I can feel myself starting to slip into No Kids At Home mode. I began to realize this this morning, when I thought about K leaving for Berlin in less than a week and I said to myself, "Aw, she'll be okay. That airline strike is going to work out, and then ... then ... then I'll have more room for my food in the freezer. Cool."
When we had dinner with all the ILs a couple of weeks ago, some mention was made to the SIL about her upcoming empty-nest syndrome, since her youngest is going off to college next week. She caught my eye and kind of smirked. Ah, she knows already. One the young'un is off at school and you know that everything is stable and happy there, well then, it's not so much an empty nest as it is a quiet nest, where everything stays in its place, there is less laundry, fewer dishes, and fewer trips to the supermarket.
It's 8:00, Thursday night, and she has begun to pack. She just popped Sense and Sensibility into the DVD player, so I know she's serious. Last year, when she packed to go to school, we watched this, and I think, the whole Pride and Prejudice mini-series, while her stuff was strewn all over the family room and gradually tucked into its proper places. So it's achieved ritual status, which is fine. I love these movies, too, and it's like a bonding thing: we watch, she packs, I keep her company and retrieve minor needed items, as called upon. She takes things out of their packaging so they'll pack smaller, and I put it in the trash.
It's 10:15. The movie is over -- it was wonderful, Alan Rickman is so yummy -- and a fully packed suitcase stands before me. There is not a single item of clothing in it. It's full of shampoo, bandaids, her knitting, telephone and ethernet cords, electrical adapters, instant oatmeal, and Easy Mac. It weighs more than the plane. I have a feeling we may be charged extra for it; whatever. The funny thing is, so much of what's in this suitcase isn't ever coming home, since it's planned for being used up there. You know what that means. She'll have an empty suitcase to fill up to come home with, right? Maybe I'll get that black forest clock for Christmas after all.
Friday, 1:00 pm. Well, I've done my work today. She's got luggage tags, backup luggage tags, and multiple redundant backup luggage tags. We finally got her actual address there last night, so I've also printed up a batch of mailing labels; with any luck, she'll have a letter there waiting for her when she arrives, or shortly thereafter. No idea what I'm going to say in it, but it's nice to get mail when you're away at school. And I need her to confirm that it's the actual mailing address, so we can get her absentee ballot request in the works. Man, both of my kids are voting in the presidential election this year. I'm old.
--------------------------------------------------
I'm watching Roseanne
--------------------------------------------------
last ::
next
Sweet Sorrow - 06.12.2007
So ... - 12.19.2006
Christmastime Is Near - 12.18.2006
Fifteen Years - 12.17.2006
A Message From Our Sponsor - 12.16.2006
|
