After posting photos of all the gorgeous houses on the beach, I’m sharing the house we’ve rented each summer since 2018. It’s a three-block walk downhill to the beach. Behind the yellow front door is the bedroom. Upstairs is the living room, kitchen and bathroom. I think it’s cozy and cute.
We made the drive home from Santa Barbara to Arizona in eight hours. We left in the wee hours of the morning and we’re both exhausted. Kitty Olive was so glad to see us. The cat sitter took good care of her and left notes like “Olive was lonely so I petted her for 20 minutes and turned on classical music.”
Once home, I ran into all sorts of weird snafus. The lamp on my nightstand collapsed at the neck where the light bulb is. Then I couldn’t get my Bird Buddy (AI bird feeder) to charge after bringing the camera unit inside while we were out of town. Then I tried to log into my Cox app on my phone to view the outside camera — and it logged me out — and won’t let me log back in. I tried resetting the password. Nothing worked. Not even our cable TV.
I received money via Venmo and I tried to transfer the money, only to get a message that Venmo wasn’t available in my area.
My husband snapped at me over something minor. I realized we are both tired and I gracefully accepted his apology.
Everything is going haywire. It’s like our house is upset we left it alone for three weeks. The electronics are rebelling.
I decided to focus on my reactions. I can’t control many of the issues surrounding me. But I can control how I react. I closed my eyes and pretended I was sitting on the beach listening to waves.
Here are a few more photos:
The kitchen of the house we rented. I love the shabby chic decor.
The view from the patio with barbecue and table. Perfect except for electrical lines.
The cottage we rented in Laguna Beach for at least 15 years while our kids were growing up. That’s our beloved Angus on the front porch (RIP). Can you see why I’m a beach cottage fan?
How do you react when electronics seem to be working against you? What do you do to control your reaction when things seem out of control?
