For When Daddy Comes Home

It's true autumn is upon us and the days are certainly growing shorter and there's a chill to the air.  It's odd because during the spring and summer months, aside from Shabbat, mouse rarely lights candles, sometimes outdoors during the summer she'll toss out a few candles if we're entertaining.   It's odd also, although a few candles don't give off any substantial heat, it the room instantly feels warmer.   For parties it creates a relaxed environment and let's be honest, it hides the cleaning flaws.  

When Daddy goes away, we have a candle that sits in the entryway atop a high desk that we light each evening.  It's flame extinguished at bedtime but it's become a ritual of sorts that the candle's lit for him.  Does Daddy care that we do it?  Probably not to be honest.   Recently, we added a few more candles to it, so it illuminates the whole entryway.   Those candles were joined by others in adjacent rooms we frequent.  We never light candles in rooms we don't go into.  

When Daddy comes home, depending on the time his plane touches ground greatly determines the routine for his homecoming.  Early flight and mouse will be sure to have coffee and breakfast or brunch like things set up for his arrival.  An afternoon flight he'll find lunch waiting with a tall glass of iced tea fixed exactly how he likes it -- with a touch of mint.   Early evening flights find mouse planning a normal day, with dinner on the table and our home bursting with activity.  

Late evening arrivals, although the most taxing on him, are the best for mouse -- especially if the children are in bed and mouse is reasonably certain he's already eaten dinner.   The baby is fast asleep, the dogs are groggy from their day of play (seriously mouse wears them out hours beforehand).  He can step through the door and just feel the tension leave him.  Many candles are lit for his arrival and mouse puts together a tray with some snack of cheese or wine and a hot bath.  After long flights there's nothing he likes better than to peel off his clothing and soak in a tub or take a long hot shower.   It is very much a mental signal that  he's home and life can again return to normal.  

He enjoys traveling and seeing new things or revisiting places he's already been, but he grown to hate -- like most people today -- airports. 

From the first text saying he's at the airport and through security mouse begins the mental countdown to his eventual return home.  He'll continue to send random text messages updating his flight or telling mouse when boarding begins and again when he's on the plane.  Then the long silence as mouse busies herself with routine of life.  Depending on the time of day determines what she'll be doing.  Generally speaking there's lots of cleaning and maybe a chance to watch one more romantic movie that will certainly make mouse's eyes damp.  

Then the text comes and mouse's heart begins to race a little, saying he's landed.  The next text will be that he's in a cab and on his way home...that's when the real countdown begins for mouse.  Knowing how long it takes from the airport to our home, mouse plans out everything so the wine or champagne is chilled.  Cheese is placed on the tray so it can warm to room temperature.  Depending on the hour, the fireplace might be stoked, lit or another log thrown on.  His mood is hard to glean from text messages but mouse can assume if he's had a long wait, he's not happy.  Once he (and of course everyone)  had to wait 10 hours for his connecting flight to bring him back home because of mechanical issues or something.  

One thing regardless of the time of day of his return the first thing he'll do is kiss mouse and then he'll sink into his chair for  a few minutes, while mouse removes his shoes for him and rubs his feet.   Upstairs she will undress him, and let him slip into the tub.   It's the act of pampering him a little, fussing over him a lot that maybe is more for mouse than for him.  He appreciates the effort but he'd be just as happy with a cool towel and maybe a cocktail.  This is all for mouse....