Privileges of Living Alone

Tonight, I find myself appreciating the many privileges of living alone. It's not often I sit back just to take them all in at once, but over the past few days, I have enjoyed many unique privileges, and I thought I should share a few with you. 

On Monday night, I made about a hundred cookies...and apple crisp...and dinner. I proceeded to leave the entire baking mess on the counter until Wednesday evening. There were oatmeal bits on the floor, flour on the counter, sticky appley finger prints all over everything. Waxed paper was strewn about. Bowls left on the counter. I feel no guilt for this. 

I have been caught with teeth marks in solid blocks of cheese in my refrigerator. But I ask you, why dirty a knife and cutting board if you know that you'll be the only one to ever consume that block of cheese? 

Three different light bulbs are burned out in my house right now. I will eventually replace them, but for now, I'm not particularly bothered. I, after all, know how many stairs are in the stairwell and exactly where the extra toilet paper is in the linen closet.

As I gaze around my bathroom, there is a smudge of toothpaste in the sink, mascara mysteriously on the mirror, the trash overfloweth, and my hair is on nearly every surface you can see. I am planning to clean it up, but I can't say it's bothered me that I haven't before tonight. 

Tonight, I used four different spoons for dinner and dessert. I have plenty. And they wash right up. And I can smirk a little as I take another bite off the the end of my brick of muenster cheese, drink milk out of the carton, use my forth dinner spoon to eat directly out of the ice cream container. These are all privileges that I have come to love about living alone. 

The only flaw in all of this privilege? Surprise guests. It's happened before, and it will undoubtedly happen again, that someone will ring the doorbell on a Saturday morning, as I'm in my PJs, tackling the giant pile of laundry in the middle of the living room. But you know what? I'm pretty okay with it. It's life. Real. Messy. Ridiculous. And it's a privilege to be able to enjoy all that I have been given.