WHAT TO DO?

My oldest is in Des Moines with her sweet husband. The two little girls, they're in Maine with Grammy. Reu is meeting with Mrs. Doris to go over illustrations he is painting for her next book. Nate, Tom, and Ben are hauling hay. (Yes, they knew how hot it would be before they left. Actually, they hauled hay yesterday, too, in 100+ degree weather, with a heat index of 116. They consider the temperature and humidity a challenge - some kind of a Man thing.) Baby M should've been here at 6:30 this morning, but was running a fever. Grandma is keeping her today instead.

Anyway, what that means for me at the present is that I am sitting in my house, all alone. Ever heard of a blue moon? Guess we should be expecting one tonight! Well, here's a question I haven't had to answer in a long, l-o-n-g time: What do I do with a morning home alone?

Hmmmm......

First, I started the laundry. The hay-hauling clothes from yesterday were already funking out the laundry room, so they went into the washer first thing after my lonely little breakfast. Then, I started a pot of sauce for lasagna - am getting a head start on tomorrow's dinner and fixing a pan for the freezer. A nice long phone call from the adventurers up north - sounds like Martha and Helen are having a grand time exploring coastal Maine! A bit of book-keeping and paperwork. Some physics and math homework to check over.

It is Way Too Quiet in this house.

My hay-haulers should be home by lunchtime. Reuben and Dad have just pulled up in the driveway. This afternoon, we'll be back at schoolwork and regular household chores, and I'll have a household of rowdy young men crashing about, laughing, wrestling, debating, pontificating. And in a few days, I'll have my girls back, too, chattering non-stop about their East Coast adventures. My favorite kind of music.