I have four more days of work before we go on holiday for the second time this year. This may sound extravagant, but given that the first time around was during the period that Oliver went missing, I'm sure you won't judge us for wanting a "do-over". We had some money from anniversary gifts, so we thought that a nice thing to spend it on would be a second chance at having an enjoyable holiday. So that's exactly what we're going to do.
I've been looking back over my posts from the period that Oliver was missing today, and it feels like it was a lifetime ago. In reality, it was about three months ago that he first disappeared, followed by three very long, difficult weeks while we didn't know what we were supposed to be feeling, because we had no idea whether we'd ever see him again. Now, as I look over at him sitting on the sofa next to me, washing his bumhole, I am grateful that things ended as they did: with a happy reunion, and with our silly little boy hardly the worse for wear after three weeks on the streets.
Over the past few days, both Andie and I have been just a little bit worried that the worst might happen and he might go missing again — I can tell this because we've both been "jokingly" saying to him that he must not disappear again, but actually meaning every word — but honestly, I think he might actually have learned his lesson.
He may not have learned other lessons that I wish he'd learn — such as to stop trying to get on the shelves and knock things down — but ever since he's come home, he hasn't even tried to sneak out of the front door when we open it to put the bins out.
Previously, he'd always try and nip out behind us while we weren't looking, usually to eat a bit of grass growing between the paving slabs outside our front door — and on one occasion he succeeded in properly getting out without us noticing, but immediately regretted his decision — whereas now, when the front door opens, he sometimes has a look out of curiosity, but he has given no indication that he has any desire to go Out There ever again, either via the front door, or via our now thoroughly cat-proofed windows. This is good.
Anyway, with him now seemingly nicely settled in and unlikely to go a-wandering again, we can actually look forward to our holiday, rather than wonder whether or not taking said holiday is actually a good idea. In retrospect, it was a good idea for us to go anyway, because in the periods between being emotionally distressed we did manage to unwind a bit, but still. It will be nice to be able to enjoy it "again" without the "emotional distress" part: just full-on, guilt-free relaxation and enjoyment with nothing to worry about. Hopefully.
And we're doing it properly again, too — that means another nice trip to the Aqua Sana spa; another trip to the Pancake House; and plenty more trips to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise. Can't wait.
Well, I have to wait. Four more working days, in fact. But I'm sure they'll fly by.
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