It's the Vibe I tell you!

I’ve been house-sitting a lot – in fact, I’ve been gone most of the summer.

I was 18 for my first gig and I’d never been anywhere overnight by myself before. The experience could have deterred me from ever house sitting again, but I confess, I’m addicted to these “mini vacations.”

There’s a woman in town whom I describe as “earthy crunchy” . . . and perhaps a bit strange. Upon meeting her, I learned that her first home burned down in a fire and she had this house built as a circle so, “the wandering spirits won't get confused or stuck in a corner.” She told me this while letting a herd of lady bugs fly out the window. “They’re trapped spirits,” she said, “so please don’t squish them while you’re here.”

I wonder if, 8 years later, she would ask for her money back if she knew I drowned them.

It was an amazing house: 4 floors with a great view and quite an extensive library (movies and books). It served as a sanctuary for people looking to quiet their brains from the fast paced world we live in. That being said, she didn’t lock her doors – and I’m thankful that only 1 tall, lean man dressed in black strolled right in while she was away.

My main concern was care for her elderly dog who needed her thyroid pill, and her aging cat that had a leaky eye . . . gross.

Despite of all this, I was hooked. I love staying at other people homes while they’re away. Not only is it a little vacation from my house, but a break from my life.

Houses have a personality, and you tend to change yours while you’re in them. For example: my first house of the summer is owned by an editor I work with. A bachelor with an orange Tabby named Ramona. The house vibe was relaxation combined with an earthy feel and desire to cook with a lot of olive oil. And that’s just what I did.

Second house this season was built a few years ago by a doctor and his wife who were going on a tour Europe. My biggest problem (aside from their headstrong Golden Retriever) was working the central air. Here I felt a drive to be successful, classy, have it all together and host dinner parties.

A house in Holyoke makes me think that having children may be a good idea after all; while in Hatfield, I’m reminded of the healthy balance between your career and personal life. I’m currently in Northampton. My friend and her husband have done a lot of renovations this year and I’ve noticed the change in the house vibe.

It went from “I’m a work in progress and need space to develop,” to “relax and embrace your feminine side. Take the dog for a run, come home to a glass of wine, a bubble bath, Pad Thai and chick flicks.”

We all need a little change to our routines, makes life not so monotonous. Some people change their hair, clothes, car, diets, boyfriends and supermarkets. I like to change where I live and take a piece of my experience home with me.

I think if we don’t absorb things from others, our lives get stagnant, boring and depressing. It’s hard to remember to look for those changes when life is overwhelming, but it’s worth it when you seen how much you’ve changed.