The nest is empty, for a while, anyway.
10:10 a.m.
We got back to the house in time to greet Grandma and Grandpa who had come to retrieve their youngest son and head back the way they had come (we joked that we would wave to them on the highway, but they got an hour’s head start, and we never saw them). After all the hugs and goodbyes, we got everything else packed up, left a note for Little Princess (beseeching her to do the dishes, which remained undone upon our return), and headed off (literally) into the sunset.
We arrived at the university residence just about 7 p.m. and got Buddy Boy’s gear moved up into his room. He’s got a pretty sweet deal, being in the newest and nicest residence (although it still looks like a dorm). He has a single room to himself, and he and one other person share a bathroom and kitchenette. The other person had not yet arrived. This particular dorm is labeled “global” and attempts to pair roommates from different parts of the world together. Buddy Boy told us the next day that at that evening’s frosh activity he met people from Africa and Asia and India. Very cool, especially for someone who grew up in a small town like he did (although, I admit, it is a university town and he did see more diverse types than someone else in another town might have, but still, this is L’ville, lest we forget).
We took him out for dinner and then left him, arriving at my mother’s house at about 10 p.m., exhausted. The next morning Hubby went downtown for an interview with the CBC (to be broadcast in the fall sometime) and I took my mom shopping. The interview was to be over at 10 a.m. and I arranged with Buddy Boy that we would meet him an hour later to get him things he needed (like kitchenwares) and lunch and say goodbye. However, I promised my mother I would take her shopping since she had very little food in the house and my brother has gone off again somewhere, but we couldn’t leave until her cleaning lady arrived. So we didn’t actually get to do that until 9:30 or so.
First she wanted to go to the bank to get a new debit card. It took almost half an hour. By the time we got to the grocery story, I was looking at my watch, calculating that Hubby was now sitting on the front porch wondering where we were. I grabbed the shopping list from my mom, left her guarding the buggy, and zoomed around the store, grabbing things off of shelves. We didn’t get back to her house until 11 when I was supposed to be meeting Buddy Boy. I tried calling him, but he wasn’t in his room.
A quick packing job ensued, hurried hugs goodbye, and then we drove back to York (which is at the city limits and it’s a big city) and met our son a half-hour late (he was not pleased, as I predicted) and went to eat at a sports bar where the waitress was new and wasn’t aware of many of the things on the menu. For instance, Hubby and I ordered the veggie burgers and she said, “Sorry, we don’t have veggie burgers.” We showed her where they were listed in the menu, and she went to check with the kitchen and came back rather shamefaced. Otherwise, she was really nice.
Then we went to a grocery story and bought stuff, and a dollar store and bought more stuff, and Buddy Boy was ready to kick us out because we were all getting on each others’ nerves by this time. Still, he got stocked up with a dishrack, tea towels, plates, a pot, a frying pan, cutlery, and various and sundry. If he needs anything else, he can get it himself.
Then we drove home to an empty house (Little Princess is in Montreal visiting friends for the week) and a counter full of dirty dishes. Sigh.
This morning we opened the rest of our anniversary gifts. We have enough wine now that we need to have another party.
<~~~ * ~~~>
