We used to go out a lot. I mean, we had a live-in nanny for six years. If the kids were in bed and the nanny had no other plans…it was free babysitting. And that was back in the days when all three kids were in bed by 7:30. The good old days. But gone are the days of the nannies and the early bedtimes (if all three aren’t awake at 10pm, I consider it full of win). And most of my work gets done in the evenings and, well, I’m single most of the time. I’d say that in the past year we’ve left the kids with a babysitter less than a dozen times, and the majority of them were when family was visiting.

But last night we got a babysitter for no reason at all. At 6:15 we were out the door with absolutely no plans. The rainy city was our oyster. We ended up here because, dude, it’s Richard Blais, and because we had a gift card from a lovely honorary family member who wanted to make sure that the foodie got to eat there before we left the dirty south. But, if you’ve ever been there, you know that’s it’s kind of a busy and loud cafeteria-style place where the eats are good, but they really try to speed you through your meal.

By 7:30, we were done.

And because I’d rather lick a New York City cab than see the new Sex and the City movie

(ducks)

we had to come up with something to do. There was no way we were going to go home. At 7:30. I have my pride, you know.

So, we did what everyone does on a date.

We went to Super Target and Barnes & Noble.

(Too bad we couldn’t sign up for our AARP cards right then and there)

We walked up and down the aisles at Target, picking out things we need to have for our new home. We looked at hampers and bedding and mirrors and bar stools and towels. We bought a shower curtain for the kids’ bathroom.

Then it was books and coffee.

I am a compulsive book buyer. Yes. Someday I will have THIS room.

I blame it on the fact that I work in the book industry. “But, it’s not my fault…I am supporting my trade. The more books that are bought, the better chance of there being jobs in books.” AHEM. Yes, I realize it’s a lousy-ass argument, but I can’t help it. I can spend hours walking around a book store just looking at covers. I start in the fiction section and make a pile of twelve or thirteen six or seven books I want to read. And then, somehow, I always end up in the history section. And then, depending on my latest passion project, I will pick up a good handful of books.

Right now it’s The Pacific War. And last night it was Eugene Sledge at Peleliu and Okinawa.

(For the record, it was Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries, and Shakes for him)

We stayed until it closed.

(10pm! We are crazy!)

We went home, crawled into bed, and watched Dexter.

(Two of the kids were still up, of course.)

It probably seems lame. And I fully admit to having somewhat geriatric ways. I mean, sometimes I even steal condiments from restaurants. It’s usually only Chick.fil.a sauce, but still.

So, yes, lame. But, I don’t know. It was such a nice night. And it was exactly what I needed. I got to eat a meal, buy a shower curtain, have a coffee and read without cutting someone else’s food, without getting anyone a drink, without my coffee getting cold, without having to read the same page 45 times, without yelling “JUST BECAUSE WE ARE IN TARGET DOES NOT MEAN WE ARE BUYING BARBIES OMG!”

Perfection.