Youngest Son is leaving this weekend

And he won't be back before May.

South Janesville College has a Spring Break, of course, but that's when the baseball team goes to Florida. There's really no time off at Easter -- and Youngest Son will probably have a doubleheader on Holy Saturday.

We haven't seen much of Youngest Son over Christmas Break, of course. He's a Nocturnal at this phase of his life, like many teenagers, most 20-somethings -- and all college students. He sleeps past noon. When we get home from work he starts thinking about getting cleaned up to begin his evening rounds. He checks in, usually, with one of use when he gets home. Maybe he'll eat something then, too.

Last night was fairly consistent with the usual pattern, although he was already gone by the time I got home from work. Long Suffering Spouse fell asleep in her chair and I fell asleep in mine. I woke up to change channels at some point. I woke up enough to finish cleaning the sink and take my blood pressure pill and ascertain that Youngest Son was not yet home. Whereupon, since Long Suffering Spouse was still comatose, I returned to my chair.

When I next woke up, Long Suffering Spouse was conversing with Youngest Son. He was in a chatty mood. It was about 1:00 a.m. I joined in the conversation. In fact, Youngest Son and I talked to almost 2:00 and I'm pretty sure it was a pleasant, friendly conversation. Of course, at that time of night my powers of retention aren't what they can be. And I can't check with Long Suffering Spouse because she drifted off again when I woke up.

But I'm pretty sure that's the first extended conversation either of us has had with the boy since he's been home.

That's about par for the course for kids that age though, isn't it?