I feel like a bag lady. In fact I do have a BAG…. Einstein calls it my Moo bag because of the print. I call it my MOVE bag because I’m always moving stuff from one house to the other.
Living in two houses can be challenging
The biggest challenge for me is remembering to bring things from one house to the other. Thankfully, I have a laptop that is pretty portable, but when I am working on a big project, the laptop doesn’t cut it. I have a desktop computer at both houses, with multiple screens. Maybe hoarding is hereditary? I am still wary of using the cloud for storage, so up until a week ago, I was carrying a portable hard drive back and forth between houses. I think I am going to start using google drive or one drive for not private stuff.
The dogs usually go where I go, so I’ve also had to purchase a separate set of bowls and food for each house. I say I have had to purchase, that’s not really being fair. Einstein purchases most of the things that stay at his house, but for the things I don’t want to carry back and forth (like their 48″ kennels) I buy a second set.
For the last couple years I have bought all the groceries for both houses. So much wasted food, so I gave up and let my refrigerator look like a bachelor’s. I think going forward though, if I am splitting the time between houses more, I will buy the groceries for my house and he can buy what we use there? Who knows it’s always a work in progress.
As far as yard work and house cleaning go, the responsibility of both things at both houses has always fallen on me. In the past, I didn’t mind that so much, because again at his house he pays for most things and he was working 6 days a week every week. I told myself that I had more time. I have gotten very resentful though feeling that I was pulling all the weight, as I imagine he must when he pays more for electric over the summer because I can’t handle the heat. Now that he is unemployed maybe he will start pulling more weight there?
As usual, I am trying to remain optimistic and focus on the positive. Only time will tell correct?
I know that there are people that can’t afford a roof over their head, actually I’ve been there as well. I WILL remember to be grateful for that!
Image credit to a couple in Vermont that built a bridge between their houses to help with some of these issues.
MS Graceful...NOT! 
Exactly. You have two. No bitching allowed.
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That house in Vermont is really cool!
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I remember living like this when I was working in Toronto. I had to live there during the week because the commute was too far, and then come home on the weekends. I needed 2 of everything, and was constantly hauling a suitcase back and forth. The day they started a commuter train I cried–and then immediately moved home for good!
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I’m glad you were able to make it work! It is tough for sure.
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Makes being retired even better!
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