Home Is Where The Heart Is.

“Home is where the heart is,” And the word home means different things to us all. For some, it’s a wonderful place of refuge, where they always feel safe, some are very well looked after, maintained spotlessly with everything in its place.

Other homes are neglected and dirty, like no one lives in them or cares for them, it’s almost like just squatters are living there, and in contrast we have all seen the magnificent, stately, wealthy, beautiful homes.

Some homes have pets in them, dogs, cats and rabbits, you’d be lucky if you are able to leave the house without one pet hair on your clothes. I have friends, who have never had any pets, they haven’t lived, they don’t know what they are missing. The love and joy these furry animals bring, (unless they are a fish) they are definitely part of the family.

There are homes that are full of music, be it classical, pop or gospel, and at the opposite end of the scale, I don’t think I would like this, but I do actually know some homes where there are ten, yes TEN children living in homes with their parents, my Mum grew up in a home like that, in a large family.

There are even homes maybe it yours, that have two people living in them, or who are the sole occupants. I have a friend who is about to embark on a life changing quest, by selling her home to move into a posh barge on the canal. I wish her well, she deserves it.

There are ‘houses’ and ‘homes’ that consist of caravans and tents, not my cup of tea, but they can see more of the world that way should they choose. I love to see those homes on television, where they are a project in the making, the before and after pictures, where before they were barns, castles or churches.

I remember years ago watching a fascinating programme on small spaces to live and saw a very tiny one-bedroom bedsit, it was one little room with a small sofa bed, small one ring stove, shower, loo, small fridge and a wooden pole for his hangers. I’d be climbing the walls if that were mine, but for him it was the perfect place for now, as he was near his place of work, thus saving a lot of money.

I’ve seen homes that have been converted from lighthouses, windmills, bunkers and coaches, to name but a few. Some homes are haunted! I would not want to spend a single night there, a relation of mine lives in a haunted house, they have all seen him both young and old and even know his name, he has never hurt them, I’ve been there quite a few times and I have never ‘felt’ or seen anything, which I’m pleased about.

Yum, yes, you’ve guessed it, some homes, the air is filled with the aroma of wonderful, home-made cooking. And we’ve all been to homes where it is either always too hot or too cold.

There will always be homes where the home owner is an expert maker of fine wines or beer, I remember tasting home-made wine at my friend’s house, it was far too strong for me. I remember quite clearly years ago, going to someone’s house where it was always filled with cigarette smoke, as they were chain smokers, it’s their home, their choice.

There are homes where you can see the pride they take in their perfect gardens, I love plants and enjoy looking at them and even taking photos of them, but I’m more of an indoor ‘gardener,’ my favourite plant is a rose I also love my Christmas cactus, as mine was given as a small cutting to me, when I was a teenager and now with lots of cuttings from it, it is around my home, in various pots, I treasure it in memory of the dearest person who gave it me. And there are other homes where the garden is overrun with rubbish and weeds.

Some homes have themes, a different theme for each room, while others are cleverly, colour co-ordinated. Some homes are full to the rafters, while others are minimalist.

One of my favourites is the crafts home, crammed full with lots of materials, of flax, wool, linen, cotton, flex, hemp, jute, leather, felt, hessian, just to mention a few. We all know someone, no doubt with homes of those who love to go to car boots, theirs is an endless buying and selling, this is us.

Other homes are religious places of quiet meditation, prayer rooms, holy books, statues, candles, incense and special food. We all know the homes where it is very cultural, and steep, deep in tradition, all good.

I’ve seen homes, where older couples live and everything in there is like time - has stood still. Three doors from me in contrast, there is a home that is full of students, enough said about that.

There are the homes, where Monday to Friday, it is the school run, or dropping toddlers off at the nursery for the day, before the parent goes to work.

There are the homes of the retired, where it is peaceful if they are lucky but lucky too, if they have the grandkids for sleep overs. Homes too that are quirky where you go in from the back and the living room is upstairs.

There is the sporty, homes where the occupants are often at the gym, the swimming pool, do running, or at their twice weekly kick boxing classes.

Let’s not forget the homes where they are very strict with healthy eating of wonderful organic foods. There are homes of hard-working farmers out in all weathers, where there is always a job to be done.

And the homes of those who have been adopted or fostered, some find this a good experience some don’t.

I wanted our home to be a place where my Child stayed home and be home schooled, but that didn’t happen. Some homes are above the local chip shop, now this I wouldn’t like, smelling of chips all day long, my Husband Paul, went to school with a family who did live above a chip shop and they always smelt of chips.

There are homes that are businesses, like the local bed & breakfast, we also have a butchers and hairdressers by me. There are lots of homes where there are whole families in different rooms on social media, and are not communicating, at all with each other.

I have colleagues, their homes are in high rise flats and bungalows. Most of us here have homes who have writers in them, it’s been said, “We all have a book inside each of us.”

There are homes where they must keep up with the Jones, in fashion, cars and holidays. And homes where inside is a dying breed who still read real books, not tablets or kindles.

There are homes where people have been evicted for whatever reason and homes that have been razed to the ground destroyed by fire! I actually heard about the latter of a friend of a friend, nothing could be saved, all documents, photos, everything gone. How does one recover from that?

There are homes with a bit of everything in it, Nan, baby, books, hoarders, crafts, pets, yoga, vegan food, eccentrics and Dad. I know I could go on and on, of the various houses and homes, did you find yours here? And can you think of more? It’s true what they say, “Home is where the heart is.” x