Plum Crazy

I am the Felix Unger of the family. Not as obessively neat as I was when I was younger, but still a clean freak who must have things orderly. The stapler and tape dispenser on my desk must be lined up straight, and when someone borrows one but doesn't put it back the way it was, I straighten it out. Yes, I am that bad, and I am now discovering the challenges of living with someone. My girlfriend is spending a week with me, sort of a test drive to see how we do when we see each other every day and in the routine of every-day life. What I am learning is that she doesn't put the toothpaste back the way I like, doesn't hang the towel up straight, or put the chain on the door in its holder when she leaves the house. All little nuisances, at least for me, but stuff that I will have to learn to live with. Simply accept the fact that I will have to place the toothpaste how I like it, straighten the towel, and put the chain up. Make those little compromises that are crucial to happiness in a relationship.