Thursday 10 August 2006

Can you say you're home alone if there are two of you?

I've just returned home, having dropped my son off at the station to catch his train to Leicester - he's going to the Summer Sundae festival at de Montfort university.

Odd, isn't it, how different home feels when someone has left and will not return for a while. At this time of the day he would normally be at work. And he's often out in the evenings. But it feels emptier here without him.

It looks emptier too, in a good way. I went shopping yesterday for food for him - he'll buy there of course, but he likes to do some of his own cooking. So the kitchen table has been full of stuff that is quick to do on a camping stove, mainly based on quick-cook noodles and couscous, plus nuts, seeds, dried fruits. He probably won't be able to keep up his usual intake of fresh fruit and vegetables, but that doesn't mean he intends to come home too much unhealthier than he left. I did provide some Pringles (the boxes won't be easily crushed) and a box of red wine as I think that some bad habits are essential in life.

Anyway, a rare couple of nights alone for the Sage and I, before another family influx at the weekend. And to think, four years ago, that we were resolutely preparing for empty-nestdom.

6 comments:

How do we know said...

:-) it never does happen.. the empty nestdom... :-) if they're not in the house, they're in the head!

Z said...

That is true - and so well put.

Mybananalife said...

Totally irrevelant to this post. I find it so hilarious that not too long ago I asked you about in-breeding aka granny-shagging in norfolk.

Z said...

Yes, I remembered that too. I'm rather sorry for the MP - he was not referring to incest or anything in the least unseemly, just that in rural areas there's a relatively small gene pool. He was making the point in a spirit of genuine scientific enquiry, but it's been turned into an insult.

Pat said...

We have an empty nest which gives us valuable breathing spaces between family visits.

Z said...

Isn't it lovely when the family descends - or other friends. But the cooking!
Another year and Ro will probably leave home. I hope my other son and family will stay next door though, it's lovely.