Yesterday morning, we said goodbye to our visitors who’ve been in town for a week. No, I don’t mean visitors from outer space like on the TV show, “V”. These were close relatives and we were happy to see them. Although we offered them a room at our place, they chose to stay at a nearby hotel. We went to shopping malls, took a stroll down Las Olas Blvd, and ate lunch overlooking the beach. We ate out every night except for one when I cooked at home. My added weight attests to these good meals. Fortunately for me, our guests weren’t early risers so I had most of the mornings free to do my writing quota. It worked out well that I had guest bloggers scheduled on my site over that period of time, because I lost my afternoons when I usually work on marketing. It must be infinitely more disruptive when you have company staying in your house. So I am wondering what you do under those circumstances. Do you forsake writing completely and vacation along with your guests? Do you wake up early to get your pages done? How do you cope with the need for alone time that afflicts all writers, or don’t a few days of revelry bother you?
Sometimes it’s nice to get a break in your routine. Vacations and conferences bring a change of pace. Having company from out of town gives us a chance to act like a tourist in our home environment. It can be refreshing (or annoying) depending on the guests, if we have any work deadlines to meet, and how their daily habits coincide with ours. One thing is certain: it’s always nice to get the house back to normal after the company, no matter how desirable, leaves.
Now that they’re gone, though, it’s quiet and lonely here. Can’t we have our cake and eat it, too?
I had a recent houseguest, a surprise, so I didn’t even have time to prepare. Luckily, I’d just met my deadline and I was in a lull with my other job, so I was able to “vacation” with our guest and just enjoy. If that hadn’t been the case,though, I would have been frantic.
It’s more difficult when a guest stays at your house. You were lucky, Allison, that he showed up just as you were ready for a break.
I love when company comes. I’m expecting my sister and her family this weekend and can’t wait! Usually, I stop everything for company because I enjoy my guests. However, I’ve learned to be clear when my schedule is pressing. Luckily, they understand and know how to entertain themselves . . . except for one visitor who stood over my shoulder and let me know it was time for me to pay attention to her! I’m pretty sure she won’t be hurring back . . LOL!!
Kathy, that must have been annoying to have a visitor watching over your shoulder. Have fun with your sister!
When visitors become a nuisance like that I let them get close, then pretend I don’t see them, roll my eyes back and start mumbling guttural Fomorian chants in Gaelic.
Amazing how folks will leave you alone
the Fomóraig were actually relatively decent people and the chants are actually just a pre-historic Irish version of something like the Barney song, but sound really scary when done with in the right timbre
Funny, Basil! All writers are supposed to be eccentric, right?