Sharehouse Revisited

I’m currently working in a regional area and I have to say I am loving it sick. I’m a Country Mouse thought the week and a City Mouse on weekends. Best of both worlds (except for a couple of kangaroo casualties) or as Donny & Marie used to say/sing “I’m a little bit country and I’m a little bit rock’n’roll”.

Everything here is good. The food (from fresh local produce), the clean air, the people (friendly and generous), my hair (very low humidity) which my Frusband commented on straight away “Wow Lexi! Look at your hair! It’s way less scarecrow-like!” and IT IS!

I’ve been on a never-ending search for hair products to make me look less like Side Show Bob for 20 years. Turns out the product is call ‘climate’. And it’s free.

I am also looking after a rescue dog who has some issues but quite frankly, who doesn’t these days? Coolie doesn’t judge me so I don’t judge her. It’s a great relationship. Sure, I pick up her crap, but don’t we ALL do that for friends in some form? For your human friends it’s usually picking up their emotional crap but meh…. It’s all much the same thing really.

My new country life has had another magical effect – I am ageing backwards. That’s right. I could be 29 by the end of year if I keep this up. What’s that you say? My NCB (New Country Bestie) Buffy and I joined the gym and got a PT – Zoe – she’s 12 and flogs us to death. When I say she’s 12, she’s actually 20 but her biological age is 12 and she “can’t put on weight no matter how hard she tries”. If she wasn’t so great I’d want to sit on her and force feed her wheels of brie until she begged for mercy.

To date through all this clean country living I’ve lost FIVE YEARS so far which ironically is the age I tell people I am anyway. It’s hard to tell what’s going on with Buffy as she cheats like Dave Warner when it comes to the weigh in (for example NOT eating the day before amongst other things) which she refers to as “taking every possible advantage” i.e. cheating but she super competitive, smart and funny so it’s a great Bromance – only we are girls so what’s that? Sismance? Girlmance? We do really well at weigh in and then celebrate that night with wine and cheese.  

Another thing I’m really enjoying is having a flatmate for the first time in fourteen years. (I’ve lived with partners but that’s a beast of a different kind). I am currently sharing a house a few nights a week with a dynamic, clever and hilarious woman. It’s been a bit of an adjustment having people around all the time and furry family members too.

We have much in common and although she’s too lovely to admit it I think I’m cramping her and her partner’s style. They were complaining about having to wear clothes around the house because I’m now in residence. Their romance is only a few years old so they still like to get jiggy with it.

Did I mention they are both in their 70’s? They are both vibrant, fun, in good health and really enjoying their lives.

Here’s what I’ve learned from them in recent weeks:

• My generation is a bit hopeless when it comes to fixing things. We tend to throw things away and buy new ones rather than try and repair stuff. They don’t AND they fix it without having to look it up on YouTube.
• We have nowhere near as much resilience as them. They have survived and pioneered more things than we will ever know.
• They don’t feel the need to overshare – they respect people’s privacy.  
• You can teach an old dog new tricks.
• Reading glasses are communal property.
• There is no substitute for life experience.
• They get satisfaction from contributing to the community albeit in a different capacity than in previous years. Satisfaction comes in many forms.
• It doesn’t matter what age or gender you are, everyone agrees that Hugh Jackman is very handsome and talented.