vickie’s suburban adventure, day seven: clean up and packing up

today was my last day housesitting and, because she was sick at home anyway, young beatrix came over early to relieve me of my duties. she’d come over for dinner last night – i made baked marinated chicken breasts, roasted carrots and yukon gold potatoes with browned butter and chives (i know! fancy!) – despite not feeling great, and woke up today feeling just as crappy.

before she arrived late this morning, i set about returning the house to the condition in which i found it. actually, better condition. i cleaned all the bathrooms and the kitchen sink. refolded blankets, and fluffed and rearranged pillows. i put all my stuff away – the toothbrush, the toothpaste, the conditioner, the soap, etc. – and made sure everything was perfect before packing up my stuff and heading home.

despite my initial concerns that i’d basically be spending a week in exile on the outskirts of the city, i really enjoyed my stay. i loved having mr. poo follow me around, anxious to curl up in my lap anytime i sat down. i liked having a choice of rooms in which to eat or watch TV, and i found the comparative silence rather soothing. i liked feeling responsible for the house in which i grew up.

even the emotionally exhausting sorting process left me feeling strangely cleansed by week’s end.

so, it was good.

today's casualties: none. strange. perhaps they finally learned their collective lesson...