Stand By

Today was my fifth day of stand by. Stand by meaning, I am on call from 5am till 9pm. In case I am needed, I have to be at the airport within one hour. I might be called out for a short domestic flight or I might have to go to Moskow and won't be back for the next five days.

Or I might not get called out at all.

Which can be good. On my first uneventful stand by day I cleaned the kitchen.

On the second day I changed the sheets, washed all the bedding and did the laundry.

On the third day I filed all the bills that have accumulated during the last six months.

Day fourth I caught up on correspondence.

Today, on the fifth day, I ran out of things to do.

There was absolutely nothing left to do that didn't require leaving the house. I had even ironed my uniform blouses.

Then daughter caught my eye. "Let's study." I said. "Let's do a dictation. Let's practise spelling and grammer."

"I am on vacation!" she protested.

"That's ok." I said. "I have nothing else to do. It will be fun!"

I think there was a second when she thought a flight to Moskow for me wouldn't have been that bad after all.

She did cheer up remarkebly though when I told her that tomorrow, unless I get called out, it is her brother's turn.