My wife and kids have been gone for the past two days. They planned a trip to visit Grandma for dates where I had planned to be on a business trip. The business trip got cancelled, but the trip to Grandma’s remained. So, for the past two nights I’ve had the house entirely to myself. As far as I can recall, this is the first time such a thing has happened since we’ve had kids.

So how have I lived it up as a bachelor for the past two days?

  • Worked late both days
  • Read a book while eating out at my favorite restaurant one night
  • Take-and-bake pizza the second night (hey, I got to choose the toppings I wanted!)
  • Rented two DVDs from the local video store and proceeded to watch other movies on Netflix instead

I have managed to get the trash out on the correct day, the dishes washed, and the mail brought in from the mailbox. Haven’t done much else, though.

The house is really quiet with everybody gone. I’ve burned through more podcasts in the past two days than in the prior two weeks just to have something to break up the silence. I think the cat is taking it harder than I am - he has actually acknowledged my presence these past couple of days, and while he still refuses to sit on my lap, he has been willing to sit up on the top of my chair while I’m sitting watching TV.

The family returns to the house this afternoon, and all the lovely noise and chaos along with them.

I wouldn’t want it any other way.