Picking Up the Slack

We'll know we forgot to feed them supper
when they come to stare us down.
(Harley on the left and Joy on the right.)

There have been no great emotional breakdowns. Yet ever so gradually this mom is missing her son. If not before, it began the first time I had to feed the cats their evening meal. Tonight it was when I vacuumed the floor and took the recyclables to the curb. It was Aaron's  responsibility to feed Joy and Harley their supper. Often I could count on him to assist with the sweeping of the carpet and handling of the trash or recyclables if only I asked.

These are just but a few of the ways I am sure to notice his absence. It's definitely bittersweet. Bitter to realize he is not here to help. Sweet to realize he was willing to help when he was here...even if it did take a few reminders once in a while.

So here in the USA, we have our saying of "picking up the slack". Having had a fisherman for a father, I imagine this saying came from the idea of picking up the slack, or "extra length," in your fishing line so as to make the chances of catching a fish greater. It looks like we'll be picking up the slack here as we do the extra things we were able to delegate to Aaron. We'll definitely have to adjust to a redistribution of chores and style of living as we welcome the beginning of our empty nest.