Outside my Comfort Zone

The weekend was every bit as stressful as I expected it to be.

The "cottage" by the lake was little more than a shanty. Oh, it has potential, don't get me wrong. But its owners clearly lack ambition. The one bedroom was more of a loft/attic space that has been partially finished. It could easily be divided into three bedrooms with walls and doors.

Less easy to fix would be the crooked floors, walls, everything. Nothing was square. I kinda wanted to throw a handful of marbles on the floor just to see the many directions in which they could choose to roll. But I can get past unevenness. That isn't a deal breaker for me.

The smells were a bigger problem: musty, stale, and something else I couldn't put my finger on. One smell I had no trouble identifying was URINE. The first red flag was carpet in the bathroom (indoor-outdoor carpet, no less). As far as I'm concerned carpet has NO place in the bathroom. All it does is attempt to hide a variety of sins. In this case, I am guessing the wax ring was shot. And don't even get me started on the squishy toilet seat. Nasty to begin with, but when you add in a crack that releases moisture of an indeterminate nature onto your ass whenever you sit...

I could go on and on, but aside from the structure itself, the close quarters with other people was too much for me. I need a lot of space and me time. I start to shut down after too much social interaction. Then I need peace and quiet to replenish. The only alone time I had this weekend was when I went for walks. I couldn't even sit outside and read because the wind was cranking non-stop to the degree that it was uncomfortable to be in after only a few minutes. So I was stuck inside with everyone else and the constant, steady, and often very loud conversation.

I don't know if I've ever been so happy to pack up and leave somewhere. I'm sure the others did not find me to be the most pleasant person to be around, but I did my best under the circumstances. Maybe next time they can just go without me.