I'm staying in a lovely holistic household with a lady for whom I did a workshop for about five years. She's on AirBnB though I found her again via Facebook, and my room is called 'the sanctuary.' It's turquoise and pretty and chock-full of those things you buy in gift shops that are covered with heartwarming messages but are not a lot of use once you've gone 'oh, that's nice.' There are little blocks with 'love' written on them, books called things like 'When I Loved Myself Enough...' and tiles covered with hearts.
And lots of cushions also proclaiming 'love.'
There's also a bowl of fruit, lots of different tea bags and a large kettle (hooray!).
No I have no objection to any of this. Not one bit. It warms the cockles of my heart. But they are all made of stuff that's horribly easy to break and I am an exceedingly untidy and clumsy being. Even more, I have enough luggage for three weeks' stay to more than fill this lovely little space so, I'm afraid, most of the pretty stuff is now piled up in the fireplace to give me room to move and slightly less chance of breaking something.
Clothes are kept in elegant woven baskets under the bed as it's a single room without cupboards. This is a new idea to me but I rather like it. At least, when I get to critical untidy mode I will be able to pile everything into them and hide it until I can deal with it properly.
The house is in The Dell in Colinton which is a gorgeous, leafy riverside location and all I can hear out of the window, which overlooks a garden filled with buddlea and daisies, is the river cascading itself down the valley. Bliss.
There are currently six of us living or staying here with one loo/bathroom (and five of us are girls) but nobody has started screaming yet. And it's all very tidy with everyone taking their toothbrush, toothpaste and flannel back into their room... So I'm trying very hard to be tidy too. This does not come naturally in any way, shape or form.
Generally, guests are expected to eat out but I'm here long term so it's fine for me to use the kitchen when the family aren't eating so I'm sneaking in and out and washing up as I go along after making my pasta and veggies ... and sneaking into the bathroom for a nightly (quick) soak .... and then scuttling back to my room like a spooked Sheldon Cooper. It feels a bit like my college days when a friend once said they thought I should look for jobs wanting 'a hermit with good social life.'
I do like being alone. I like hiding in my little, blue hermitage. I like talking to myself and pottering at my own pace. I like and trust myself. They say old habits die hard and the old single days are still serving me well. I'm doing plenty of socialising at Ryries' Bar and at the EdFringe Centre and Anne-Marie and Anita and I chat quite happily when we bump into each other in the kitchen. They are taking leaflets out to their places of work for me, which is such a help.
As Lion's internet is down we can't Skype and we don't want to rack up huge phone bills (performing at the Fringe is a tad expensive on the pocket) conversations are at a minimum. In a way that's good as it stops me being homesick.
So, that's my base for this Edinburgh adventure. I wish it were closer to town as it's a bit of a trek back and forward but at least that keeps me exercised. And so, the adventure begins...
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