A Good Excuse to Clean

Nothing like the threat of an approaching party to force the residents to do a bit of serious cleaning! I always suspect that having friends over has as much to do with the desire to remove grimy soap scum from under foot in the downstairs bathroom as is does with the desire to entertain charming and attractive acquaintances!  The pile of clothes that has escalated on the hall chair, the moldy lime wedge festering on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator... all swept away in an effort to appear wholesome and clean.

We're not THAT bad. But we do have our moments. Bob and I would rather be outdoors, weeding or schlepping firewood than vacuuming any day of the week. I did make a run for the dump today, with an embarrassing amount of "riches" in the way of garbage bag after trash bag after recyclables. What is that about godliness and cleanliness as peculiar bedfellows?

So musing on entertaining has me thinking of the other enlightening aspects of throwing (flinging? tossing?) a party. I really am fascinated with inviting the peoples that populate the different corners of our universe. We invite people we make art with, people we know through our interest in gardening, people we work with at present or in the past... people we rub shoulders with occasionally in random moments of camaraderie(that looks spelled wrong) at other people's parties. What a heady mix! And sometimes these spicy mixes don't end up well at all... but I like the fact that we cooked them up and suffer the consequences (and social indigestion).  

Additionally, we promise to have electricity (it happened at my 50th birthday!) and no snow (our infamous Open House ten days after moving in; need I say more?) But what fun! If you can't roll with the punches and invite as many people as safely fit within the confines of your yard, than don't throw a party.

I am attempting to remember what Nigella Lawson said in a (funny) interview/recipe swap recently. She advised to "Never drink more than your guests". From her description, her guests were all heavy imbibers. Me? I'll try and keep a lid on it, but maybe I'll dance.