Law and Order

-      If only for a day

We moved into our house May 2, 1981 and over the years I have very seldom actually been “home alone”, even after the death of my husband.

First of course, although the older son was studying in another city, the younger was still a minor and thus here.  Then there was the housemate, eventually her daughter for a while as well as her husband to be. Once they had all moved to their own homes it was son number two who returned. I did have a very brief period in 2016 when I had my broken shoulder where there was no one living here, but all in all in between family, friends, visitors (one of my names was “Hotel Julia”) I have always benefitted from having company.

I have been extremely lucky in that all these multiple “lodgers” only produced the very rare and usually when-I-was-too-tired clash. We all rubbed along very well indeed… with one notable exception: the kitchen. After I had the kitchen renovated in 2010 my whole goal was to keep the counter top neat (read empty mostly), the stovetop clean, polished and free of utensils, the sink empty and clean as well as the small sideboard. The table is black glass top and shows every crumb or streak as well.  And I like it all to look like no one has ever had a meal there.

Yesterday, my younger son moved back to his flat in town after having been here – with my permission – since January.

So what was more normal this morning than my deciding to put the kitchen back into “my” type of order. Scrubbed the back splash even and washed every piece of equipment allowed to stay on the counter-top.

Will it stay this way – hardly. Will I enjoy it while it does – greatly.

However, believe it or not, I’m already looking forward to my next lodger and more life in the kitchen. If only for the day works for me!

Now on to something a bit less smacking of household chores like my puzzle, sorting photos, sorting papers, sorting, sorting. The wash is well under way, I am invited to dinner tonight – oh heck, think I’ll go to the spa – everything else can wait now that my kitchen’s clean.

The counter top as I like it.

Kitchen - CLEAN - hadn't realized that there would be a cool reflection matching my place mats!