Single parenting is not for the weak (even if it's for the week).

(c) 2011 Ms. Huis Herself at musenmutter.blogspot.com

Mr. Kluges has been sent on a business trip to Ireland. He left last Sunday & will return tomorrow. It's kind of a short notice sort of thing. Originally, they told him on a Wednesday that he should leave the following Sunday, but he pushed back and told them he couldn't do it on such short notice. So, he waited a couple of weeks since his boss (and his boss's boss) were going to be HERE & they didn't want him THERE while they were HERE, but the stars have finally aligned & he's off to Cork.

It's been a bit of a long week around here, as you might have guessed. Overall, things have gone smoothly, but there have been hiccups. I'm used to getting the girls up and to school and all on my own. It's not until suppertime (& post-supper clean-up/give-the-girls-a-bath time) that we feel his absence the most keenly.

That and when I had to bring the girls along to my dance classes on Wednesday. I'd've skipped them rather than bring a 3 1/2 year old AND a 6 year old along for classes that started at 6:30pm (tap) & 8:15pm (belly dance), except that our recital is in about 3 weeks AND this week was pictures. Of course, with pictures and all, tap started late, and even though I'd brought their pjs with thoughts of getting them changed in my 45 minute gap between classes, we didn't have a chance since I had to get changed & more dramatically made-up before BD pix.

So Penguin, who visits the two dance/community ed class studios twice a week for her own preschool class as well as endures waiting around for her sister's weekly dance class, decided to leave the room and go running off into the hallway/mall area while I'm putting on make-up.

Not fun, much looking, very angry mommy, eventually (probably 5 minutes later) she's returned by our neighbor who takes the beginning belly dance class just before mine, who had found her by the door to the parking ramp.

So yeah, that could've gone better.

But really, it's not been too bad. Yesterday, Pumpkin didn't have school due to "staff shortages." We hit the children's museum instead. Much fun. No nap/quiet time, but when I popped Penguin into her bed at 6:30, she was asleep by 6:33 and slept the clock 'round. All moods much improved today as a result.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnelnow. Mr. Kluges should - fingers crossed, all flights & connections going smoothly, weather cooperating and all - be back home by tomorrow early evening.

We'll be very glad to see him back again.