Quiet

It's just the two of us now.  E, K and e left here at 6:45 Friday evening after eating supper, packing the car and feeding e.  They arrived in Palos Verdes, where K's mother lives, about seven hours later.  They plan to head back to Phoenix later today, and tomorrow evening I fly back.  Yesterday, after my 9:30 appointment for a mammogram and some time at the organ, we began to restore the house to its pre-visit state, washing sheets, moving the couch and coffee table back to their place, taking the leaf out of the dining room table, putting toys and books in a basket, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms.  In ten days Sarah and Erik arrive for a week.  His mother and sister are flying out from Tennessee, as they do almost every fall, and decided to visit the Bay Area instead of San Diego, so S and E will come up here to see them and stay with us.  We have met E's mom but not his sister (they are staying here in town but not with us).  Anyway, I want to get things ready for their visit.

K sent a text yesterday asking if I was enjoying the quiet.  Yes, and no.  I do enjoy being able to read the paper or blog or play Words with Friends without interruption, not keeping my ear open for e's wake-up call.  But we both liked having E and her family around.  She said that phrase struck her, "My daughter and her family are here," when she heard Randy use it in a call to a co-worker.  I guess it made her feel more grown-up or independent from us or something.  I am thankful E and K made the effort to drive up here so Randy could spend time with e and we all could revel in the cooler air.  K especially liked being able to wear a sweatshirt a few times!