Last evening I was home alone for several hours.
This doesn't happen to me much these days - a lot different from
the many years Bob traveled around the country, and sometimes
overseas, for his job.
After he retired from the company he returned almost
immediately and worked a further seven years as a consultant,
traveling even more. All in all, 53 years with the same company.
He'd still be there today if they'd have him - and I never, ever heard
him ever say he didn't like his job, or wish he didn't have to go
to work on any given day during that long career. Quite amazing!
My santos doll, now stripped of decoration as I try to become more of a
minimalist, but that's another story for another time.
While Bob was out attending the NCSU women's basketball game,
followed by pizza, with granddaughters, I'm not a sports fan at all,
I sat here listening to noises.
Yes, when alone in the quiet, my house makes noises.
First came a text from a neighbor advising me of uninvited garden
visitors enjoying a supper of my pansies! On opening the front
door I was stared down by three beautiful deer at the bottom
of the front steps, and they didn't want to leave. I had to go outside,
scold them, clap my hands, shoo them away, then chase them
across the lawn to the street where they stood quietly, still
staring back at me and probably thinking about returning as
soon as I went back into the house.
Note to myself: How did they ever get so big if these are
the same babies who enjoyed nibbling the sunflowers last summer?
After that I seemed to hear clicks, taps, groans, twigs falling on the
roof, the refrigerator humming, the heat cutting on then off, more text
notifications, and then a fox - or perhaps a dog - but a fox sounds more
romantic, barking at the moon. Did you see that moon last night?
So amazingly beautiful. Tonight it will be the biggest and brightest
Super Moon of 2019, called the Super Snow Moon.
Tonight it will be at its peak but in North Carolina, with possible
overnight freezing rain in the forecast, we may have heavy
cloud cover so may not have a good view like last night.
I played some music from Les Miserables - the stage version - to fill the void
and block out the odd sounds. When Bob's here in the evenings the TV is
usually on and the house is definitely not quiet.
Not too much later I heard Bob's car coming up the driveway.
He brought me two slices of pizza - I enjoyed one and will have the
other tonight.
It was a different kind of evening being here alone. It made me
realize how good it is to have someone else in the house, especially
at night when there are noises off!
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Perfect description of an evening home alone...
ReplyDeleteOh Vee, I know you must have some quiet evenings too - but also wonderful memories of your dear John x
DeleteIsn't it funny how many sounds a house can make? The moon was beautiful last night. We are having freezing rain here so we will not be able to see the moon tonight.
ReplyDeletePenny, I bet you have some noises from the wind in your trees on these cold winter nights - just hope the bears stay away!
DeletePeace and quiet is what I most look forward to when I come home from work. I rarely put on music at home, as I so enjoy having to listen to... NOTHING. Sometimes work is so full of talk and more or less fruitful meetings that I do not want to talk anymore at night. Of course I do talk to OK on the phone most nights, but that's different and never immediately upon returning home.
ReplyDeleteThose deer sound almost tame!
The view of the moon was really great last night. I took only one picture but admired it a few times from my kitchen window.
Yes, you make me recall all those noisy days among co-workers and patients Meike. I was so glad to close the door of my office and head home - especially at the last job I had prior to retirement, I was not happy there at all! FYI - it was at the state psychiatric hospital and I worked in geriatrics!!!
DeleteI spend a lot of my day alone in the house - with the noises of the house. Don still works full time, though he is a good 10 years past retirement age. He adores his work and loves to be at work. We had 4 days plus a weekend when we were snowed in and he began to mutter and putter about after the first day of relaxing. He pulled out all the dishes from all the many china cabinets and the big pantry cupboards and we sorted and re-arranged and packed up 16 boxes to go to a community yard sale in June. It kept him busy - and me too - labeling and pricing and sorting. Felt good to get it all done - but I enjoyed the days when he was able to take his energy back to work. I like a quiet house - I like the sounds coming and going, it is almost like the house is talking with me. Our evenings are spent quietly also - no tv in our home - so we either talk, or read, or sometimes read aloud to each other, some of the small pleasures of life that mean so much. I love your story of the deer - the ones here also have to be encouraged to stop eating flowers, and if the grandsons are visiting we do let the deer do what they want, most of the time, so the boys can enjoy seeing them up close. Love your header - also so pretty. Have a great rest of your week.
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, thanks for taking the time to leave such a lovely comment. I loved hearing about Don's puttering and the clearing out of your china cabinets - wow you had a lot to dispose of! Your evenings sound perfect. No TV is something I think I could do - much prefer to read. I do knit though whilst watching - that helps with guilt feelings about sitting down glued to a screen - and I would miss the shows we love on PBS such as Nature and Nova. Yes, watching the deer is lovely as they are so quiet and gentle in their nibbling - your grandsons will have fond memories of visits to your garden in years to come.
DeleteMary, this post made me smile. My husband and I both work at home and of course there is noise all day long from phone calls, the dogs barking, and everyday house hold noises but then he is away not only is the house silent but it feels like part of its spirit is gone as well. Then as you mentioned I can hear the heat clicking in, the ice maker, the fireplace crackling and so much more. The only time I get a little afraid is when the dogs pop up from their beds, ears alert and they make a low growl at something that even my trained ears cannot hear.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day and thank you for visiting me. I hope that you enjoy the books.
Sometimes when I am home alone it is just the feel of knowing the house has no one else in it, but me. It takes time to get use to it. I looked and looked for that moon, but the clouds hid it. I was sad!
ReplyDeleteEvenings home alone are rare for me, but once in awhile, when Tim travels, I don't mind being alone. I can eat what and when I like and don't feel obligated to cook for myself. I usually read for hours when there is no one to talk with. The fridge hums, the occasional slam of a car door tells me the neighbours are coming or going, and the fire glows silently. It's quiet, and I'm always glad when he returns from his trip. Your deer are bold creatures, are they not?
ReplyDelete