Empty Nesting?

Ahhhhhh.

Listen.

If you're really quiet you might hear it.

Silence.

Well, human silence. ;o)

Yup, we're in the first full week of our empty-nesting experience. The human children departed for their respective colleges just before Labor Day (we have...count 'em...three kids in college this year). And because we do, this is the first we've had the house to ourselves in 22 years!

I could REALLY get used to this.

Seriously, Don (Dear Hubby) and I are having a ball. We can set our own hours; we don't have to listen half the night for the kids to get home safely; we can keep only healthy food in the house without complaint; we can enjoy a glass of wine with dinner without self-consciousness; we can play and romp and read and watch TV and listen to OUR music and take the phone off the hook and set our own schedules and...well, you figure it out...without having to consult with or consider our three progeny. :o)

Did I mention I could REALLY get used to this?

You see, Don and I are still best friends even after nearly 25 years of marriage (our 25th anniversary is coming up in January). We enjoy each other; we enjoy similar music and books and outdoors pursuits; we like talking and debating and wrestling through tough concepts together (we're both thinkers). We love sitting in front of the wood stove (not yet this season, but soon) reading quietly with our Labs at our feet. We have similar senses of humor and like tastes in movies, and we enjoy the same TV programs. We even like the same foods (for the most part; he likes things spicier than I do).

So having the house, our schedules, and much of our discretionary time to ourselves is a treat. :o) I like this empty-nest thing.

Oh, and did I say I could REALLY get used to this?

The canine kids, however, haven't been quite as happy. The Boos in particular (Baxter) was sorely depressed, but he's rebounding. He's traded kid time with more "mom" time.

You see, now that we've reclaimed the house from kid-land (and our techy sons and their various computers and components), I can hang out in the kitchen or family room or living room with my laptop to work (thereby making my feet accessible as a canine headrest for any one of the three Labs). And since the kids have been gone, I've been able to move some of my office storage into their bedrooms freeing up space for a dog bed in the office once again (thereby providing for the much needed human-contact-factor Elsie and Baxter so desperately need).

So now I have office buddies -- it's take-your-pet-to-work-day every day at my house now. And I'm again working everyday (my injured hand has finally healed sufficiently to work and blog regularly thanks to Tim the OTR who's been providing occupational therapy for my hand for the last two months), so I get quite a bit of canine-fix while I work.

Did I tell you I could REALLY, REALLY get used to this?

As can Baxter, Elsie, and Ridge, now that they can be with me throughout the day.

Yes, of course, we all miss Dan, Sarah, and Jon (hi, guys; we love you), but it sure is nice to be "us" once again. I've missed the "us" of just Don and me for a long time, as has he. We feel younger somehow. Go figure.

I think we're entering a good season, one we'll enjoy as long as it lasts (knowing full well that other less-enjoyable seasons will come). I think even the canine kids would agree with me that life is good now that they get to go to work with me everyday.

Yes, empty nesting is a good thing. At least for us. I could REALLY REALLY REALLY get used to this (did I mention that already?).

So, tell me this: if empty nesting is so fun, why in the world are we getting a FOURTH Lab (a black Lab pup we'll pick up on September 30th)? Yes, you read that correctly: Baxter, Elsie, and Ridge will be welcoming a new little girl Lab to the pack in a few weeks... (to be continued).

'Til next time,
Joan