18. Went away to college and was on my own after that. Came home to visit the first Christmas and discovered my Dad had converted my bedroom into an office.
I was 18 and left for college. I probably went home for Christmas. After working in the oil fields in the summer after my freshman year I returned home. My room was still there, but they had finally upgraded my basement bathroom and put in a real shower, insulated floor, and a HEATER in what had been my bathroom for many years (toilet, utilty sink and a curtain around a floor drain in the cold concrete floor).
I visited home once a year for the next 5 years, and then less frequently as I ended up on the east coast, then west coast. Never losing touch with my Midwest roots though.
Spent a few weeks with my high-functioning, but dieing mother this summer with my wife and kids. In reminiscing with her, going over old letters between her and my dad (rip), old photos, etc. Every once in awhile I would get a bit weepy. She made the comment “I guess it HAS been a long time since we’ve spent so much time together. When did you get so sentemental!?” (Her stoic Norwegian heritage.)
My kids and wife just laughed!
Of course now I miss my mom (rip), and my siblings (still in the midwest), more than I ever had. Before when people would ask me if I missed “home”, I would always reply “There’s no place like home when you’re this far away”. (Jimmy Buffet?) But now I wish that I had stayed a bit more connected.