Sandra and I have an excellent arrangement that we call 'bihomalism'. Although we both have our own homes we come and go as we please to each others as well, especially at the weekend. We are about 5-10 minutes drive or 30 minutes walk apart. It takes some negotiation, but we don't mind. We find that it gives us the perfect balance of space and intimacy. Even our cats have happily become bihomal. They travel in their cages in quite a sanguine fashion and have their own spots in each other's houses. For example, Riley's special spot is on Sandra's special chair, as befits an elderly gentleman. He can be bloody difficult to dislodge when you have your dinner in one hand and a drink in the other and the program you wanted to watch has just started on TV. I know - I've watched her do it.
We spent yesterday (Sunday) evening at Sandra's, and I served nectarines and icecream for dessert. I only mention this because in the middle of the night Sandra noticed that her electric bedside clock was blank. This morning we discoverred that the circuit breaker had tripped, and it refused to go to the 'on' position. After some research which luckily didn't need to go as far as climbing under furniture to get at power points, we discovered the culprit: the fridge. Horrors! Examination proved that I had not properly closed the freezer door last night. The fridge/freezer unit was dead. Cold but warming up.
Eventually a repairman arrived, and pronouced a fatal condition of the compressor. Sandra (bless her) didn't ask him if the leaving open of the freezer door was a contributing factor. She even rationalised that I might have done her a favour - it could have happened while she was away and the damage would have been far worse.
So we raced off to an appliance shop and she selected a replacement and it will be delivered tomorrow. In the meantime what was still solid in her freezer is now in my freezer (see, there are many advantages to bihomalism). Being unemployed I can be there tomorrow to receive the new fridge, which would have been a problem for her. And she isn't cranky with me for my carelessness. I am such a lucky woman! And to make things even better we discovered a really good Italian patisserie when we stopped for fortification on the way home, about ten minute's walk from my place.
My penalty will be that the money she has spent on the fridge was to have gone toward a new sofa, so I'll have to sit on the uncomfortable old one for much longer.
As well as wrecking her fridge, I have finished Sandra's first cushion. She was going to take it to work and photograph it in situ today, but I didn't like to remind her of that when she finally dropped me at home around midday and set off for work. But rest assured: as soon as I have pictures you will see them. It looks very spiffy, and I think it is a pattern I could work up to sell.
You're not alone! My partner and I have been practicing bihomalism for 17 years now! Glad to see someone else out there who knows how to combine the best of both worlds!
Posted by: Ryan | March 09, 2004 at 08:52 AM
So, d'you reckon I'd be able to talk Luke into bihomalism???? It sounds divine! (especially considering the volume at which the man SNORES!) I could totally do that. Oh yeah.
Rest assured, avid reader's of M-H's blog... those as-yet-unphotographed cushions are indeed rather lush! The colours are great - a combination that I wish I'd thought of myself *grin*
Posted by: Monica | March 10, 2004 at 10:49 AM