You know, this social life thing is pretty good for me. Since changing jobs, it seems that we've been hosting visitors at our house about twice a month. It's hectic, and it's difficult to keep the house as clean as I'd like, but I have to admit that it's comforting to know that if I don't show up at work for a few days, there are people in this town that would actually worry enough to call the house and check on me.

Jeff's headed out to see his parents tomorrow. Their computer is acting pretty unstable, so Jeff's going to take his trusty software and know-how and apply the good ol' Wipe And Reinstall tactic on it. I should go out there with him—his folks haven't seen me in a while—but quite frankly, there's so much to do here at the house that if I want any hope of getting a rest break before Sunday, I'll have to stay here tomorrow and get stuff done.

Nothing's real pressing, it's just that there's enough of it that it's going to take a full day to accomplish. Tomorrow I need to:

• make a major grocery run (as opposed to the weekly fresh stuff that I usually get) because our pantry's pretty bare.
• go to the farmer's market to look for fresh goodies
• pick up the framed Gary DeLamartre prints at the framer's (and hang the prints in the foyer)
• run by the fish market to get fish for Sunday's dinner
• plant the rest of the herb seeds
• wash a load of clothes (and strip the master bed)
• wash dishes/pots/pans
• clean off the kitchen table
• mop the kitchen floor
• tidy the living room
• start working on building the kitty scratching post/jungle gym
• drop off my time card
• get those blueberry muffins baked

None of that will take all day, but trying to fit all of it in tonight and on Sunday morning before the guests arrive—it's just not going to happen. I'd love to sit down with Buddy and Shirley and chat for a while, but realistically it's not the best use of my time this weekend. Besides, I'm going to see them in a couple of weeks anyway, when my parents visit.

(If I'm really good, and keep the house clean until then, maybe I won't have to go on a scrubbing spree before my parents arrive…)

Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. These things need to be done. I wish I had all weekend to do them—of course, it's a weekend, and I (like everyone else) want to be lazy. Who wants to run around like a mad chicken on their weekend? But I enjoy having friends over, and I especially enjoy being able to have them over and welcoming them into every part of my house. It makes me wince inside to have to say, "Sorry, just stay out of this room; I didn't get to it." I don't want my guests to have to draw invisible "I can go here" "I can't go in here" boundaries in their heads, because I feel that's rude.

It just boils down to the fact that this house is mine, and I like to have control over what happens within its walls. When I invite my friends inside my home, I want them to feel as comfortable here as I do. That doesn't just happen; it requires work on my part, but I think it's worth it. I think enough of my friends that I think they're worth taking good care of.

Besides, I want them to come visit again. Even if it means I have to vacuum. :)