"I am not a hamster ..."

Have you seen the commercial--I don't even know what the product is--but it's a guy running in a city and a voice over says "I am not a hamster and life is not a wheel."? This is me. Making lists, crossing them off, making more lists. I do this year round but I swear my lists get more detailed all winter long.

Last night the fall/winter blues hit our house like a pathetic, wimpy damp rag. Eric walked around the house mumbling how he hates the dark and it's &$%#* cold outside. I curled up on the couch watching Aiden play cars and felt like I needed to go to bed--it was 6:45. The boys were antsy and loud and rough in the house. About 7:00 EA opened a second bottle of wine and we cleaned the play room together -- just to be moving. When we eventually turned off all the lights and headed to bed I hugged Eric and told him I already missed Summer Eric ... you know the one who sings as he walks around the house, dances spontaneously and throws footballs, baseballs and Frisbees for hours.

So this morning I started to ... make a list! What else. We can go to the Y, we can visit friends, we can watch movies together (there's a new concept for us), we can plan weekends away, we can drink more wine ... gotta love a list that has wine on it.

I am not a hamster and this life is not a wheel - I will find a way to enjoy the winter/dark/cold. Period.