We are back to a family of 3. Our friends, a family of 4 on their own, made us a household of 7 for a few days. They left a little while ago.
It’s really quiet in here now.
I love our friends. I’ve known the mom of the family for 22 years and she was the matron of honor in my wedding. I met the dad when I was a senior in high school, so that’s 18 years that I’ve known him. They were the first friends to hold my son, less than 24 hours after he was born.
Our kids have been friends all of their lives. They fight like siblings. They range from almost 6 to just turned 3. As you can imagine, that’s quite a bit of running around, yelling, laughing and bickering.
Considering they were together with no break from one another for 3 straight days, one of which was without power, they were really well behaved. We made them walk a mile to a bowling alley in an attempt to get lunch and get warm. They ran around the yard, camped out on air mattresses and I think ate snacks for 12 hours straight at one point.
I got my bathroom cleaned and 4 dinners made for me, one of which is in my fridge for tomorrow. That’s the kind of friends these are, the kind that make you dinner and clean your bathroom. The kind that bring kids for your kid to play with. These are good friends to have.
I wish our commune of sorts was formed under better circumstances. It would be more fun to merge families when it isn’t necessary, when nerves aren’t frayed from worrying about how or if we’ll get to work, gas lines, the status of our groceries and if the power will stay on for good.
I’ve always thought it would be fun to live Big Love style with this family and another family that we’re quite fond of. I think we’d all make a good team. If we could manage in these conditions, I’m sure we could do it.
For now, our family of 3 is settled in for the night. It’s like a normal night. Except tomorrow my son won’t have school and the families on the street behind me still don’t have power.
And I will go to sleep tonight, yet again more thankful for all the simple comforts that I’ve taken for granted for far too long.
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I had a cousin staying with me who was a refugee from the east village, and various friends from Hoboken in and out of my apartment last week before we moved for power, meals, and hot showers. I love having lots of good friends and family around, even though it was hard combining company with frayed nerves and worries about work, gas and power. Here’s hoping all the power comes back soon, and everyone’s worries melt away.