Home Sweet Home

As we pulled into the driveway I'd noticed not a lot has changed. A tasteful indifference toward the appearance of the yard has been maintained despite my absence. The front door painted red is a reminder of our last "project" by project I mean impulse home improvement day. Next to your feet when coming up the stairs to the red painted door is a wide arrangement of pots. All sizes. All colors. All Gerber Daisies. About 7 years ago gripped by the promise of the new life in our new house, we took up a new hobby- growing things. It really became more of killing things. The only plant we could keep alive for more than a week were Gerber Daisies. As tradition holds in our household, if it works buy a bunch and stick with it.

Ever since then we've been known to have gerber daisies awaiting anyone who knocks on the door.

As usual no aromas coming from the kitchen. A tv can be heard coming from the back side of the house. Apparently cats get lonely these days and televisions have become suitable companions. Walking through the house I felt stuffy, like I was choking. I go to the kitchen to have a nice cold cup of... milk seems to be the only option. Milk? interesting.

I pull a cup out of the cabinet- it's stained with lipstick. I pull out another glass- it is also stained with lipstick. A quirk I'd never noticed before, I thought I knew them all. But Lipstick stained glasses. That's the newest of the tricks.

I realized my mom has been yelling at me from the back of her room for a few minutes now. I walked into her room to see what all the fuss was about... then I heard it.... what I knew was coming.... the phrase that does not know death... the Mom's Battle Cry heard around the world.....

AMELIA! YOU NEED TO CLEAN YOUR ROOM.

yep. I've been gone for.... months. I don't actually live here anymore... I hope I never become so concerned with the cleanliness of my child's room.

Welcome Home... Home Sweet Home.