An Empty House

For the first time in 11 days I am completely alone in my house and I don't like it one bit. There is such an eerie quiet that I can hear every creak of the building and every gurgle of the heating pipes. I live in an old house full of ghosts but even they seem to be absent today. I've tried playing music but that just seems to emphasise the fact that there is no background noise. I look at the clock and I swear that it's on a go slow regime; how can it still be morning? My kitchen table is clear of clutter for the first time in almost two weeks, there are no dirty cups and plates waiting for the house elf to put in the dishwasher, no empty biscuit or crisp packets littering the floor of the sitting room (surely they know where the bin is by now!), no demands for food or drinks or enquiries as to the day's menu plans. I should be revelling in the peace and quiet but no, I'm finding it impossible to concentrate and focus on my very long to-do list. All through half term (extended by children's illness) I kept planning what I would do on the first day of "freedom" but now all I can think about is when will my house be noisy and chaotic again. What is wrong with me?

I'm exactly the same when my children all go to stay with their father, luckily for me something that happens very infrequently. As soon as they leave I launch myself into a mega blitz of the house, repatriating all the clutter that has made its way downstairs, restoring my home to (almost) glossy magazine splendour. I then go round shutting all the children's bedroom doors so that I am less aware of their absence. At this point I should be able to enjoy my newfound freedom but instead I wander around the house looking for things to do and only reach the point where I am starting to enjoy the peace and quiet just as they stampede through the door announcing their return and depositing bags,coats and other paraphernalia all over my beautifully clean house. And for once I rejoice in the mess and the noise and even the squabbling because my family is around me again and my house is once more a home.

Perhaps I've reached the point where I can only function when I have too much to do and too many people talking to me at once. If that's the case how on earth am I going to manage when all my chicks have flown the nest? Contact rent-a-crowd? It's probably just a case of the grass being greener on the other side and in two hours I'll be wondering what the big deal was as I run around like a headless chicken making snacks, picking up clothes, helping with homework and nagging, nagging and more nagging. As people always say, 'be careful what you wish for!'