other people's messes

After dinner today I happily made my way around the house putting things away. I put away with such uncharacteristic joy that I shocked myself. Why? Because the children have left the house for the weekend and I can happily put away their flip-flops, comic books, and scraps of paper knowing that they won't be back out again until the youngest returns from soccer camp on Monday. Don't get me wrong, in theory, I love the creative messes that my two daughters make. It is the cleaning up I don't like or the nagging to get them to do it. I hate nagging. I am already enjoying my nag-free weekend.