The empty nest looms in my near future. One more year before the youngest heads out into the world without my micromanaging her every move. I can feel the rotor blades on my helicopter starting to slow.

 

I heard a whisper of what may be last night, when I found myself home alone for the evening.

I ditched all responsibility,  drank wine on a week night, ate chocolate and watched what I WANTED TO WATCH on the tele. Oh the bliss.

But can I sustain this for 365 days a year? Probably not, my liver could breakdown, not to mention the fact I’m supposed to be going on a diet today.

When I actually have the house to myself permanently what on earth will I do?  It’s very difficult to remember how my time was spent before children. They have a tendency to dominate you life … for a very LONG time.

I’ve been considering the options, so far I’ve come up with this:

1. Dust off the career which went on a hiatus for 21 years and ramp up my time at work.
2. Write that book god dammit.
3.  Start a side hustle which could morph into a retirement business.
4. Go on some big holidays, ones that don’t involve theme parks or pit stops at fast food restaurants.
5. Start a book club.
6. Have more lunches with friends.
7. Organise my house (who I am kidding that’s not going to happen).
8. Find a hobby, apparently some people have them.

Or … I could just drink wine, eat chocolate and watch television.

What have you got planned for when the kids leave home? Or are you currently living the dream and enjoying the sounds of silence in your child-free abode? What do you do to fill your time?