silent house

ok, so.....i came home from my first day back at work since 12/22/06 to a silent house......i hesitate to say empty, because the cat came running from one of her upstairs hideaways....and the dog came in with me from the mailbox in hopes of an edible handout.......stephan and his entourage left this morning to continue their multi-state multicultural road trip.....such a fine bunch of folks he has found at school......the youngest is off with her mimi (read this as ex-foster mother) likely to see a movie and to have applebee''s ribs......i did chat a bit with my eldest today from a grocery store...he was contemplating a switch from a mop with disposable 'covers' to one that has a traditional mophead......and wanted my opinion....gentle readers, mammas with grown children are thrilled to be asked their opinions on any and all subjects, including mop systems.....i will meet up with him later in the week, as i am his required escort home after his wisdom teeth are removed.....thanks to his scheduled oral surgery i have only to work 3 days this week......a semi-painless way to ease back into the work mode......but i digress from this quiet abode......at some points over the break we had 8 people here for meals......and i so enjoyed preparing food for a crowd.....that may be the only scenario in which i miss the restaurant......the cooking for an appreciative crowd......but all that is passed, and i am left with a fridge-full of partially empty containers of this and that.....tempting to call the dog back in to finish them off...and start afresh.....nobody's here to tattle........and the lareg yellow one isn't going to let on........very, very tempting.........