Feeling Forlorn

I wasn't expecting this.  Kiddo left about an hour ago to head back to Carolina.  Something's happened the last month or so because he's been very helpful and respectful to me.  Yesterday we were talking at the kitchen table, and I told him to be mean to me.  To say something rude.  So I wouldn't miss him.  He laughed.  This time last year, I was so ready to see him go.  That was before The Daddler lived with me.  Before Mother died.  I was excited about being on my own.  That lasted six weeks.

Kiddo's dad came over to see him off.  We stood in the driveway watching him pack his stuff in the back of his friend's SUV.  They're both moving into their fraternity houses (different ones).  I can't imagine.  Wonder if parents will be allowed inside the hallowed confines housing their precious children.  On parents weekend, at least?  Maybe it's better not to see.  Kiddo said he's not sure he'll have a mattress.   I told him to order one on Amazon.  With one of those mattress pads that's impervious to bedbugs, vomit, pee, etc.

I refrained from my usual lecture about safe sex, DUIs, alcohol poisoning, statutory rape and the Duke Lacrosse team.  The fact that you can't get a girl pregnant from oral sex but you can contract herpes, which is incurable, painful and unsightly.

Oddly enough, today's DelanceyPlace email was about the making of Animal House.  I could've done without it.

He didn't take a car back to college so I have my beloved Subaru back.  Complete with dented fender from when I backed into the house.  Kiddo took it to the body shop for an estimate and they wanted $1,600 to fix it.  Screw that.  Unfortunately, my last ride in the Subaru was nausea-inducing due to the overwhelming stench I can only describe as ripe.  As in sweaty athetic clothes fermenting in the bottom of the hamper for a week or so.  Ugh.

I've got my work cut out for me.  I spent Sunday afternoon cleaning out the gutters.  There were trees growing in them.  A big colony of ants.  Two roaches ran out.  Thank god they didn't jump on me or I would've fallen off the ladder.  I had a tiny little rake thing with a long handle so I didn't have to get too close, but I did get brave and use my hands (inside great big suede work gloves) to pull the wet crap out.  I told The Daddler we should plant cucumbers in there next year.

Oh, Deb told me he loves to shred.  And that it makes good mulch.  Worms love it she says.  So yesterday I gave him a pile of shit to shred.  And he just dumped it out in the pseudo garden at the end of the driveway.  Which adds to the white trash look with all the boxes under the carport.  I guess I'll need to get out there with the hoe to chop it into the dirt.  By the way, we should have a bumper crop of cucumbers.  He's gone crazy with the Miracle Gro and there are about 10 million yellow flowers with tiny little fetal cucumbers at the end of their fading blooms.  He harvested two small ones yesterday.  The tomatoes haven't done shit.  Neither have my beans.  My garlic chives and green onions are great, though.  And my rosemary, which I rooted from the herb garden at my old house.

Oh, my.  So much to do.  And I've done nothing but mope this morning.  And write this rambling blog post.  Gotta take D to the dentist this afternoon.  I took him last Tuesday, but I was a week early.  But since the person who had that appointment was late, they cleaned my teeth.

Wow, I feel like crying.  But no time for that now.  I have to meet the church treasurer in a little while.  So better run...