“Home is where the heart is,” is an old saying. For many people it is true. It usually refers to family or a personal relationship. I recently saw an old Bob Newhart show with that exact title. The episode involved his wife, Emily, deciding to redecorate. He really didn’t want to be involved. While he was away at a psychology convention in Winnipeg, Canada, she changed the living and dining areas. She sold the old furniture to their neighbor, Howard, and replaced it with period furniture. It was the type of furniture that is great to look at but not comfortable for everyday practical life. When he walked in the door he started to say, “I’m home” but stopped short of saying the word home. He looked around and was very unhappy. She reminded him that he had told her that he trusted her judgement. In the end, the period furniture was returned to the store and the old furniture came back to their apartment. In the holiday season and spirit, many people don’t think of where they are living as home. There are people who view where they live as just a place to reside and not their home. Often where they grew up if their family still has a family home, that is what they consider to be their real home. Many people feel that where they live at the moment is a real home and a form of refuge. It really should be. Recently, Miss Patty’s father-in-law, stayed with her for several months. He now has a health issue and returned to his home. Since he has been back, he isn’t as happy as he was living with Miss Patty and her family. He misses not only the family, but their dog, Beau. Suddenly, their home feels more like the place he should be. There are a number of do it yourself programs on the television around the world. The hosts of these programs make an excellent living either buying and selling or renovating homes. When they discuss the purchase or renovation, almost all of the people on the shows say that it is their forever home. In this spirit, the Good Gus Series are the exact type of stories to make children happy when they read them and to feel right at home in Pecos, Texas.
