There is an old Sex and the City episode where Carrie talks about her “SSB – Secret Single Behavior”. It’s the weirdo stuff that we keep on lockdown in the event our significant other will judge – or even worse – find us downright obnoxious or unattractive.

Before Scott came into the picture, I had time to establish a new living routine for myself. My SSB was off the hook and I was Queen of my castle – sans King. Nobody would see if I left my skivvies lying on the bathroom floor or the pile of guacamole bowls soaking in the sink. Not to mention, I could watch Sense and Sensibility or Julie & Julia on repeat for days without ever having to consider another pair of eyes.

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Since officially moving in with Scott last February, my SSB has been monitored greatly. However, Scott travels occasionally for work and I find myself relishing in those little opportunities when it can come back in full force.

What do I do when Scott is out of town?

  • The moment I get home I find my biggest, oldest pair of sweatpants and pair them with an over-sized plaid flannel shirt I have had for years. They don’t match, and I don’t care.
  • I make tunafish and eat it right out of the bowl with loads of pepper.
  • I don’t chop my onions up finely. Scott likes his SUPER diced – I prefer biting into an entire chunk.
  • I clean. A LOT. And then I clean some more. There is something I find overly therapeutic about it and I love losing myself in an entire evening of deep cleaning.
  • I listen to old Jazz records on my turntable.
  • The dogs and I find ourselves in bed as early as humanly possible. And not to sleep – to crawl under the covers and watch movies on repeat while wasting time on Pinterest and reading blogs. I’m not a couch kind of girl – I prefer my bed.
  • I check the doors a dozen times to make sure they are locked.
  • I drink tea all night long.
  • I let Miah and Ivan completely take over the other side of the bed, and I drape myself over them all night long.

But in truth, I am only content with a night of that as I always count down the minutes until Scott’s return. It’s quiet, lonely, and there isn’t any fun in a clean kitchen when you can’t dirty some dishes making dinner with the man you love.

On that note, it’s time to throw The Holiday on repeat and get back to Pinterest.

-Al