Glass Doors

"Are you going to lock your valuables away while you are gone?" I have been asked this on a number of occasions. My answer is always pretty much the same "Valuables? What valuables?" Aside from a few minor antiques that would be hard to haul away, most of my treasured items only have sentimental value and would be of little use or interest to others. I could always toss them in a box and lock them in the bike shed if need be, but the feedback from everyone who regularly does home exchanges is that the incidence of damage and theft is so low that it is practically nonexistent. Nevertheless I thought I should prepare myself for the worse if we were going to go through with this. As I looked around my home, I wondered, what really was the most valuable thing I had? I did find something;  the beautiful glass doors in the front room that were originally from my parent's 1928 Vancouver home. The beloved old house was torn down years go so these doors were pretty special. If I returned and they were broken or even smashed beyond repair how would I feel?  Was I ready for that? I consoled myself by remembering that in truth, everything, no matter how important we think it is, eventually breaks. Objects can be replaced or repaired, even these doors.

Anyways, I thought to myself, I certainly could try to find people to house swap with who would not be  the types interested into swinging on the doors like crazy gorillas or have wild parties where people would be banishing hammers. Finding a home exchange is not like putting your name down for a lottery and having to take whatever person you won, right?  (oh -- how little did I know,  more details on that point in a later posting).

The home exchange experience involves lots of communication including emails, photos, skype and maybe even a youtube video tour of your home. Both parties get a sense of what each are like. Trust builds and hopefully all will be well at the end of your trips and you both return to a tidy house with everything intact. Our guy, Stephen from Milton Keynes in England,  has had quite a bit of home exchanging experience, and he certainly seems like a very nice fellow.  He will be renting his own car while staying at our house, and will meet us when we arrive in England to exchange house keys, before he heads off to catch his flight to Canada.

Leaving soon with fingers crossed, deep breaths, and hammers tucked safely away.