Okay, I Admit It.

I am a loner at heart.

A happy loner.

At least for short periods of time.

.

Several people felt better because I was sad to leave them at the airport last week:

I dropped Joey off Monday for his two weeks in Puerto Rico.

Adriana - Tuesday for 10 days in Wichita.

Paul & Christiana - Thursday for 4 days in Wisconsin.

Lela (my bestie who was staying with us) - Thursday also - and she's not even coming back... well, not to our home anyway.

.

Sure, I was sad to see them go.

For about twenty minutes.

(You see, I am not totally heartless.)

Then it dawned on me:

Nobody was messing up the house right now.

I could eat cereal for dinner, and sleep right smack in the middle of the bed.

I could crank down the AC and hog the blanket and stack my pillows 4 high.

I did not have to lock the bathroom door, and I was never stranded without toilet paper.

All of the laundry was done by the time I went to bed.

All of the laundry was still done when I woke up.

Also, when I woke up, the other half of my bean burrito was still in the fridge.

Eureka!

I had four days of complete domestic deconstruction and no witnesses.

Well, Isaac didn't notice.

Sure, I love my family.

And I even missed them...

Eventually.

But, I did receive phone calls from 3 different states and 1 island every single day.

I also received several unexpected drop by visits from my mother-in-law.

You know how much I love that.

(Remember?)

And now, now, I am so glad most of my family is back, and I can hardly wait for my last two to get home.

(That means you must give them back Mom & Gramita)

(I mean it. No funny business about finders keeepers.)

But all of this after those first four days.

.

Those four days alone - with nothing to do - were dang near paradise for a girl who hasn't been left alone in her own home for 13 years.

Seriously, just say that out loud.

.

I am not saying that I prefer the loner plan long term,

but as for enjoying it short term:

Guilty.