Nothing to Declare

My streak of luck with housesitting is getting almost scary. You may recall that one house sitting job blended seamlessly into another - the jobs started a day apart. Well, it's happened again.

Yesterday, the boyfriend of the woman I've been housesitting for asked me if I wanted to stay at his place in July. He's got a great place, but it's a little far out of town, which was kind of bothering me. Then, also yesterday, I ran into another friend at The Cafe, my favorite local coffee place. She invited me to children's dance recital, which was just precious. While we were watching the recital, she kinda looked at me and said, you know, no one's going to be in our house when we go back to the states. Why don't you just stay there? Starting Tuesday. For five weeks.

Now, the last two places I've housesit have been nicer than anyplace I've ever lived. But this next one...it's huge, and it was built around the original walls of a building hundreds of years old, so it's an interesting combo of modern and ancient. There's clear-shot views of the paroquia, (the cathedral in the Jardin), from the rooftop patio, a kitchen that you could run a catering biz out of, and a rainshower in the guest bathroom. Also wireless and vonnage. There isn't a pool, but I can use the one next door if I like.

It's not like I need all this. I enjoy the privacy of living alone, but I'm perfectly happy in the family homes where I've stayed in Costa Rica, Oaxaca and here. What is amazing, and what I feel so fortunate for, is the uninterrupted streak of rent-free opportunities. If this lasts - and there's a chance that they will rent the place to vacationers while I'm there - it will be almost three months of straight housesitting. It's starting to feel like some sort of sign that I am exactly where I'm supposed to be, at least for now.