The Way We See Things-The Pillow

Agony grabbed me a year ago plus a few months as I drove the long lane to property I have loved and owned for decades. It has been my home but working abroad often meant that I rented it for extended periods. The last time I left for several years, it was rented by tenants who initially behaved responsibly. As COVID hit, a shift occurred. They became unpleasant, yet never telling me if something needed to be repaired. Their care of the property lessened and I could see the house and grounds deteriorating.

As the pandemic lessened, I gave the tenants notice to leave. It was time for me to reclaim my life there and to give some much-needed love to the property. My travel life would be on hold for the foreseeable future.

Starting over is an action I have completed in numerous times and locations but this was a greater challenge than the others had been. Little infrastructure remained and nearly everything in the house was broken from a ceiling fan to light switches. Interior doors and furnace vents were missing. Cat urine had soaked through the carpets. An endless list of repairs awaited me.

I loved the property despite numerous challenges it had presented through the years. I had lived in my off-grid Oregon cabin, a high rise in Kazakhstan’s new capitol, a tiny Mexican casita and endless hotel rooms around the world. Each place had its benefits and advantages…