Stuff

It is Saturday morning, and a busy week has left lots of stuff in piles. It is cluttered. There is dog and cat hair all over the floor. By nature, I can't stand the mess, and I will probably spend some time clearing it, organizing it, and vacuuming this morning.

But, the stuff is good stuff-- the chest used as a coffee table in the den is piled high with books, magazines, and games. The bass on the bed is my husband's musical life line, life force, and passion. The art table in the kitchen is a jumble of handmade books, journals, paints, crayons, oil pastels, scissors, glue, tape, colored pencils and most importantly, the work of my children. The wicker love seat in the kitchen holds their coats (it was freezing this week!-- even in Mississippi), their backpacks, a ballet bag, my purse, a bag of Martin Luther King, Jr. books, and a knitting bag with a log-cabin project in process. The table scape on my dining room table is my exploration into quilting and my daughter's early encounters with sewing. The shoes on the rug in the foyer are my son's-- he kicks them off at random all over the house whenever the mood strikes him.

With two cats and a dog who have spent most of the day inside all week, the hair is clumping up in piles on the floors in the living room, kitchen, and hallway. But, I cannot imagine life without them. Bailey always greets me at the door with a bow, doggy smile, and wagging tail. He bows more than any dog I've ever known. Charlie only likes to sit on my lap when I'm on the computer. He is good company for blogging. Nellie likes to snuggle on my chest like a newborn baby when I'm watching a movie.

It is a house full of activity, interests, and hobbies. It is a house full of animal hair. It may need cleaning, but it is home. It is a house full of love.