There's got to be a better solution

If you've ever dropped by my house unannounced, you might have wished you hadn't. Now... I always welcome unannounced visitors- don't want to scare anyone off- but you know those days when you'd like to throw a stack of disclaimers in the front porch that requires a signiture before entry? Something that states, Whatever I find inside this house, I will not disclose to any third parties. On any given day- that's me.

However. Today... (and maybe not three hours from now...) but right now at this moment- I'd like to hang a sign on my porch that says "Unnanounced visitors welcome." They thought that election last week was so historical? Well, this tops it. My house is unnatrually clean. This happens so rarely.

Of course, a few days from now when things are back to normal someone will stop by and I'll be scarmbling around the living room in my pajamas when Lydia announces, "Mom? Someone's coming here." Oh. And for the next thirty seconds I'll tear through the living room grabing anything in my sight while shouting orders to the kids to please do something!

Ah, it never fails. Not that I think flying around the living room on a rampage is going to convince anyone about to walk through those doors that I don't live in complete chaos... Nor do I believe that if someone did come over today they would honestly believe that's the way I live. That can no longer be disguised.

I never learn. Take the time about a year ago for exmple. Outside, the gas company was putting in new lines or something. It would stand to reason that any normal person might assume that they would need to come in the house... but me? Oh, no. Until the man knocks on my door and tells me he needs to go in the basement to shut the gas off. So, okay, the basement is not my territory, but still. I usher him to the basement steps only to discover the top step is so covered in junk it's nearly impossible to get past. And as I survey the rest of the stairs I discover that it's nothing more than an ankle-twisting narrow trail. Ugh. He went on his way and I hoped he'd make it out in one peice. A few minutes later, he returns and tells me he needs to check the gas stove in the kitchen. Haha. I'm sure I stood there stammering something like, "Uh. The kitchen... Um. Really? Like. Right now?" In my head I was mentally recalling the pot of cream of wheat that had boiled over, the cheerios that were litering the floor- crunching under every step. Ugggggh.

And, as I'm writing this, I know, I just know there are some who can relate and then there are some going, "Uh... Hm. Never seemed to have that problem."And then there are others who would just never admit it. I know you're out there. Or maybe that's just what I try to make myself think to feel better. Sigh. Such is life.