Covid and Empty Nest....

 Covid and Empty Nest....it a nasty combination. The C word hit and there were adjustments made. Not many for us per say. Yet the most impactful was the decision of my last Littlie to leave us.  My little last bird has flown the nest away across country. The kick in the pants is that she went back to (or from?) the very place we moved away two years ago, Happy Valley. What the heck? 

She couldn't wait to get back to what is home for her. She just doesn't realize that she is my home.  

There were weeks of working day and night to save for her first real adventure into adulthood. So proud as she worked double shifts, saved every penny, and planned the tidbits of life that lay ahead. Now, a warning, when babes work on a goal such as this, tornados touch down. The bathroom is never swept, the bed of said child is never made, the towels languish on the floor, clothes pile high with no deference to clean or dirty.  The family philosophy of organization and cleanliness was put on hold. A child has no ability to see anything other then the one heavy burden they have in front of them. (Wait for real adult life, kiddo!)  THE Littlie complains about how we cannot understand the burden she is under trying to work all these hours.  (We chuckle, trying juggling 10 things that are life altering/burden and still pick up our towels after showering.)

The day came. She packed up her car with all her wanted earthly belongings and threw us the "I love you " sign and was off to cross this great country of ours. Billy Ray Cyrus song about his daughter leaving was singing in my mind and tears and absolute loss was mine to have. Then I went up to her room and deep cleaned. And decorated. It didn't take away the pain but it made me feel better. Well that and a vat of Haagen-Daz smothered in fudge and topped with a jar of cherries. 

Now the question is what am I now? 

Go and do. I will be working off the ice cream that filled that empty hole. Hey, new flavor Haagen Daz! You can call it "Empty Nester" and fill it with, well, absolutely everything. Get gone my friend and as they say in the south, "Have a blessed daaay."