What I Learned From Being Single and Childless For Three Days

I just returned from enjoying the loveliest of gifts – a two night “stay-cation” at The Laurel Point Inn in Victoria, B.C. ~ BY MYSELF! First of all, The Laurel Point is my favorite hotel in Victoria. I’ve stayed there three times and I’ve never been disappointed. The hotel is the epitome of serenity. From the simple, clean, white and Earth tone decor to the Aveda toiletries and plush robes and the ocean view from every room, it’s hard to even want to leave your room!

My room at The Laurel Point Inn

But I did leave my room, a number of times, which leads me to what I learned being single and childless for three days:

• When a friend offers to pay for you to have two nights away, and insists upon it, she really will be happy that you said okay.
• Rediscovering your old university town in a new light is essential to feeling at home in it again.
• I still love doing things alone. I used to love going shopping, out to movies and dinner by myself, and that hasn’t changed.
• Sitting in a busy restaurant can be a zen experience. I was completely happy to zone out to the cacaphony of voices around me. You know when so much chatter melts people’s words and it’s impossible to make out anyone’s conversation? It was like meditating to white noise. I loved it.
• I do not like sitting at an outside table on a busy street however. Good food and car fumes don’t mix.
• The food at Lady Marmelade was worth waiting to try for four years.
• Vodka, soda and fruit puree is my new favorite drink. Very refreshing!
• If I had zero responsibilities in the morning I would do yoga stretches when I wake up.
• I still enjoy The View.
• A litre of sesame oil in your hair is next to impossible to wash out of your hair, and next time I will pass on the Shirodhara at the Sapphire Day Spa. (However, the Abhyanga Massage was amazing).
• One of the best things about going shopping is the freedom to spend as much time as you need in a store without the worry of children getting lost on clothes racks or knowing over the shoe display.
• At the end of a day of discovering new stores, my favorite clothes stores are the same as always. Hemp & Co. and Shift Natural Fashion.
• New hippie-esque clothes go well with greasy spa hair.
• I’m chattier with strangers without my kids in tow. I feel more confident being defined as myself than I feel being defined as someone’s parent.

The roof of the library courtyard

• The Victoria library courtyard is still one of my favorite places to chill out, listen to musicians, and check out the funky architecture.
• I’m still not afraid to walk around the city at night.
• There’s nothing like dancing in a crowded night club to make me realize how tall I really am.
• A lot of short guys go to the bar.
• I’m slightly less comfortable with the idea of dancing by myself on an empty dance floor than I was when I was in my 20′s. Damn!
• It’s still a great feeling when a guy wants to dance with you and tries to grind with you. Especially if he’s hot.
• It’s not a great feeing when you realize said hot guy is probably 15 years younger than you and that he’s too drunk to realize your age difference.
• My husband is awesome when it comes to telling him stories about dancing with other men.
• Going out dancing with girlfriends is still one of the all-time most fun things to do.

• Sleeping in is still the very best part of having me time.
• For as much as I love being alone during the day, nights are lonely without the husband and kids.
• I missed my kids more than I thought I would.
• It’s way easier to parent when your kids are happy to see you and you feel refreshed.
• “Me time”  doesn’t have to be a luxury to be a necessity, but after 6 years of only ever being apart from my kids for one night, twice, this kind of trip was essential to my well bring.

And finally,

• Not only did my daughter not miss her milkies for three days, my milk wasn’t dried up when she remembered to ask for some at bedtime.

Related posts:

1. What I Learned At The Farm
2. What We Learned At The Beach