What’s that sound?!

I’ve been looking forward to house sitting for my friend Marcia for a couple of weeks now. Her electic, purple painted, retiree, resort styled house complete with a pool was going to be my own personal getaway. Time spent lounging by the pool, reading, writing, taking her adorable dog Kasha out for long, luxurious walks in her cute Orthodox Jewish neighborhood spending a few days in suburban bliss. That was the plan anyway. It was going along nicely at first. Meghan came over in the afternoon and we drank gin and crystal light (delicious combo btw) while lying by the pool talking and writing. We went to grab a bite to eat at Aroma Cafe and after I was excited to come back to the house and get in my pj’s and relax with Kasha. House ALL to myself. . . . . and that’s when I started to feel freaked out. I feel asleep by 11 and was startled awake at midnight by Kasha running through the house, out his doggie door to the backyard barking his head off. At what? Probably nothing. Probably just a squirrel or a bird or a ROBBER?!? No. It wasn’t. But being rational wasn’t in the cards for me once that thought popped in my mind  . . . . while I’m lying awake in the dark  . . . . in someone elses house . . . while their dog is barking at something outside. I tried to fall asleep and succeeded once for about 30 minutes. I had the worst nightmare and woke up even MORE freaked out than before. So, I turned on the lights. ALL OF THEM.  And the tv, for good measure. I started to fall asleep only to have the dog freak out AGAIN. By 3:30 am I decided that there was no way I was going to get any sleep and as ridiculous and wimpy as I seemed, I was going to have to drive back to my apartment if I wanted to get any sleep. So that’s what I did. I drove home at close to 4 in the morning. I really hate this about myself. I feel like in life, I’m a pretty tough cookie. I can handle myself and I like a good challenge. Unfortunately, in this situation I’m like a little girl scared of the monsters under her bed when faced with staying in big house all by myself. I was even a little creeped out while driving home. It was so dark out with nobody around. It’s silly. Stupid even. But as soon as I put that key in apt. door I felt better. Relieved. My cute, safe, cozy apartment was all I wanted. And even though Meghan wasn’t there, my kitties were. And MY pillows, MY bed, with MY familiar apartment sounds.

I suppose I’m not that tough after all. I’m kind of a wuss. It’s too bad. Cause that house is awesome. But I won’t be staying the night there again. Guess I can add scaredy cat to my list of annoying habits. And should probably stop watching Law & Order or Forensic Files before going to bed.