That makes sense, truly. It IS difficult (although probably not impossible) to create a feeling of "home" in a place where you live by yourself. \:\( I've lived alone A LOT, and while it can be nice to have the place to yourself from time to time, the idea that no one else is living there can be very depressing. (One of the obstacles, I know, to really breaking up with my bf.)

You really do have to (eventually) redefine what home is. Maybe you create a book discussion group that meets at your house/apt monthly, so you can cook big meals for them. Or have an "open house" every Sunday afternoon where everyone you know knows that you'll have a big pot of chili or soup and they can come and go all afternoon.

When my late H and I moved out here to the country, and it turned out that he was depressed... yikes! I had no social life and this home didn't feel much like a home. I formed a couple of groups of people that I still get together with... although not here. Everyone seems to have a mental block about how far it is... My social life is in town, not at home. I am indeed alone when I'm here.

THAT'S one of the reasons that I was trying to get you thinking about INTENTIONAL COMMUNITIES. My experience when I was staying with bf's mom at the retirement community was that here was a place where you could be alone in your cosy apt, or you could have lots of company, have people in for dinner, go places.

When you finally do move to other quarters (and I can see where the transitional state of existence you're in now can be a bit depressing, especially at Christmas), be sure and look for a friendly neighborhood or apartment complex. You're so outgoing that your apartment could easily become a place for the gathering of the clan, if that's what you want.

This is difficult, Mojo, not to make light of it. Your focus has been on making a home for your kids and now that job is fading away.