Lonely is the night

This time of year is a hard time for Jeff, Biscuit and me.

Jeff's parents will be going home soon, after being here since the week before Christmas. We get used to them being here when we get home from work and day care. Plus, my father-in-law always has some home improvement project in the works right up until the day they leave. (Among the projects this year, he's building bookcases and a banquette in my kitchen.) So during January, our house is a bustle of activity.

Add to that the increased number of basketball games Jeff has to cover, which means he'll be gone two or three nights during the week and pretty much all day on Saturdays. The games usually take a couple of hours, then a couple of hours to get his story written and all the work done, then add on a couple of hours of drive time to get to the games.

Both of these things mean lonelier times for me and Biscuit.

Biscuit and I will spend a lot of time together in the next month ... A LOT! And he'll get on my nerves, and I'll get his nerves. And we'll be frustrated with each other. And we'll vie for Jeff's attention when he is finally able to be at home with us.

I've been saying that after Jeff's parents go home, Biscuit and I are going to make a point of getting out and about more, especially on Saturdays. Of course, I said the same thing last year and didn't follow through. Let's hope I can do better this year.

Once Dad comes home, Biscuit is stuck to him like glue. And I can never decide which feeling is stronger, being jealous that Biscuit ditches me to cling to Jeff or being jealous that I have to wait my turn to have time with Jeff.

The schedule is hard on Jeff, too. When he has Saturday games, he's off on Mondays. So Tuesday, he'll cover a game in the evening. Then Wednesday, he'll work a day shift at the office. Then Thursday, he'll cover a game in the evening. Then Friday, he'll work during the day. Then Saturday, he'll head out depending on whatever time the game is. Personally, I like the games that start at 6 or after. That means Biscuit and I have a little more time with him before he has to leave.

I can tell you one thing for sure, during February and March, I get a small taste of being a single mother, and I don't like it. Come on, April.