<p>Well, Jyber, even when D doesn’t talk about Smith per se you can here how she feels about it in the tone of her voice as she burbles about one thing or another. She called tonight, has forgiven us for going without her, and asked that we keep her better present from the Ren Faire a surprise until she gets home.</p>
<p>You’re right about the semester-end pressure. She likes the class that she and your D share but the grading is pretty rough she says. Ditto for the upper-division political theory class where she’s the only first-year.</p>
<p>Wanna hear a “Not-So-Empty-Nest” nightmare?</p>
<p>My friend has four children. The oldest is 24. He did not got go to college because it isn’t the norm here. He just moved back home after a 2 year OE in the UK. He is doing odd jobs to keep up his party income but shows no signs of moving on.</p>
<p>The next boy is 22. He dropped out of high school at 15 but has been living at home since. His 22 year old Girlfriend also lives at his home because that’s something else that is the norm here. </p>
<p>The only daughter is 19. She is in law school, bless her heart. Loves it and is doing well. She couldn’t make up her mind between Broadcasting School or Law School (she is a traffic stopper, 6’ tall). Guess who advocated Law School? <strong>sure miss that wavey smiley guy</strong> She comes home on breaks.</p>
<p>The last boy is 15 and not planning to go to college either.</p>
<p>My friend does ALL the laundry for these ‘children’–including the girlfriend. She still dries ALL her laundry on the line becaue that is also the norm…</p>
<p>She makes ALL of them packed lunches and cooked brekkies and dinners because that’s also what mums do here.</p>
<p>As her brothers did not leave home until they married at age 35…she cannot even picture an empty nest, poor girl.</p>
<p>Well, we still have two in the nest, but the one that is gone does get jealous when I cook up a feast of his favorites for the rest of the family.</p>
<p>My son’s been giving me mixed signals too…on the one hand, he did not want us to visit on Parent’s weekend on April 15th. And on the other hand, he is nearby and comes home once in 6 weeks or so. I know, TheDad, you don’t approve - but he’s not having a “local” experience in my view as a result.</p>
<p>He is more than willing to meet me in Philadelphia for a restaurant meal.</p>
<p>TheDad: Did you email her back and tell her that if she wanted the Renaissance Faire, she would have to take the whole medieval mindset with it - including (if I get this right…) “Dad - this isn’t the Middle Ages anymore, where people grow up, get married, and die without leaving their town.”? Because that might work!</p>
<p>Achat, my approval or lack thereof means nothing if everyone is satisfied. Once every six weeks isn’t <em>too</em> bad.</p>
<p>Aries, LOL…you have a good memory and a beady little mind in how you connect things…have you considered law school? D is sounding pretty chipper, as in having gotten caught up on sleep. She sounded as if she were wobbling at the knees for a couple of weeks…I hope she goes into finals well rested. We talked earlier this evening and per her request I e-mailed the link for the Vermont Ren Faire that starts in late June. And I think she’s now planning on maybe going to the Massachusetts one on Fall break next year; it’s near Cape Cod and several of the Faire folk here recommended it. [My moment of being “Bad” at the Faire: One of the “Sound & Fury” (Fakespeare) actors doing "Romeo & Juliet: Version 2.0 fell to his knees, head down and I remarked “He’s going bald…” The audience laughed and he pounded the stage and said something that sounded vaguely like ‘Custard’ before continuing. Oh, well, I gave him a drink of my Guiness while he was warming up the crowd before hand.]</p>
<p>Aries, she’d have to pack her costume to school…and I can see her doing it. Yes, it’s the King Richard’s. </p>
<p>Actually, what I can really see her doing is trying to upgrade her costume.</p>
<p>I myself may finally acquire proper footgear this next year. And my breeches need upgrading, having been worn for 15+ years and now having a hole in them.</p>
<p>I noticed a little twinge of disappointment when I reminded my S that we will have to find him someplace to go over his first Thanksgiving away from home, as the family (minus S) will be in Beijing. I think he was looking forward to his first visit back after leaving for college in a far off state.</p>
<p>One of things we discussed last year - while pressing cider - was where S will be this year. Turns out, his school starts late enough to do the cider press. Lucky thing, too - the press is manual!</p>
<p>Kissy - DD is heading to the beach after her last final for a few days - then helping a friend take a boat down the river to Okracoke Island in the Outer Banks - THEN will be heading in the general direction of home - she has a cool job for the summer - her brother is getting married and she doesn’t want to miss anything!!! We will see how long she lasts at home before the call of the OBX gets into her blood. But the longer she is home - the better for us lol. She is my wandering minstral lol.</p>
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