I am a single mother now - at least until Sunday night. March Madness has begun. Campbell and I waved goodbye to Adam last night as he left for his annual boys' retreat. I think this is something like the eighth year that he and a dozen or so buddies from college have joined up at a friend's cabin on the lake to watch every second of basketball aired, play video games, light fires and, of course, drink - a lot of drinking goes on.
I have gotten a lot of praise from fellow mothers and women for being so nice about letting Adam disappear for 4.5 days. But, and perhaps I shouldn't admit this because the praise is nice, I actually look forward to March Madness as much as he does. Yes, I enjoy filling out a bracket (though it is more fun on years where Kentucky has a shot at winning more than one game) but I have loner tendencies that annoy Adam the other 361 days of the year. So, it's kind of nice to know I have these four days to look forward to when I can be alone some and enjoy the quiet (well, as quiet as our house can be with a baby and a terrier).
I am especially looking forward to it as Campbell gets older and it can become an annual Mother/Daughter weekend. I am taking tomorrow off and Campbell and I are headed to the Newport Aquarium with Grannydots and Grandpa. I have wonderful visions of such fun outings and bonding experiences in years to come. At least until she's 13 or so and it's just not cool to go somewhere with Mom. Hopefully though, we'll be close enough that she'll want to hole up in the house with some movies and popcorn and bond behind closed blinds where the cool kids can think I am forcing her to stay against her will.
Now, before going here is a snapshot of the bracket I finally filled out this morning. I did pick UK over Marquette and am hoping they prove me wrong and somehow beat Stanford on Saturday. Adam will not like the fact that I picked Xavier to beat Duke in the Sweet Sixteen. My Final Four has Texas falling to UCLA and UNC felling Georgetown. My champs for 2008? Another pick that will cause Adam physical pain: UNC.
Let the Madness begin and GO CATS!