Home sweet home.

There are some things guaranteed in life. Death. Taxes. Young kids living in their first homes and making them look like a preview of the apocalypse.

What you are not prepared for is what happened yesterday. I was ready for the mess, the chaos, the confusion. The remains of last weeks meals still sitting in the sink. Stray animals and people, perhaps, newly evolved mould and other assorted wildlife living in the bathroom. You, know, usual decorating of the freshly minted ‘All grown up and living on their own’ group.

On arriving all seemed normal, it was after ten and naturally no one was awake. Once we finally roused Chef-to-be from his beauty sleep, we were escorted inside. The shock began. The place was clean. I mean seriously clean. Tidy to the point I would have been worried if it had been any more tidy as that would have pointed to a serious problem. Such as aliens invading the persons living there and taking over their bodies. I resisted asking “Who are you and what have you done with my son?” Only after being invited to help him collect his washing, because he was determined to do that before anything else yesterday. I noticed a small amount of usual chaos in the bedroom, but the lack of furniture had more to do with that rather than a desire to use the floor as a wardrobe / washing basket / bedside table / dresser. I was then escorted to the verandah with a coffee while he went and did his washing.

See my problem? What normal, non – drug using, mentally stable, kids do this stuff?! It was scary folks. I was even asked to inspect the pantry, where everything was neatly placed, as was the fridge. Sure there was a couple of things here and there that proved people actually lived there, but all of them, and there are four people living in the house, are completely familiar with the whole how to keep a house clean and tidy.

My worry is their friends will find out their horrible secret. They will then be outcast from their circle in shame as being dare I say it, responsible and mature.