t go in his office, unless it’s to take him a cup of tea. Of course, he’s there, so, I suppose I could intrude if I wanted, or needed, to, but he’s at work, so I don’t. 

The husband and I generally only see each other for passing moments until dinner time, just as many married, working couples do. At least one day a week, he flits off. Often, I have very little idea what he’s doing, sometimes because he’s involved in secret meetings or he’s signed non-disclosure agreements, and he’s a professional and he keeps secrets and doesn’t disclose; and sometimes because he’s a bit of a rambler and a collector of sights and sounds and ideas, and he just feels the need to bugger off and bibble about. 

I try not to interfere with those days. If he rings in, that’s fine, and he generally does, but, I usually leave him to his own devices and try to get on with my stuff. It’s not as if I don’t have things to do.

The long trips are different, though. 

The very worst of it is probably the last few hours before the husband hits the road. He’s preoccupied with making sure he’s organised, and he’s excited about the trip, and, possibly, a little nervous, so, in a way, he’s already gone. He’ll miss me, and I know I’ll miss him, but from now on at least the time apart can only get shorter.

I shall have trouble settling to anything this morning. I’ve got a little list of odds and sods to do, and a couple of little appointments to distract me this afternoon, but I know I’ll be a little more jumpy than usual, that the house will seem rather too quiet, that I’ll prowl from room to room every half an hour or so, and make too many cups of tea. It’s always a bit like that the first few hours.

I’m guessing that today will be a particularly long one. I usually begin to settle properly when I know that the husband has reached his destination; if that’s anywhere in the UK or Europe, it’s not too long to wait. Today, the husband is flying out to San Diego. We said goodbye at ten minutes to eight this morning. I’m not sure when he’ll finally arrive at his hotel, but I’m guessing it could be sixteen or eighteen hours after he left here.

Like I said, long day... Now... What to do next... Tea anyone?