Hi
Fellow empty nester here. Weird huh? And I'm completely alone because my hub died in 2011, so there's that. It sounds like maybe you and the husband need to reconnect? Or bravely redefine your relationship? That of course will be impossible if you are drinking.
I won't lie. I definitely had my thoughts of drinking. That magical thinking. I love that phrase. Because that's what it is. "you could drink" "maybe you should drink" "drinking would be fun". HA! And maybe you should purchase a unicorn, grow some fairy wings and find a rainbow that has a pot of gold somewhere. Magical thinking. That's all it is.
So I'm now this unfettered woman that has to get a job. Scary indeed. An open road that I can travel down in any way I want. Its exciting and terrifying.
But holy crap. Alcohol is the worst possible magical thinking.
Be honest. You can do this. Recreate yourself. Write your narrative. I'm currently on paragraph one of my new novel. So far? Dunno. But it beats being drunk.
Hang in there!!