What's in a home?

Having four walls and my belongings with me in Waterloo while I'm at school gets the job done, but there's definitely something special about entering my home in Toronto after a long absence and letting myself be overwhelmed with all the memories and emotions that fill it. My lovely friend Bee is in the process of registering for household gifts, which prompted some reflection on what a 'home' really is. What do you need to have in a house to make it a home? The obvious answer is the people: home is where your family and loved ones are. But I think it also has to do with familiarity: knowing which floorboards to avoid so they don't creak, where the best groove is on the couch, and exactly how fast to run in socks so you can stop in time to not fall down the stairs.
This time, though home is still generally the same, there have been a few changes since I was last here at Thanksgiving.

1. We have a Christmas tree. A real one! Mumsie and I will decorate it this afternoon when she gets home!
2. We have a new massage chair that reclines and basically massages your whole body - neck and shoulders, waist, butt, legs, feet. It is heavenly.
3. There's food in the fridge! And lots of fresh fruit and snacks. I'll get to stuff myself well for a couple days till I have to go back and have nothing to eat.
4. They eat brown rice. My mom's on a health kick. But she doesn't even eat rice at dinner! So she is on a kick to make everyone else eat healthier too I guess.

I have to get back to studying so I'll have had done something before my mom and sister come home from work.
Another thing I was thinking is that the one-year death anniversary of my dog is approaching and I miss her, psycho or not.


A house is made of walls and beams;
a home is built with love and dreams.