Home for a Day

I am home! Finally, after a three month stay in considerably warmer California with Mom I am home. Pulling up with trailer in tow on icy ground, I unhooked and prepared to unload the car contents. First though, I needed to check out the condition of the house. Let me just mention here that my husband Victor hasn't won any prizes for his housekeeping skills so my apprehension was I felt, justified.

I wasn't terribly surprised at the buildup of "stuff" on the front porch. There wasn't any place to put things since many feet of snow had covered everything but the path that Victor had kept clear to the rabbits and chickens. The shed was close to crumpling and access was limited by snow. The porch became storage for bundles of neatly folded feed bags which do come in handy so we store them and recycle them for various uses; it looked like he had an outdoor freezer going with many containers of milk for his cheese-making stacked on the benches; I could see that the recycling was piling up...

I opened the door slowly... The nights and days have been bitter cold in Hermosa, Colorado and mama bunnies with their babies really need better shelter than they have for this long of a cold snap (16 degrees below at lowest and currently it hovered around 30 degrees)...like to come inside since that is the only place they could have better shelter. So yes, that's where four mamas and twenty-four babies ended up, on the kitchen floor in their nesting/birthing/raising their young boxes, cute as can be, stinky butts and all (sigh).

So... home now smells like bunnies, no longer so cute, which hit me in the face like a slap from an abusive boyfriend... I look around and my heart just sinks... I decide right then and there, that I need to clean and organize before I bring in anything from the car, which I do. As my nose adjusts (only slightly) I notice that Victor's laundry is contained in the basket and most of the dishes are washed and I find just one coffee cup out of place by the computer. What deceived me is that every (yes - EVERY) horizontal surface was covered with alternating layers of paper, tools, fast food restaurant receipts and mentos candy wrappers and then... there are the rabbits on the kitchen floor... But, let me give him credit here, the bathroom was clean, the kitchen floor was clean, probably mopped that morning, the back bedroom/office was free! He had kept this space clear and clean our of consideration for me.

I know the horror of living with a man who somehow is able to ignore dirt and disorganization - he doesn't get caught up in the pettiness of perfection in his own home. Cleaning, when it comes to the interior of the house, is at the bottom of his "to do" list. I have often had meltdowns about this which are never an effective way to bring about change as neither are pleading, begging or crying. By now you are thinking that this must be grounds for divorce - and yes, yes it is, but the man has redeeming qualities I assure you. (I'll tell you about them another time - right now I'm venting).

So- I sucked it up, stayed put and when he anxiously stuck his head in the door upon returning from work, I had to laugh at his big hair and widened eyes. It really was awfully good to see him - and he apologized for the mess and the smell - he didn't like it either. Of course my anger and disgust melted clean away and we reunited like long lost lovers - well, kind of. I got out the scissors and gave him the haircut he had been begging for and then we held hands and cleaned!

I would end the fairytale here but for the title of this entry. I leave again in the morning for a week in Denver, delivering the trailer contents to Bryant, hugging grandchildren and yes, escaping the 4 and 24 bunnies and their oh-so-lovely stinky butts... and praying for warmer weather.