Fledgling

Daughter has fledged. She'd been talking all summer about moving out by September, and by golly, she did! I am proud of her initiative and all the work she put into finding a roommate, finding an apartment, discussing budgets, and considering proximity to public transportation.

Seeing all her boxes staged in our dining room, and then being trucked out the door was sad, and this place seems bigger and emptier and lonelier now, even though she didn't spend a whole lot of time at home before the move.

Now, we'll see whether she puts the same effort into maintaining a good relationship with her roommate, who earns more than she does, and to turning her part-time job into a full-time one. I'm going to wait a month before officially considering myself an empty-nester.

A Little Night Music

I WAS planning to go to sleep, but as I turned out the lights and settled into bed, I heard a great chirping and whistling in the trees outside! I have no idea what kinds of birds sing in the dark. I know there are owls, but this jubilation sounds like songbirds at dawn. Perhaps they are singing souls home.

Marty's dad passed away tonight in Cleveland, from complications after a couple of bad falls. Marty flew up there this morning to visit with him and Ginny. Neither thought the end would come so quickly. The recommendation of hospice care came just a few days ago from the doctor.

In fact, Marty didn't get to see his dad before he died; he arrived after dinner and was told Irish was already asleep. So he and Ginny went to dinner, and very shortly after that, the hospital called. By the time they got to the hospital, he was already gone.

It must feel strange to lose the last parent; like being set adrift, and facing the fact that your generation is next.

Rain Makes Me Feel Crafty

When I was about 10 or 11 years old, I got home after a wet and rainy walk from school to find that my mom had made some hot chocolate and bought me the McCall's Christmas Make-It Ideas magazine. OMG! I pored over all the exquisite things people had made: decorations, gifts, wrappings, food ... Ever since that afternoon, the onset of rainy weather has triggered an urge to make stuff.

Speaking of which, it's been raining steadily for the last few days. The rain is pinging in my chimney and sounding like temple bell wind chimes. It's a macaroni-and-cheese, hot chocolate kind of day. So it's just as well I'm about halfway through this year's Bernat Mystery Afghan Crochet-Along! I'm about 1 week behind, but I will make that up this weekend if it continues raining. I think it's going to be lovely!