Empty Nest and socks

Everyone talks about the day they become Empty Nesters. The day where you no longer have kids at home. #2 is up in Seattle entering his first year at University of Washington Law, #3 returning for his sophomore year at Westmont. What do we do now? Sort socks. We are going through years of assorted socks from the laundry and throwing them out. It finally dawned on us that the cost of replacement was minimal compared to keeping piles of them tucked away. Of course the wife has been caught digging some out of the trash. But really, socks? Then there is the Costco Chicken. For five bucks, you can get a whole chicken, but now it lasts, and lasts and lasts all week. Juices, apples, toothpaste, I end up splitting and sharing with the grandson. A pot of rice (2 cups) usually ends up spoiling before we eat it all. A pound of coffee lasts forever now that #2 is gone. And if you think that an empty nest means getting rid of things, it actually means you add more stuff. Anything reminds you of those no longer at home. You can't throw that out, that was his fourth grade report. Or that was the trophy he won for participating in class. Then you purchase stuff that they would like, but never send. Oh he can use those thermal socks that have sitting there since last winter. Actually my strategy is to leave stuff at ground level, so the dog will bury it in the back yard. Eventually the lawnmower will chew it up and dump it in the trash can. Empty nest just means you find less objectionable ways of disposing of things. Hey, anyone see my classic Nikes?