Home Sweet Home

Every time I give the kids a sketchbook assignment, I do it to. The rationale I give them is "If I have time to do it, you have time to do it. No excuses!" truth is, I just like doing them and sharing them with the class. It's art, but also group therapy and bonding. A good thing.

This weeks assignment is "home sweet home: what is it about your home that is sweet?"

It is our tumble-down cottage, how it makes me feel more than how it looks (even though it does have bright green flower boxes and a distinct lean to one side). Cheerful and comforting, exciting, cosy and full of good magicness. Chicken feet like Baba Yaga's hut allow it to go anywhere. The swirly front yard is full of mud and water, big flowers growing all around. Road of different colors over on the right, the star above the door and all over the sky- beauty and peace and magic and love and everything I could ever want.

It's not perfect, our home. I've slacked off (waaaay off) on cleaning, the manz works hard so it will keep standing up and be weather-tight (so far so good!) and right now everything outside is a muddy mess. But it is our home, and it is sweet to come home to after school or work or adventures. Right now all that matters is that it is our place, a place for the boy to come home to, a place for the doggs and kitty, a place that can be anything we want it to be.

I've lived in many places, many houses- once a boat and once a bus- but this house is my favorite of them all. It forgives me when I am to tired to clean (other houses get cranky if you don't clean- they start letting you know in no uncertain terms that they need attention!) never seems to complain about anything. It may sound silly, but I do believe that houses have very distinct personalities- some are cranky and ill tempered, prone to breaks and disasters... some scary, some easy-going, some like to be busy and shared, others prefer to huddle alone on a hill. Some houses are plain unfriendly- it has nothing to do with the people who are living there, it is the house. Makes you feel unwelcome, uncomfortable.

This house has a good personality- it is a kind house, rather like a well-worn tshirt that is incredibly soft and fits just right. I like that- all is well, home sweet home.