photo by Linder6580 on sxc.hu

When you picture coming home, what is waiting for you there? If you carry around an idealized image of home in your head (like I do) - what must be in it?

Does "home" to you mean a place full of family members and laughter, where you can be yourself? Does it mean a place of peace and quiet, relaxing after a long day out in the world? Maybe there's an oasis of greenery in the yard, or orderly rows of vegetables growing in rich soil.

Does your current home meet those standards?

I've lived in 9 different residences in the last 6 years. I've lived alone in one of them - a tiny "studio apartment" in the back of a converted house in Mexico. Otherwise, I've always had at least one roommate.

You'd think by now I'd be used to the noisiness that my roommates over the years have enjoyed. I'd be used to shouting over televisions turned up too loudly. But it's still such a relief sometimes to go to my parent's house, or my boyfriend's apartment, where it's so quiet, and peaceful (and air conditioned!)

I admit, I carry a pretty idealized idea of what “home” will be like once I own my own house. It’s not so much an exact idea of how it will be decorated, but more of a feeling of calm and of … I’m not sure? Ownership? Control over my surroundings?

So - do you have an ideal image of home? What would you require to feel most comfortable and… well, at home? Did you ever imagine that your house was going to meet that perfect image, but have it fall short in reality? Are you still working to get your house to be everything you dreamed of?