I'm officially an empty-nester

For the first time in 27 years I haven't had one of my children within easy access (within three hours) or what they would call in their respective geographic worlds (Kentucky and far southwestern Virginia) "hollerin' distance." When they were both in college, I could actually go there and have lunch with them and be back the same day. When one was five hours away in Newport News, the other was in Jersey - again, lunchable distance. When that one went ten hours away, the other was within an hour and, later, within three minutes. Now, as of last weekend, they are both over eight hours away. Not exactly lunchable.

But it is, as all the books and experts tell me, the way it is supposed to be. We are supposed to give our children roots AND wings, right? I prefer the roots, but I understand the need for (and thrill of) wings. Maybe I'm just a little jealous that I didn't see more of the country before settling "back home" where I started. I still think where we live is pretty perfect - within three hours of NYC, DC, the beach, and skiing - but part of me wishes I had gone off to Boulder or Butte or Baton Rouge and found out and appreciated how other Americans live. It wasn't until I got a job that allowed me to travel a bit that I realized how cool that would have been.

Luckily, I enjoy driving. And the drive to either place isn't HARD, just long. It isn't particularly scenic (unless I choose to take a more scenic route, which will always be longer) but it's pretty stress-free, unless you count desparately trying to find the local NPR station on the radio!

So all of my after-school and weekend activities have come to a grinding halt: no more girls basketball, my choir concerts are tonight and tomorrow night, and I won't be seeing my granddaughter for five weeks. I guess I'll just have to clean my house for a change. And do yoga. And read the piles of books I have to wade through.