Empty House

Our house is empty...of kids anyway. Our oldest of course is away in the Navy, our daughter is in Michigan, and our youngest left yesterday for Oregon. We'll probably still see our neighbor as she is feeding our daughter's rats, (I wasn't to be trusted apparently.), but for all intents and purposes we are kidless. It's kind of weird. I am anticipating food staying in the pantry longer than a day, quiet suppers, and complete control of the remote control.

Making sure we don't get lonely are the five dogs and six cats. I am thinking that they are not used to the quiet either because they have been barking their fool heads off all day. Not the cats of course. The cats have been caught sleeping peacefully on my daughter's bed. But the dogs have been barking at absolutely nothing. I guess they got so used to barking at all the comings and goings around here they have to bark periodically out of sheer habit.

Another thing I am looking forward to is not functioning as an amateur taxi service. I spend a good part of my time shuffling my son hither and yon. More yon than hither.

"Mom, can you take me to Andrew's house?"

"Mom, can you take us to the pool?"

"Mom, can you take us to the movies? And can I have money for the movies?"

And I don't even get tips.