Away from home

Living at at home only half the time puts a strain on the parent-daughter relationship, I can tell you! Primarily because my folks are of the conservative school of thought, and believe that if one spends that much time at someones house, they should be moving in there. Naturally, the idea of moving out of home, and especially into Mike's current house, is laughable. Actually, the idea of moving out with him at all makes me laugh. We'd rip each other's heads off at the moment.
It's a strain on the purse, too, eating out, going out in general, living out of a car. You know, that old thing.
So I set myself a goal of staying at home every night this week until Saturday. Naturally, that lasted three nights, until I gave in to the goofy sensation that is missing sleeping next to someone. And there we were. Despite that lapse, this is the longest number of consecutive nights I've stayed at home in..... I don't know how long. Probably a couple of months at least. Mum being Mum, she isn't exactly thrilled with the way I decide my sleeping arrangements. My point of defence is thus: I for one don't appreciate waking up in the middle of the night, three separate times in some cases, mid-sleepwalk. Why am I sleepwalking? Because I can't find Mike, and there isn't anything bigger than a teddy to cuddle. Oh well.
A somewhat unexpected side effect of being away from the family routine is that it makes it all the better when I am here. Dinner is better, there are actually things to talk about with dad and the sibs. Makes me appreciate it more, you know?
I guess sometimes you dont know how lucky you are to have the things you take for granted, until they stop being such.