So things like the junked up guest room got addressed, the flamingo bathroom got its spring cleaning, the hayracks got planted and the porch got hosed enough to make it okay to sit out there. Piles of junk that had accumulated in the den got sorted and tossed and reorganized and moved. I even started the spring cleaning of the kitchen cabinets!
We had a nice visit that included a little day trip to Lexington to see Lee Chapel and Stonewall Jackson's house. We moseyed around the business district and visited a few shops here and there. It was a lovely, albeit hot, day and we ended it with a yummy dinner at Stephen's. The next day we hosted Spike, Jane & Frank in order to celebrate Jane's retirement.
The flight out of the Star City was befouled by engine issues, so our company came back and stayed another night. I know they were ready to go home and this inconvenience was enough to require a little laundering.
Now this is a long-standing tradition with my sister. She always needs to do a load of laundry because she's a light packer. This is the reason my basement always get s little bit of attention when she visits. This time it didn't get as much as I would have preferred, but let's just say, the cat messes and dust bunnies got cleared out and the way to the washer was slightly de-junked. My storeroom still was horrendous, my awfiss was still awful and even the laundry room was icky. This is spring cleaning that must be done sooner or later, and thanks to rain yesterday, I suspect it will be this week.
We like to have guests because it keeps us honest. It forces us to tidy up and clear out. There is always at least one trip to the Goodwill, and a purge of something that has been irking me for a while. Big Kitty is less motivated than I am about these things, but after it's over, he's glad for the new found space. The house's chi is greatly improved and energy flows more positively. (I'm being tongue in cheek, here!)
It also blasts us out because we like to take them to see the sights. This time we did a little greenway walk, and cruised the urban renewal efforts along the riverfront and downtown.
However, when the visit has come to an end and we return to our humdrum life, it's a matter of adjustments. There is laundry, post-guest tidying, finding that which we stashed, and getting back to whatever got postponed due to guest prep. It's that re-entry into day-to-day life that has us wondering if there aren't a few changes we should consider. We're lazy old cats, though, and we slip into our routines. Our ruts are comfortable and long-established. We don't mind falling out of them from time to time, but we're a couple of home-bodies that are happy to curl up with our books, cats and cocktails.
And that is where we find ourselves on a Monday. I need to make a trip to the store for lemons, eggs, bread and something to go with our veggie share haul. Routine, rut, call it what you will. It's life as we know it and now that the screened porch has been swabbed, Mop 'n Glo'd and flamingo'd,