Empty Nest Practice

Last night after the boys varsity team made their twelfth point in honor of Ryan whose jersey number is 12, Carter’s and her basketball team mates left school for a retreat at Emerald Isle. This long ago planned trip came at a perfect time for the girls to relax and just have some fun. What it meant for me and Russ is that we get a weekend alone to see what life is like with Carter gone during the cold months.

We are well acquainted with an empty house in the summer when Carter makes Camp Cheerio her home of choice, but she is almost always home the rest of the year. I don’t know why it makes a difference, but I somehow thought that I might be different, more productive, less in vacation mode in the winter.

I really could not be more wrong. Although Russ got up at his regular five AM, I was able to stay asleep until almost ten. Then I lazed around until noon. What a mistake that was. By the time I was up and dressed I was running out of time to get my steps in and do the laundry, unclog the shower drain, change the burned out light bulbs, pay the bills and a myriad of other minor chores.

I was determined to get my steps done before I did any other fun things. So much for spending the day with Russ to see what life sans child would be like. While I was walking he was napping. I guess this is much more like old age than I envisioned.

To counteract the potential steps towards a retirement home we decided to go out tonight on a little date. Normally if it’s just the two of us eating we can be in and out in under forty-five minutes since we try and not eat too much. That’s just not much of a date. I had originally thought of a movie and dinner, but after watching The Green Mile this afternoon while I was on my treadmill I couldn’t take the emotional hit of a second movie.

Russ suggested we go downtown for a drink at Bar Lusconi before dinner because they happen to have a Flanders Red Ale that Russ has been trying to find in North Carolina. Now we are taking “real date” because I drank some of his beer. Finding Bar Lusconi is not easy since it really doesn’t have a sign, but if you look for the lights hanging in the window of an ex-barber shop on East Main Street just down from the old court house you will find it. I highly recommend going there to order a Duchesse de Bourgogne Belgian beer.

After some bar time it was off to Gregoria’s Cuban restaurant in honor of the loosening of sanctions. True to form we were in and out in under an hour. Probably because I just had soup and Russ just had Paella. No starters, no dessert, no coffee, we were a waiters nightmare. At least we let him have a chance to turn the table quickly.

Back home by eight to snuggle in bed with Shay Shay so much for date night. Instead we both have our I-Pads out and as soon as I post this it’s on to needlepoint. Empty nest seems to be a lot like full nest, just less laundry. I hope Carter is having a bigger time than we are.