About once a quarter, my husband goes to a guitar convention somewhere (Dallas, Arlington, Austin) and is usually gone from Thursday evening until Sunday evening. Since we're empty-nesters, I get to run away to my favorite place -- home. After work on Thursday and Friday, I stop and get my favorite take-away Chinese and/or Mexican food And on Saturday and Sunday, it's Italian and Japanese! No kids, no phones, no questions, no cooking. Just me and my sewing machines. It's like a mini-vacation!