<p>5boys: So cool to read about your DS’12’s adventurous gap year! And now on to such a beautiful place! Have fun shopping.</p>
<p>Grandview is along the St Lawrence River. You’d head to Ogdensburg, turn left at the stoplight before heading into town, then it’s a bit down on the right. I’d give you road numbers, but… I don’t actually know most of the road numbers. I just know how to get places. It’s probably half an hour away from you.</p>
<p>Here’s a link:</p>
<p>[River</a> Views & Fine Dining | Gran-View on the River, Ogdensburg NY](<a href=“http://www.granviewogdensburg.com/]River”>http://www.granviewogdensburg.com/)</p>
<p>Was the pizza place Josie’s? It’s where we always got great pizza from back in “the day.”</p>
<p>I’d suggest McCarthy’s, but unfortunately they closed when the owners retired a couple of years back. Jrecks is always good for subs…</p>
<p>If your guy opts to join the scuba club, I’m sure he’ll see some of the wrecks. Fresh water is never as pretty for diving (no coral or colored fish), but the wreck dives are often better. There are also nice drift dives in the river.</p>
<p>Creekland got it. It’s a nice place to eat and if the weather permits, sit outside and enjoy the river view. It also hosts banquets and weddings and such but in a separate space form the main dining room/bar.</p>
<p>Thanks guys!!! Will check it out when my H gets here on Friday… sounds Great!!</p>
<p>Thanks Glido… he is very happy here:)</p>
<p>I’m taking BarnardGirl shopping tonight for sundries, non-perishables, etc. for her dorm. She’ll be leaving Saturday and moving in Sunday.</p>
<p>I think it just hit me that she’s leaving tomorrow. My eyes started leaking 
I thought I had this handled this year.</p>
<p>Hang in there, BarnardMom! Mine goes back tomorrow too. I just try to think of all the interesting classes he has ahead and the friends he’s looking forward to seeing again.</p>
<p>One more week in the upper Midwest. Classes start September 3rd.</p>
<p>There were some tears this morning as we hugged and she drove off with her dad but not on the same level as last year for sure. The dog is moping on the couch, looking sad. She’s off for her Sophomore year. A bunch of her friends stopped by last night for their one last hurrah before she left. We stayed up too late talking- I didn’t really want the evening to end. She worked so much I feel like we barely saw her anyway. She talked a lot about how she probably won’t ever really live at home again because she wants to stay in NYC next summer. I told her not to dwell on that because you never know what life brings. </p>
<p>I miss her.</p>
<p>I’m finding this year harder than last year. By the end of last summer, we were all ready for D to move on. And so she did. Now I’d like a little more of her!</p>
<p>I think I have the opposite thing everyone else has going on. My son often talked about shaking the dust of this one horse town off his feet, never to venture into the south again.</p>
<p>Now it would appear he gets this area has the most jobs, and he seems more attached to the family rather than less once he got a taste of life on his own.</p>
<p>I don’t think he’ll necessarily want to live in this little rural burb, but I could see him settling in the vicinity. </p>
<p>We have one week left until drop off.</p>
<p>My son moved himself in to the dorm today because I had to work and his Dad had a golf tournament. I was a little sad to miss the whole move-in experience as it is my only chance to get a look inside the dorm. On the other hand, I’m glad it’s over with so chapter 2 can begin. Now back to worrying about how old his car is and whether it will hold up so he can get to and from work safely.</p>
<p>We dropped S1 off at school today - classes start Wednesday. I too am feeling a little sad here. He was here this summer but worked a lot and we did not vacation as he was working plus he took back up with high school girlfriend so no time for Mom! I am trying hard to let him handle more and more. He packed himself without any help from me. He forgot several things like trash cans and the new foam pad he bought but he and I took this all in stride. I told him that he is at a level where I really can’t help him decide things about his major or internships and that he needs to start using the resources at school - teachers, career center etc. We also moved to just giving him a lump sum for the semester and told him it was his to manage! Next year will be even tougher when S2 goes as well!</p>
<p>Ok-made it through the first week, but am starting to really miss my kid. I think there are a lot of plusses for him this year so hopefully he will relish in those on not dwell on the rest.</p>
<p>He is coming home for the long weekend next weekend so “Yay”!!!</p>
<p>BarnardGirl was a little rough when her dad dropped her off but she did find out one of her suitemates is also there early so she doesn’t feel all alone in a big barely populated dorm. She’s been unpacking what stuff she brought with her. The rest of her stuff is in storage and won’t be delivered to campus until next Sunday. I think she’ll feel less alone once she meets up with the other women doing the same training that she’s starting tomorrow. </p>
<p>She did call with a “wish list” of things I could send her…</p>
<p>Cal1983, mine forgot the trash can, too. Everyone who has yet to leave for year 2, don’t forget the trash can and bath mat!</p>
<p>It’s only been one day but I am already having those little moments when you suddenly realize the absence. Such as:</p>
<p>Not having to leave the outside light on after I come in from my evening walk.</p>
<p>Buying fewer groceries and sometimes not bothering to cook a “real” meal.</p>
<p>Realizing I have to save my tech questions to ask later.</p>
<p>Anyone care to add to the list?</p>
<p>You could walk around the house naked again. 
The scene of “naked room” (father walking around naked after the son moved out) from Failure to Launch.</p>
<p>bookmouse – mine forgot the coat hangers. What am I going to do with two dozen taped-together-for-easy-packing coat hangers?!</p>
<p>DS went back on Saturday. He was gone most of the summer doing a study abroad and became quite proficient at Italian. We are now really facing the empty nest because our middle son was home last year taking a gap year which bought us an extra year of having a kid in the house. He’s now across the country for the next eight years in an M.D./Ph.D. program. So this is it, the empty nest is here. My daughter also moved out of the area this summer.</p>
<p>My guy went back last Wednesday to start his training for freshmen res. Freshmen come tomorrow (internationals today). He called last night - he’s ready and doing very well. Tuesday might leave him with sore muscles… Res life kids move all the freshmen in. We loved that last year!</p>
<p>Youngest is being kept busy with school and work - still no homework from school, but that’s normal for where he goes. He’s gone so many hours that it’s good preparation for next year. We do need to get going on apps though.</p>