Well, part of it was the lucky timing of a craft fair at the in-laws place (they live in a town about 60 minutes North of here), but having them out of the house (not that I don't love my family, of course) will certainly make for an easier and more enjoyable gaming experience.
I just haven't had a game that really felt like it was going to provide this deep and this rich an RPG experience in years, but I think I've got my friends to thank for getting me really riled up about the game. Our weekly D&D game is often interrupted by an impromptu "ad" for Skyrim - the whole group is way into Elder Scrolls and has been discussing the game heavily anytime there's a little break. Someone will fire up the iPad or laptop and show off the latest gameplay video (usually more than once), and it's just impossible not to get caught up in that.