Visitors

July 13, 2026

Hello Friend!

So this is the week that Jon's brother and his wife are coming to visit. It's a short trip, they fly in on Thursday and leave Sunday afternoon. And because I have only the tiniest extra bedroom they'll be staying at a nearby hotel, so I won't have overnight guests. But still, I'm crazy getting ready for their visit.

It's funny what you notice when you're looking with a critical eye. That messy desk that never bothers you suddenly looks terrible. And did I always have dust balls in the bedroom corner? So much to clean! And my insecurity comes roaring out. My brother-in-law lives in a ginormous house, with many bedrooms and acres of property. Which I wouldn't want, honestly. Jon and I have downsized for a reason. But still, knowing how lovely their space is makes my already very small house shrink even more in my eyes. They're coming to "see our new place", and the truth is it'll take us about five minutes to give them the entire tour. And that's if we include the roomy but totally unfinished basement, which is full of storage shelves, my craft tables and a cluttered (but fun) play space for when my grandkids come to see me. Not exactly Better Homes & Gardens. But hey, I DO have a nice garden!

Yes, we can sit on our deck under the maple tree and enjoy the backyard. I have a pond with a little waterfall and lots of frogs, and my summer flowers are starting to bloom. It's all still a bit in progress and many of my plants are just babies. But it's a nice backyard...if only the weather will behave. I'm trying not to open my weather app more than once an hour, to check how warm it's going to be later this week. The answer is - HOT. Ugh. Which means we'll probably be dashing back inside to the cool of the AC pretty quickly.

But it's okay. When I try to look objectively instead of critically, I realize that my house is just right for us. When we moved in we spent months painting walls and cabinets, replacing fixtures and building bookcases. Most of it was DIY, but that meant we could take a little time to get things the way we wanted them. And we really do have all we need.

I also have to remember that when I do the visiting myself, some of my favorite homes are the ones that are obviously lived in.

Clean but a little cluttered. Comfortable. The kind of space that invites you to sit and chat, rather than worry about messing up a perfectly pouffed pillow. THAT I can do! Well I say that, but I know for me it's easier said than done. I do appreciate a properly pouffed pillow.

But if I can manage it, then I can truly focus on the real reason for the visit - to spend time with family I love.