Wednesday, August 22, 2012

The Adventure of the Empty House


The kids and their dad left the end of last week to go to grandma's to help with the garden harvesting and canning. The kids will be back tonight to start getting ready for school, their dad wont be back till the tomatoes run  out, and there is a bumper crop this year so it could be a couple weeks. We do the harvest routine every year, so we are used to it, and it certainly pays off all winter as I have mentioned  (Preserving summer all winter)in a previous post.

I have mixed feelings when they go away like this. Just one year I would like to be involved in the harvest, its one of the reasons fall is my favorite season.  But the fact is that my husband, and his mom, and his siblings, all farm raised, have a a far better idea of what needs to be done than I do, and I would be useful mostly as an observer.  (Translation:in the way.)

On the other hand I had  the house to myself for a week.

Every mom knows the only way to really get a break is to be in a different place than the kids. (I have once or twice managed a different state, haven't tried a different country yet, but now that they are both teenagers it is certainly a viable option.) I worked all but one of the days they were gone, but it was nice to come home each night to a quiet house, a long shower whenever I want, a quickly heated dinner of whatever I like  (pierogies and kielbasi anyone?), and sole custody of the TV remote and the absence of both Teen Nick and the Military History Channel from my viewing agenda.

This is good for about 4 days before the house becomes way too quiet, the dog is sick of the sight of me, and I tired of having to do all the chores (I was especially reminded of this when I had to take the trash out Sunday night because the designated child wasn't there).

With a  12th grader and and 8th grader I  know these small separations are only the beginning, and that longer separations lie ahead, but I'm not quite ready yet. So bring back the noise, the laundry, the dishes, and the drama.

Welcome home kids.

3 comments:

  1. Oh my yes, let us not speak of the longer separation just yet. Can't handle that thought either, even if mine comes after yours. Yes to kielbasa and yes to pierogies too. With ketchup and horseradish sauce. I'm hungry...what were we talking about? The tomatoes...you will have homemade marinara and tomato soup and all kinds of goodies! And I am totally on board with the empty house scenario. It gets kinda lonely after awhile, for sure. But having a "me" break is always lovely. Enjoy yours! xx

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  2. PS...check out http://whowouldathought-kevin.blogspot.com. You are both very involved in scouting and I think you'd really like his blog. He's wicked funny!

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  3. Thank for the link and I shall check it out.

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