It's awfully quiet in the house tonight. David left early this morning to catch the Shinkansen (AKA: Shin, Bullet train) to northern Honshu. He'll be there for a couple more days for work. This is the first time we've been apart for more than overnight duty since I came back from deployment. It's very strange. Thank goodness I was able to spend some time at supper with some friends, old and new, from the hospital. It made coming home to a very quiet house a bit easier. I know that deployments and temporary separations are a part of being married to another military member but it doesn't make it any easier!