optimal temperature

I had a letter to mail tonight so after the house quieted down I bit I took a wander across the street to the mailboxes. It was just a little after nine, the sun was just beginning to disappear over the horizon. The street was empty. In a neighbourhood that is teeming with kids the near silence was something of a treat. A slight breeze ruffled the leaves in the trees. The birds called to one another. It was a perfectly balmy night. At the mailbox I paused and looked down my street. Saw the for sale sign on the lawn of some long term neighbours. Noticed someone had thoughtfully trimmed the weeds from around the mailbox. Allowed myself a moment of jealousy at those who are having their driveways paved. Noticed the quiet upper floors of my neighbours that signaled their children were at least in bed if not sleeping.

While I noticed all that I allowed myself to forget that back at home my almost five year old was sitting at the kitchen table eating apple sauce despite having been put to bed an hour before. That there were two loads of laundry waiting to be folded and put away. That the dishwasher needed to be emptied. That my husband was surfing the internet while wearing his spousal avoidance device iPod. That my 1 year old had climbed into the still full bathtub after she'd been changed into her jammies. That there was a school trip form to fill out. That lunches needed to be made, clothes to be laid out, a library book to collect, Jolly Sounds homework to go back, blogging to be done, emails to be answered and then I turned around and walked back home.