Well, here's to Day 7.

Seven days of freedom.

I am now a proud home-owner. Actually, maybe I should rephrase that sentence. I know of some friends who are currently based in Bhutan. These have been very good friends to know; they have given me their house for the duration of their holiday. I think that I should meet more people like this. (Do kindly inform me of your travel arrangements for this year).

I am rather distraught though. Sister no.2, who currently inhabits the wild winds of Derbyshire, has kindly informed me that I am not Cameron Diaz. For those of you whose cinematic inclinations tend to verge more towards those of more intellectual pursuits, I will develop this line of thought further. Along with the aforementioned NH and DD in a previous blog, I have the Dvd (stolen from sister no.2) of the 'Holiday'. In this untaxing film, which could be classed, admittedly, as a 'chick' flick, Kate Winslet, based in a cottage in Surrey, swaps houses for Christmas with Cameron Diaz, who owns a palatial enterprise in Los Angeles. Kate W meets Jack Black; Cameron meets Jude Law (who incidentally turns up on her door-step). (I find it hard to imagine Jude Law turning up on my door-step, even though I have realized my true identity. But, still .....).

Sister no.2 has denied any correlation between me and Cameron Diaz's adventures whilst house-sitting. I tend to disagree. I am only on Day 7, after all.

I moved in last Thursday, with my various carrier bags, containing personal belongings that have been placed in various spaces. I write 'placed' as it's very easy to mix up one's own belongings with that of others'. But, it has been interesting to see how quickly this house has become 'home'. Some places that one lives in never have a 'feel' of home. Indeed, it is almost nigh to impossible to feel at ease in certain environments.
I remember arriving outside a converted motel room in Idaho, miles from anywhere (and unbeknownst to me, I was not to leave for four months). Immediately, I was 'home'. It was a very distinct feeling and something that I won't forget. I have lived in other, less appealing places which have been hard to return to at the end of the day. Here, hidden in the woods, in the undergrowth, I am totally 'at home'. I am tempted to become a hermit but on reflection, have shunned this career.

I have learnt many things this past week. Most notably, I have befriended two cats. I grew up with dogs (albeit the size of a rugby balls) and so, converting one's inclination and temperament towards cats has involved a little effort. However, I have worked out a 'game plan'. If I hear sounds, resembling a slight 'miaow' at the window, I let the two specimens inside the house. However, woe betide my new friends if they attempt to sound their vocal chords by the wrong door. I've decided that in life, it is never too late to discipline any animal or human being (including myself). I was a bit saddened though to be brought down to earth whilst feeding my feline friends the other day. Apparently, cats eat 'triangular' shaped objects, not hearts. Oh. I've tended always to verge on the creative side of life.

So, cats don't eat hearts. Probably a good thing in the long run.

Other extra-curricular activities around the house has been the discovery that tumble dryers don't clean clothes. Washing machines are a better bet. I was getting a little too confident. Both machines appear pretty similar, with square-shaped outsides and circular, transparent holes. I just didn't bother looking at the buttons or knobs on either of them. Procter and Gamble hadn't bothered to include a little liquid ball either so I merrily slugged in the blue liquid onto my clothes. Interesting. No water appeared. It was time to use my brain. I do have clean clothes now; it's very exciting. I even walked around Salisbury today, noting my cleanliness to myself.

Sometimes though, all you can do is laugh at yourself. I've been doing an awful lot of that, whilst running around singing my heart out to really bad music. And staring into space. I have never spent so much time pottering around, dancing and dusting. (Please ignore that latter word; it's happened twice through guilt trips). But, that's not to say, spending time alone is a wonderful way to discover new ways of being. It has made me realize how each of us creates our own world to live in, safe or not. It is vital to live in a 'content' way but more so, I feel inclined to take a few risks. And by doing that, each of us, really lives our potential.