Another House Sitting Job

I am going to be house sitting most of this month. First I go to a friend's house for one week and then I come back to my casita for a few days and then I go to another friend's house until the first week of October.  As usual, I am getting anxious about what to take with me today. I have managed to put everything in two bags. One is like a giant diaper bag. This will be a first for me, not taking a huge suitcase. I always take too much stuff with me. My attitude towards stuff has already been expressed on this blog. More is better.   I read an interesting book about getting rid of junk. It was titled, Clutter's Last Stand. The only thing I remember about it was his eighty percent law. He said that eighty percent of the things we have we don't use. I have experienced that over and over. Unfortunately, I never know which twenty percent I WILL use, so I take too much stuff with me. This makes me a terrible traveler.

I remember going to Thailand with a huge backpack that I couldn't even put on my back. I did some traveling but I was tied down with that backpack. I would go someplace and stay for weeks just so I didn't have to carry around that heavy stuff. But would I get rid of any of it? Of course not. I added to it with presents for everyone. Maybe one day I will visit Thailand again. But only if I can learn how to live with less STUFF....

Having familiar things around me makes me feel secure. I know, it is a false security and what it really does is limit my life. I am working on it. That is why I feel proud today that I am able to get everything in just two small bags.

I am going to miss Chico. The other day my landlord told me that if anything happens to him, Chico would be mine. Chico already thinks he lives in my casita. He sleeps here and spends all his time with me. He loves my landlord too. But he thinks I belong to him. Or he belongs to me. I had promised myself that I would never have another dog. It is too sad when they die. I also didn't want to be tied down. I thought I was so smart, living with a borrowed dog. It was the perfect solution. But it seems that my landlord and Chico have other ideas for me.  LOVE RULES.  

P.S. This photo doesn't include the two huge bags of food I have to take.

P.P.S.S. Or my computer. Come to think of it, this still is a lot of STUFF for only one week. I have to try harder next time.....