Home

As I walked into my house tonight a thought struck me. I was home. It was clean. It smelled nice. My new burning wax thingamajig was working. The oil painting I had bought through kijiji was above the fireplace. My asshole dog was looking at me guiltily as he lay beside a bag of bagels he was stealing.

I have struggled to feel like I belong anywhere for most of my life. A city kid till I was 8, then into the country I went till I was 18, then travelled Alberta working Construction.

Meeting Creek, Edmonton, Pincher Creek, Cranbrook, Calgary. I married, but the home never felt like mine. Solely my fault, I didn’t put the effort in. So why would it feel like mine? My ex wife looked after everything.

But this house is different. It’s mine. Well myself and ATB own it. I built it with the dream of being a family in it. I wanted to provide my kids and partner with a home. I put my heart and soul in it. To most it’s probably nothing special. I didn’t put fancy bells and whistles in, but I built a character home with unique materials. It’s an original.

It’s a prairie farm-home. It has dormers, plank siding, and wooden porches that need staining. Thanks to one of my best friends who happens to be a landscaper, it’s beautifully landscaped.

The thing is it just became a home recently. I can’t explain it but it was a house we lived in till now. I think it had to do with me deciding I needed to put more effort into being a homemaker.

I’m making meals in my kitchen now. I can actually cook a little bit, but more importantly I clean up after. I want to return my home to the condition it was in. One of my favourite things to do is to make a meal for my kids, sit down, say grace, and eat together.

We are functioning in this house. Two pets have remained alive. Homework gets done. Bills get paid. Work gets completed. No one can come near our front door without the brave and ferocious Bauer barking to let us know. We feel safe here.

It might be just me, Bauer, and Hope sooner than I want. But I’m proud of what I’ve done. I’m not sure anymore I’ll ever leave. Where am I going to go?

To all my male friends, especially the ones that let their female partners do all the homemaking, give it a try. Go buy towels, you’ll see there are a few different kinds! Pick out some bedding, it’s (expensive) fun. Ask to have a room and make it awesome. Pick out a piece of art; Buy a lamp or a table. I’ll warn you, it’s addictive and incredibly rewarding. To the women, let them. It will most likely be awful but I think you can agree it’s only fair.

I’ll see you boys at Ikea. Don’t worry, you’ll still be a man, just one that appreciates his home more. You can crack a beer and watch a hockey game after.

Every man needs a castle, and I have mine.

If you read this far, thank you, Tris.