Post-holiday letdown

The holidays are gone and now the college-age children gone, as well. My son left on Thursday for a four-month internship in Florida. As he does each time he leaves, he spent some quality time with Blue before he headed out, talking and telling him to "take care of the terriers and the girls." Then, yesterday, my daughter headed out for her second semester at college.

The dogs played all afternoon, taking advantage of sunshine and warm temperatures. I left the back door open so they could come and go and they got plenty of exercise. But it was much more quiet that it had been in recent weeks - no voices, no guitar and singing, no television.

We were all a little blue. Marley couldn't get close enough, as this picture shows. It will take everyone a bit of time to find our middle ground again. Of course, by then, the kids will probably be back home!