What a Mess!

My Mother-in- Law has asked again and again for more pictures of the new house . . . and I fully intend to take them and forward them.

Just as soon as the trim goes up in the laundry room.

And the wainscoting is finished in Ainsley's room.

And I hang a picture and a crucifix in the boys' room.

And finish painting the shutters in the kitchen.

And

And

And

And I'm probably sounding like the house is a catastrophe. For the record, it is not. Let me also point out that I love our house, unfinished projects and all.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Foss recently put together a slide show of household messes. Now that I can do with nary a drop cloth or table-saw.

And my favorite:

Mostly I remember this because it was at the height of the Swine Flu, Strep Throat, Pneumonia bout that seemed like it would neva end.

For the past two months, we've had an elderly friend living with us while she awaited the completion of her permanent home. Evelyn moved early this week, and the house seems a bit empty without her. After the move, a mutual friend of ours texted me and said something like: Thanks so much for having Ev. I often feel I can't have people over if everything isn't perfect. You've been a good example to me. Thank you!

We offered hospitality. We did not offer perfection.

Though I've never reached perfection in terms of the house, when I had one and two children, it seems -- if only in hindsight -- that I came close. Let's just say I maintained a much higher standard than I routinely manage to pull off these days. The reasons are many and varied and involve the usual suspects: time and space and money and energy and personalities and training and lack thereof.

I have many thoughts on hospitality and order and the ancillary topics in between. Right now I'm just amazed I actually wrote something besides a pop quiz on subordinate clauses! I miss writing, and I miss interacting with my internet friends.

To quote Arnold Schwarzenegger, I will be back!

And all these pictures sure make me miss my babies, sticky syrup and all.Except for Ainsley in the Vaseline. I really don't miss that.