Home, owner seem to be at odds

I think our house is out to get me. I am used to it causing me to bump my head on the kitchen cabinets even with the doors closed. I am also used to it shoving me into random walls and causing me to trip over nothing. If I ignore all that then the house waits until I’m barefoot to cause me to stub my toe on something or other.

The house has now gone into partnership with anything that requires a light bulb. In the last few days the oven light burned out. I couldn’t get the cover off without breaking it. My hubby did it for me. A couple days after the oven light was replaced the undercabinet light started flashing. I think it may have been Morse code. I don’t remember any of what I learned in school a half century ago about how to translate the flashes to letters.

Again, hubby to the rescue. He took the old light out and replaced it with one we never use. Then to complete the trifecta, one of the headlights on the car burnt out. He hasn’t replaced it yet but he did get it removed from the car.

This is the first time since we owned them that any of those bulbs burnt out so it was probably time for them to go.

It could be that the house is upset because the houseplants have made their twice a year migration. The house could be feeling a little naked and lonely without all the greenery. A few of the plants have moved off of the porch. Most of them need to be repotted, trimmed and inspected for bugs. I used up all the potting soil I had and until I get some more the plants will have to make do with what they have.

Yes, I know that I am anthropomorphizing by giving human characteristics to something that is clearly not human. Buildings can’t think or feel or plot to harm their humans. Can they?

The flowerbeds don’t agree with the house. The little early flowers and the daffodils and tulips have outdone themselves this year. The alliums with their round purple balls atop a long stem are the stars of the show for the next week or so.

Part of what I enjoy about the flowerbeds is that things are always changing. Some plants bloom one color at a time. Some bloom one species at a time. Sometimes they are tall, other times they are short. The variety is what I like.

Plants are not as grumpy as the house is when they get a bug up their bloomers. Instead of shoving me into a kitchen cabinet they will cause me to get dizzy when I stand up after bending over to pull a weed or two. They also pretend it wasn’t their fault. They reach out a branch for me to grab onto as an example of their goodwill.

Burned out light bulbs are something that just happens. The newer light bulbs on the market say they will last longer than the ones they replaced. I am not sure I believe that. All the other assorted mischievousness I attribute to the house is more likely to be caused by my own clumsiness and not something that happens on purpose. I am planning to offer a peace offering to the house by doing a little painting as soon as the weather allows. I should probably stock up on light bulbs just in case.