Flashback Friday — Here we go again

A year ago we crammed the car full of things we never knew a person needed and made our way to Hofstra University, spent the day unpacking, putting furniture together, lugging books from the bookstore and getting Catherine settled in before being summarily dismissed by her.

Full of “pride,” kicking off freshman year at Hofstra U.

As in all things, history will repeat itself this weekend.

For days the house has been buzzing with preparations. Nearly every shoe Catherine owns is packed as is most of her ridiculously huge wardrobe. She’s purchased additional skivvies so she doesn’t need to do laundry til Christmas (well, almost!). Various decorative touches for her side of the dorm room have been purchased or crafted (dragon-fly twinkling lights, anyone?).

Just like last year, the transition is bittersweet. She’s maintained a countdown for her return all summer (once Tweeting about, ahem, when she’d be “home” again), but in many ways, she’d be just as happy to stay here with us.

“Two more days!” she chirped yesterday morning.

Not much later, she was asking, “Will you miss me?”

Naturally we will. It’s been terrific to watch her grow and hear her almost grown-up takes on a variety of topics.

She’s a lot of fun … most of the time … and we’ve enjoyed her company, if not the state of her room.

Quick good-bye sail yesterday on the Island Beach Ferry.

I will miss her crazy stories about working at camp and hanging out with her wacky friends, those never-ending Buzzfeed-inspired news flashes, her killer grilled-cheese sandwich concoctions, and movie nights on the couch.

Still, I’ve had my own countdown, to when I will reclaim all four corners of my living room and den, when I will again have a desk at which to work … and when I can stop negotiating for a chance to drive my own car!

T minus 27 hours in case you were wondering.