Jim of Jim’s Stuff started the “Pic a Day in May” challenge last year. I did it last year, and felt like I’d do it again this year.

Day 9! Today’s post might be filled with bitterness. Kind of. Maybe bitter sweet?

For almost the last three years, the Husbear and I have had someone else living under our roof. Someone I’ve termed “the Interloper”.

To be blunt: I didn’t want the Interloper here, or around. And yet he was, and it took nearly three years to get him out of here. Something I need to write a little more detail about at a later time.

I was done with the Interloper from day one of meeting him. Something about him I didn’t like. And I couldn’t/can’t put my finger on it. He was/is young. He was/is extremely immature. He was/is extremely lazy. And there’s a few other things I could write about his character that I will refrain from. For now. He was like a leech you just couldn’t pull off. He was always attached to the Husbear at the hip. Like a dog starved for attention.

But the Husbear is a fixer, or caregiver, or whatever you want to call it. It’s definitely something his family does, so it must be genetic. But sadly to a fault. And this time it got in the way. In the way of our relationship. To a very serious point. Again, something I need to visit at a later time in more detail.

At the end of my rope, I finally gave the Husbear an ultimatum a few months ago: the Interloper would be gone by the Husbear’s birthday or serious changes would happen that no one would be happy with.

The Husbear and I returned home from his birthday weekend drive-around. We had a most excellent get-away. By ourselves. Which was the point. We needed time together. Alone. Which we haven’t had much of. At all. For nearly three years.

We came home, and he had all but what you see in this photo moved out. And probably a few other odds and ends that we’ll find over the next day or so.

The house is quiet.

And I am able to relax.

And start rebuilding.