Did Ward or the boys ever come home to an empty house?

I think they planned ahead where possible and had Aunt Martha stand-in whenever June expected to go on a bender. I seem to recall one episode where she was out shopping while the boys were home, but that was short term.

I don't remember June ever having friends. Only family, ladies clubs. No chatting on the phone, or friend visits, unless it involved the children.

Ward had to cook dinner when June was at some kind of function? He was using a cleaner brush to spread sauce on meat.

Yeah it was some kind of bottle brush. And there was one episode where Beaver was in trouble at school (amazing!) and they wanted a parent to come in, and she called Ward at work, telling him he'd have to go to school, since she was meeting Marge downtown and didn't have any way to get hold of her.