It’s been about 30 hours since I dropped mom off at the airport to catch her flight to Japan and I must admit, being alone and free is quite strange at the moment. I’m sure it will pass.

I feel like I did a lot in my first 24 hours. I bought 5 10-feet PVC pipes to replace the 5-feet pipes I’m currently using for garden hoops. Without a large gap in the middle, I think the 10-feet pipes will be much steadier than the 5-feet.

I also went grocery shopping as mom left me with a near-empty fridge except for a couple of romaine lettuce hearts. Though I have vegetables in the front garden, it can only last one meal.

It was strange to grocery shop for myself because many times in the past, when I would go grocery store, I emphasized on what mom would want, not what I would want. Now that I’m shopping for me, it becomes a challenge. It’s weird though because while I don’t know what I want, my instincts kick in and I’m like a kid grabbing candy and throwing it into the shopping cart. I had no idea I wanted kale, carrots, and baby spinach until I was tossing them into the cart. It’s such a strange phenomenon.

When I finally got home, the house suddenly felt quiet, almost eerie, as if it was missing something.

Mom’s YouTube blasting.

I don’t know how many years Mom’s been blasting YouTube on top volume but it had become a sort of constant thing around the house, like a beating drum. I can’t even tell you when was the last time I experienced quiet in the house. I know I write a lot about craving silence on this blog but now that I got it, it’s taking some used to. The worst part is, I’ll have to get used to the noise again in 2 weeks when mom returns.

In the late afternoon, when I felt my first pang of hunger, I made my main meal – quinoa with marinaded shrimp, kale, and a fried egg. I don’t know whether it’s healthy or not but it was delicious. I guess it’s all that matters. It was a nice break from the normal meals mom cooks.

I’m not a good cook but I think I know how to feed and take care of myself and I suppose, at the end of the day, that’s all it matters.