As I mentioned in my last post, Maggie has gone off to college, so I now have an actual empty nest.

So far, I can't offer you a true opinion on it, because this weekend was filled with a home improvement project at my sweetheart's house, and this week includes Rosh Hashanah, which will take up a lot of time in services and with family. But I can say that it is much quieter, and that it feels less hurried, in part because there's one less person's schedule I need to work around/deal with. I shall keep you posted on the emotional stuff.

Meanwhile, I can say with certainty that the first project I have to deal with at home is a thorough cleaning of Maggie's bedroom, which looked like a disaster area when she left for school. (I have photos to prove it.) I spent 30 minutes or so on the night she left to collect up recycling, trash, and laundry and to straighten her bedspread so the bed is clear, which made it possible for me to leave and come back without feeling depressed and/or anxious about her space. Now there's actual cleaning and sorting and such to be done, which will happen this week around the edges of the holiday, so that the remaining painting in her room can be accomplished this month.

On the one hand, since she's not here, I don't have to work around her and her schedule. On the other hand, since she's not here, my sweetheart and I are adjusting to our new reality and trying to find our way into a new schedule/routine, which is to include more writing time for me.

I'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, if you have a recently empty (or emptier) nest, I'd love to hear how and what you're doing.