The last couple days have been a bustle of activity here at our home. I’ve been very good with my New Year’s resolutions, with the help of friends. So far in January, we’ve hosted 2 get togethers with dear friends, and I had my book club over last night. So for the last 3 weeks, our house has been cleaner than it ever has before.
It is amazing how well working under the gun motivates me. Sure, I still cut some corners. No one is going to give me a “perfect homemaker of the year” award anytime soon. And please, don’t look under the beds! But, the house is tidy, the floors are swept, and the bathroom is clean.
All this, and I get the added enjoyment of being able to relax and have a fun time with the people that I enjoy the most. I find it much easier to chat and catch up when we are at a home, as opposed to a bar or restaurant. Everything about dining out in America is geared toward moving you out as quickly as possible. The fast music, pestering waiters, and quick food have all been calculated to get you to eat as rapidly as you can so that they can flip the table.
At home, you will talk for hours while leisurely partaking in good food and drink. It is far more conducive toward having great discussions, because you are not fighting to be heard over all the nearby dinners. Not to mention, it is how people everywhere have been gathering since the beginning of human history.
The key is to be ok if things don’t turn out perfectly, but to just sit back and enjoy the company as much as your guests do. Yesterday, my cornbread turned out a bit on the charred side, and the chili could have been cooked for 30 more minutes. But none of this was fatal. It still tasted good, and gave us an excuse to eat more of my homemade brownies.
I think that we have never gotten over our mental image of the perfect 1950s housewife, and we all know in our heart of hearts that we won’t be able to live up to that stereotype. I’m writing to tell you to throw out the stereotype. You aren’t perfect, and neither is anyone else. Try to ignore the minor kitchen catastrophes that often come when you least want them, and have a great time with wonderful friends. Your friends and your home will thank you for it.
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For more on my New Year’s Resolutions: