It kind of feels like living with a wild beast.

So Bucket came home on Wednesday, and it's been three full days of sharing the house with him. There are obvious benefits, like a new screen door, someone to carry in the heavy parts of the groceries and take the dog out in the rain at 11:30pm, and having someone to cook for (because I won't cook for just myself - I eat a lot of chicken nuggets while he's gone). There are some irritants, though. I cannot tell you how annoying it is that he leaves every single cupboard door open. He rumbles through the house making noise constantly. He has to have the volume on the television about twice high as I do. He eats half of the leftovers and puts them back in the fridge with the lids unsealed. Etc, etc, etc.

I know that these things are all minor. And four days ago, I would have begged for him to come home and wreck the place, leave doors open and waste food. But now, I'd like for him to be more like me. Still here, but neater. Quieter. Less obstinate about getting out of bed in the morning for the alarm clock or the baby.

Did you know that his sleep is important? Mine isn't. His is. It's an important distinction to make, you know. I kid, I kid. He doesn't actually think that. It's just his attitude and the way he expresses it that gives that impression.

Last night he stayed home with Llama while I played Bingo. Before you laugh and say that Bingo is for old ladies and they play it at churches and nursing homes everywhere, let me just tell you that I won $300. That's the most income I've had since April. And it's mine, all miiiiiine! Even if I had won nothing, the value of an evening where I was just an adult hanging out with her friends is immeasurable. You can't imagine how crappy it starts to feel when I'm just Llama's mom.

So I like having Bucket home, even with all the annoyances he brings. He makes us (both Llama and me) happy, even when we're running around behind him holding a dustpan and a laundry basket and closing cupboard doors. More importantly, he's a big reminder that I once was young and cute, that I am interesting and fun, and that there is life beyond Llama that I need to be getting involved in. And I love him. There's that, right?