Unusually quiet here

I am blogging from an unusually quiet Sunday-afternoon household. Generally by this time on a Sunday after a restful weekend, the boys are revving up, all refreshed and ready to head into a new week.

Today it's just David and I, and our eldest son. The younger two are at a camp till tomorrow afternoon. This is a first. We've never had our eldest at home overnight with the other two away. And it's just the beginning, the two younger boys will be at a five day camp in June.

The house definitely lacks a certain level of noise and activity. A pleasant peacefulness, actually. Our 13 y.o. Is finding it a little boring. It doesn't help that our bookworm neglected to check any books out of the library, when will he learn?

Only child

He was surprised to find that Mum and Dad spent 2 1/2 hrs lying down yesterday afternoon. I'm not surprised: David flew overnight from Thailand and I was feeling the stress of holding the household together in his absence. I explained that that is what adults do if they're tired and don't have demanding children or other responsibilities: they rest as long as they need to. A new concept, apparently. I guess from his perspective it looks like we don't need any more rest because we get up and attend to their needs, even though we're feeling tired. A bit like that myth he once believed about housework: that I did it because I enjoyed it!

Meanwhile we've enjoyed some things we can enjoy while the younger ones are away: Curried Pumpkin Soup for dinner, Harry Potter 4 (at least father and son did, I'm not a fan), and even a spot of clothes shopping that is much easier with one or two, rather than three. I've even bought a new bike: a green one with gears, yippee! But more on that another day.

I think this is a grand idea: send the energetic family members away at a sports camp at the start of a break so the older ones can rest in peace and have more energy for them when they return!