At home
Last Friday's Five asked about the old homestead. I'm not a homebody, let alone a champion homemaker, so this set is a little out of my wheelhouse. Still, I've got answers, if you don't mind reading them late.
Ready?
1. When did you last have fresh cut flowers in your home?
A couple Mother's Days ago, maybe? I don't buy flowers, and I only receive them on rare occasions. Just not that kind of girl or household.
2. When did you last have a guest not related to you in your home?
I'm not counting repairmen, so ... oh, it's been years, I'll bet. I mean, maybe more than five years ...?
No, wait! Just thought of one. In August of 2020, a dear Sherlockian friend came over to spend a Saturday running a big Zoom conference together.
Whew! But you know, I don't have many family visitors, either. If I hadn't hosted a couple Thanksgivings in 2021 and 2022, I'd've had to count Number Two Son and his wife's coming over this past summer to help with the clean-up & paint project as the last time I had relatives as guests ... and that's not exactly having them as guests.
Okay, and there were people in the house last month, all relatives or in-laws, moving my niece in. My sister ordered pizza, which they ate off my paper plates, so I guess they were sort-of guests ... but again, not really.
Here's the thing: when you work three half-time jobs, so that almost all your time is monetized via activity outside of the home, you just don't have anyone over. And I've also had a years-long clutter problem (though this past summer's work has alleviated a lot of it), so I would only have considered entertaining the most inner of inner-circle family and/or friends if and when I did play host.
3. When did you last have a service or delivery person in your home?
A week ago, to install a heat pump. I was at work, so Number Three did the hosting honors.
4. When did you last have nobody at all (including you) overnight in your home?
I think it was during the big Disney vacation, Summer 2023.
No, wait! Number Three and I might have spent a night at Two's house last month, babysitting the grandkids while Two & spouse were away for part of a weekend. If we were there, no one was home.
5. When did you last have an unexpected visitor at your front door?
A visitor, rather than a salesperson or Jehovah's Witness? Imma say late 2010. Most of the people who know me well enough to know where I live also know better than to do that! But these were some old church friends who'd moved away and were back in the area for a brief visit. They'd heard about the Man's then-recent (in 2010, it was current events!) defection, so came by on the off chance of catching me home and in the mood for sympathy. I actually remember well the surprise knock on the door. It was a Saturday around lunchtime, and I was sitting in my rocking chair in the living room, eating a bowl of heated-up pasta with pesto. Things were pretty tidy (well, the house was tidy; my life was anything but!), so I didn't feel too caught-off-guard.
Ready?
1. When did you last have fresh cut flowers in your home?
A couple Mother's Days ago, maybe? I don't buy flowers, and I only receive them on rare occasions. Just not that kind of girl or household.
2. When did you last have a guest not related to you in your home?
I'm not counting repairmen, so ... oh, it's been years, I'll bet. I mean, maybe more than five years ...?
No, wait! Just thought of one. In August of 2020, a dear Sherlockian friend came over to spend a Saturday running a big Zoom conference together.
Whew! But you know, I don't have many family visitors, either. If I hadn't hosted a couple Thanksgivings in 2021 and 2022, I'd've had to count Number Two Son and his wife's coming over this past summer to help with the clean-up & paint project as the last time I had relatives as guests ... and that's not exactly having them as guests.
Okay, and there were people in the house last month, all relatives or in-laws, moving my niece in. My sister ordered pizza, which they ate off my paper plates, so I guess they were sort-of guests ... but again, not really.
Here's the thing: when you work three half-time jobs, so that almost all your time is monetized via activity outside of the home, you just don't have anyone over. And I've also had a years-long clutter problem (though this past summer's work has alleviated a lot of it), so I would only have considered entertaining the most inner of inner-circle family and/or friends if and when I did play host.
3. When did you last have a service or delivery person in your home?
A week ago, to install a heat pump. I was at work, so Number Three did the hosting honors.
4. When did you last have nobody at all (including you) overnight in your home?
I think it was during the big Disney vacation, Summer 2023.
No, wait! Number Three and I might have spent a night at Two's house last month, babysitting the grandkids while Two & spouse were away for part of a weekend. If we were there, no one was home.
5. When did you last have an unexpected visitor at your front door?
A visitor, rather than a salesperson or Jehovah's Witness? Imma say late 2010. Most of the people who know me well enough to know where I live also know better than to do that! But these were some old church friends who'd moved away and were back in the area for a brief visit. They'd heard about the Man's then-recent (in 2010, it was current events!) defection, so came by on the off chance of catching me home and in the mood for sympathy. I actually remember well the surprise knock on the door. It was a Saturday around lunchtime, and I was sitting in my rocking chair in the living room, eating a bowl of heated-up pasta with pesto. Things were pretty tidy (well, the house was tidy; my life was anything but!), so I didn't feel too caught-off-guard.