Chatty Crone

Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.-Ruth Ann Schabacker

Why You Should Run Away From Home -

(From Woman's Day by Paula Spencer)

"There is an utterly wonderful excuse, free of deviance, for going off all by your lonesome to enjoy your own company -

You need to visit with the person still there beneath the labels (mom, wife, employee).

There will be nobody to consult, follow, lead, compromise with, reprimand or pick up after.

There will be someone else to make the bed and serve you the food.

(Now that's an amazing adventure right there.)

You could take aimless three-hour walks in which nobody whines that they need to go to the bathroom . . .

You could watch your favorite movies uninterrupted.

If you go to the beach you could listen to the waves until you doze off.

You could eat McIntosh apples and chocolate-covered almonds for dinner, if you feel like it.

You could sit in a deep Adirondack chair with a book on your lap . . . unopened, for hours.

You could walk into tourist shops and peruse - what else - kids stuff?

You could open a gorgeous leather notebook and draw doodles.

You don't have to do anything you planned to do!

You don't even have to sleep. You'll be so giddy at being yourself that you'll want each day to last as long as possible.

You can stay up late watching lame TV.

Then when you come back and if your daughter asks if you brought her anything - you can hand over the t-shirt you bought her.

But think about this - you've already given her something better than souvenirs or lectures: a good example.

She can thank you in a couple of decades."
Chatty