Nope. I want to be the person who says, "The More, the Merrier!" But I just feel my daily routine interrupted, and I feel cramped for space and down time.

The closer and funnier the friends, the easier it is. But a lot of this involves hosting relative strangers in the form of relatives or long-ago friends with whom I don't have much in common anymore.

I will drive you all over the state and enjoy your company as we travel, but I greatly prefer coming home alone and kicking back in my normal routine.

Call me a Grinch.

Mary

I love having family visit. I love cooking for the crowd, having the extra leaf in the table and all ten chairs crowded up around it. Our daughter, her husband and 4 children come every summer and our small house (1,100 sq ft, 3 bd/2ba) expands to welcome all. I work, so planning ahead is important. We just have to be flexible and relax and enjoy their company and getting to spend time with the children is great!

If I can avoid guests of any kind, I will. There is nothing glamourous about more to clean and being hyper-vigilant about the comfort and happiness of guests. I'm a great hostess but I try to really try to keep guests to a minimum.

Agree with KadyLady!

I don't mind at all! I just hate comments from guests about my house. Sorry! It's not a 4 star hotel with a full time maid staff. It's a 30yo house run by a working single mom with no time to renovate! Yes; That is a futon. Yes, I expect you to sleep on it. Or I have a sleeping bag...

My family lives out of state, so we've set up a "guest suite" in our basement, and we have two queen sofabeds. We could sleep 6 extra people in our relatively small house if necessary.

In general, though, I would say it depends on the guest.

If I'm having close friends over informally, it's great. The "hey, man, I've got a couch" super-casual style is a lot of fun when equally easygoing friends come visit on their vacations. Of course I clean in advance, and I try to make their stay go smoothly with welcoming touches, but overall it's not a lot of effort.

If I'm having family who'll judge me, or anyone else who expects a more formal reception, it's a lot of work and not a lot of fun. I don't have a guest bedroom, we only have one bathroom, the kitchen is small, and if I'm working, then I'm not scheduling activities or planning dinner parties for every night. Sorry.

I love guests. But I'm also someone who works full time and so last minute things where I can't clear my schedule end up being:
1. here's a key
2. here's the kitchen layout
3. here's where you're going to sleep and the towels (on the couch or blow up mattress in
the living room)
4. don't mind the cats and the dog
5. act like it's your own place and come and go as you please
6. here's when we can plan stuff to do together.

I have 3 busy, working adults, 2 cats, and one dog in less than 1000 square feet, so people can't expect the Ritz, but they can expect boisterous company when everyone's home and some quiet time to themselves when we're all gone.

Just like kmk355, I don't like the ones who judge. Also, I'm a little uneasy having people sleep across the narrow hall from us. I can't understand the previous owners whose teenagers slept in those rooms.

When I first got my own place, I anticipated happily hosting slumber parties and entertaining male callers and whatnot. But, this is so not the case. My guest can only sleep w/me in my sleeper sofa- which obviously gives the men the wrong idea. And I discovered that i'm totally anal when it comes to my place. My friend used a bottle of lotion and left the cap on my new sofa and I suffered a mini stroke. I also hate wasting towels and bed linen for just one night bc of the inevitable laundry pile up. And I don't yet have a TV, which means I'm the sole entertainment- and that's just too much pressure. On the flip side, I'm now way more mindful as someone else's guest.

I love having guests and offer my place rather often actually. I always wish I had more space to offer as people generally feel like they are inconveniencing me since I only have a 1 bedroom. I just set them up in the bedroom so I don't have to worry about waking them up when I get up for work and then leave them a key and map. The main reason I've thought about buying a new place is just so I have more space for hosting guests.

When you live in a small space it's hard to be accomodating. That being said, I bet a New Yorker would think my 1000 sq ft townhome wasn't so small! ;) I do agree with Mary that the closer the friends and family the easier and more accomodating I tend to be. But when it's awkward for everyone, who really even wants that?

I want to be the person who does, but in reality, not so much. Its fun for a while (like day guests) but then it gets old.

I'd love to have guests... but my one-bedroom, one bath is not as accommodating.
Having visitors means luggage in my living room/ dining room combo and stepping over everything and everyone. And then my fluffy, white shag rug is matted down from an air mattress or sleeping bag.
Close friends can share my bed... which makes it a bit easier.
I still love to have visitors... I just long for a spare bedroom.

Not only do I not want overnight guests, I don't want any kind of guests period. I'm the same as spectrogram above, I don't want anyone touching or messing up my stuff.

This is perfect timing. A freiend from college has multiple conferences and workshops every year in the town where I live, and always stays at my place. She is arriving tonight for a week. I love seeing her, but I'm starting to feel resentful that the only time I see her is when she needs a free hotel room. Not to mention that we have entire different sleep scedules. I appreciate that she tries to be quiet in the morning, but I hate having to vacate my living room at 10:00pm so she can get up at 5am to blow dry her hair.

I agree with nadnuks points. I love having guests it's fun, I like the company. I don't cook, we go out to eat. The only thing I hate is cleaning the house before their arrival, but then that's an incentive to keep my house clean.

When I'm guest, I try to be as unobtrusive as possible and create a vacation that's a vacation for both me and the people I'm visiting. I also rent the car for both of us and pay for the gas (keeps wear and tear off of yours).

The best vacation I've ever had, two weeks in Seville, Spain in April, was the best vacation the friend I was visiting ever had.

I don't like having houseguests, unless it's one of my close friends staying over because they drank too much to drive home.

But even worse for me is staying at someone else's house. I'd always rather stay at a hotel, but my family gets their feelings hurt if I don't stay with them.

We're in a studio apartment and our own bed is a Murphy bed. We love it. When we have guests, there is a fold-out couch for them. A couple of nights with certain out-of-town guests is delightful. much more than that is difficult if we're having to go to work the next day.

My favorite guests are dinner guests who are only there so that we can talk and enjoy each other for a longer time than a restaurant would allow, and are perfectly happy with the stuff we rustle up from our local Whole Foods, and don't really require us to actually "cook".

Meanwhile, I much prefer being able to afford staying in a hotel than to have to BE guests. Now that I'm pushing 50, I'm no longer all that adventurous and a good sport about what kind of mattress I'm on.

The thing about staying with my folks, by the way, is that we always sleep on an antique teester bed that I've always loved, so that's a mattress that I'm a certain kind of used to.

Plus, my mother is such an off-the-hook good cook, AND they welcome my partner so sweetly, visiting them is actually rather ideal.

I don't like having house guests because when I come home from work I am exhausted and not in the mood to socialize with anyone. I don't want to be obligated to entertain anyone.

just recently an old friend of mine stayed at my apartment for a couple of days, he congratulated me for how the place looked (I had been staying up late at night just to clean before his arrival). The same day he arrived, he began questioning me why I put a lamp on the floor, why I didn´t pair some coconut trees I had in the living room and why I didn´t have more things in my bedroom. Wasn´t really excited about his comments, but overall, it was good having company and keeping the place in such a good condition.

It all depends on the schedule & independence of the guest. I've had as many as 16 guests from 3 touring bands stay the night at one time. Typically, as long as I don't have to provide the linens I'm a happy camper.

I like having guests. I bought a home that's too large for my family, so I delight in parties and sharing my space with others on a temporary basis. I offer the guests my bedroom and the attached bath, and I sleep on the futon in the guest bedroom.

Thorndale, I appreciate your comments. I have my boyfriend's parents coming to stay for a night this week, even though my boyfriend won't be here.

I actually prefer overnight guests to having someone over for just a single meal. Somehow knowing someone's there for at least one night gives my rampant hostessing anxiety time to calme down and I think I'm better company knowing we'll be curled up chatting into the evening then when I'm fretting about how late they're going to stay, will I have time to do this or that after they go, etc.

Totally my issue though most of my friends/family are lovely guests.

"Calme" down is TOTALLY the Olde Englishe spellinge, FYIe.

If I lived a life of leisure, yes. If I had more free time, yes. If I had older kids, who were a little less needy, yes.

But at the moment, hosting anyone (even family, especially family) as a working full time parent of two little kids it is just horrible. People, get yourself a hotel room.

I love being a hostess, but in our one bedroom, one bath apartment, it's hard to make people feel comfortable. I once made the mistake of saying "everyone is welcome!" for Thanksgiving. There were 7 adults and a 1 year old on 2 air mattresses and the couch... that was insane. Never again! Or, not until we get more than 650 sq ft.

I have a pretty sad guestroom, but friends my age (20s) will often use it to crash for whatever reason. As long as I can hang out in my room in peace, I'm fine. (If they want to hang out with me, we'll go out somewhere)

We had out-of-country family over a couple years ago. They started out staying for 3 nights and ended up staying for 12 days. It was hard in our small home having 3 extra adults, but we loved it. Our then-7ypo daughter stayed on our bedroom as she gave up her entire room, our son shared his room. I am especially glad that they did as one of the guests has since passed on and we never would have been able to be as close to them otherwise.

I love it. Especially when my kids have their friends overnight! Apparently I have a reputation because a friend came over Sunday to visit and expected brunch, lol! Oops, better be more aware of my reputation next time!

I live with my boyfriend and a roomate in a three- room apartment. We have a 7 foot couch that is actually very conducive for sleeping, and I love seeing friends from far away and talking late into the night. What I don't like is when it's time for bed and there are still people in my house

I love having guests. My husband and I keep about 2 groups a month. We love it. We have had up to 12 visitors in a our little townhouse at once. We have the best air mattresses that are on a stand that you can set up in any room. I have four of them. But my 93 year old grandfather always says that fish and guests both stink after 3 days. Just a good guide to remember when you are visiting. :)

I love having people stay with me. It's a little weird. But I have a pull out sofa that is remarkably comfortable. I do plan on getting an air mattress to go on top of it to make it even better (but finding a full instead of a queen is getting more tricky than I thought).

We have TV trays that we break out for end tables, a little basket for treats and things, guest towels, etc. I love to be able to treat people when they come here - even when they're just crashing so they don't have to drive in the snow.

And the sleeper sofa is in the "man cave." So, there are basically unlimited movies and gaming too.

I much prefer vacationing with family and friends at a nice hotel in another city or aboard ship where we can all be at ease and enjoy one another's company without all the hassle & drudgery of a home visit - but when I do visit their home town I prefer to stay in a nice local hotel or B&B so that I'm not underfoot unless they have a dedicated guest room where they and I can be comfortable.

We deal with guests precisely like nadnuk (minus the pets). We live in a small place, too, but everyone knows they're free to crash at our house anytime. That means sleeping on the bunkbed or the couch or the floor. If they're cool with that AND don't expect us to squire them around town or endlessly entertain them, then it's all good. We give them a key, towels, free-rein in the kitchen, and the freedom to come and go as they please. It's worked so far.

I prefer to stay in hotels when I visit cities where I have friends, and I prefer they stay in hotels when they visit my city. I will allow some family members to stay with me, but really immediate family only. My home is small, and I don't like being inconvenienced and crowded.

I mostly enjoy hosting friends, especially good friends, but since I work from home it's a little more stressful as my studio is considered a "clean room" (no food or drink) and most people don't realize this or don't think THEY will be the one to spill something. My other pet peeve is people leaving the toilet lid (or worse, the seat) up.
But other than that I really like having guests and a chance to cook a big meal and so forth. This summer we hosted a couple of friends for a long weekend and there was just one moment where I found myself feeling frustrated and generally out of sorts from too much company and constant activity. 15 minutes of alone time in my room with my kitty cat was enough to de-stess and recharge my social batteries. Next time I will probably try to plan is some more low key activities in between the exciting stuff so I don't get burnt out.

I rarely have guests, so I'm glad when I offer to my closest friends and family and maybe 1-2 people want to stay over. No huge families. Forces me to clean my house and organize which can be pain but the end result is a cleaner and more organized house, usually.

Looking forward to my little nephew staying in a few weeks to watch a Giants game with me. Nice to have company in otherwise a sometimes too quiet apartment.

We have overnight guests a couple of times a year. It's fine--we are lucky enough to have a guest room and bathroom far away (first floor) from our bedroom, bathroom, and office (second floor), so it is easy to have people stay without major disruption. The biggest issue I have always had with having guests is the issue of adjusting to their schedule. As we have gotten older, we tend to take the "here are the keys and here is our schedule" approach and that seems to work much better.

We tend to stay in hotels when we visit, except for two very close friends who have lots of space and with whom we share an understanding about routines and such. I have insomnia, my husband is up at 4 am in any time zone and for the most part, the hotel room allows us to deal with out rhythms without disrupting others,

I LOVE hosting, just not every weekend. I've had it to the point where I've had guests every weekend for over a month at a time...and even though I love being around people, the weekend is my only "me" time. That block of time where people were always over was the first time I realized that solitude can be a good thing. Heheh. But my guests are always friends who are pretty chill and don't expect much. So I guess that makes it easy for me =)

We don't get house guests too often- usually relatives- but I love it. We have a guest room with its own bathroom so we're not all on top of each other - and we tend to eat out half the time & cook at home half the time. Nothing too elaborate- grilled burgers, chicken, salads. The cleaning beforehand is stressful only because we don't keep up with it day to day as we should- maybe someday we'll learn.

We moved into a slightly bigger house two years ago and I finally have a guest room. I LOVE having people come and stay with us. We plan meals, go see local attractions, take walks, talk long into the night, drink lots of wine, dine in new places, and generally have a blast. Last fall we had company every other weekend for about four months. I love it. I love playing hostess. I love showing off my city. I love having the leisure time to actually visit with my friends and get to know them ever better.

I also love to have parties and we have at least 3 or 4 big ones a year. I love having people over, neighbors, friends, and family. Having friends over for a party, dinner, or an extended stay is the best part of life in so many ways.

I confess to be baffled by people who don't want friends and family "touching their stuff". Isn't that why you have stuff? To look at, touch, feel, discuss, enjoy?

I actually love being a host and having friends stay over from other cities. I find it a way for us to connect without all the obligations of hotels or finding accommodations. At the current moment I have a roommate however I will always extend a hand to a friend when visiting and I would expect otherwise if my roommate had friend visiting.

I think of it like family style and more personal, they get to see a glimpse of your life and know you on a different level.

So Yes I love having company, especially if I can take the time off during their visit.

I don't live for it but I don't mind either. But I have never maintained a room just for guests, I usually just throw down an air mattress somewhere.

I think if you have a reason to have visitors regularly (i.e. parents coming to visit their grandchild frequently), I can see having a designated "guest room".

But... given the current economy, when I see people looking for a new home and struggling to get something in their price range and one of their "needs" is a guest room, I just shake my head. Unless you have a close family member that routinely stays with you for long periods of time, it's not a need, it's a nice to have.

I'm happy to play host, but I'm not offended at all if my loved ones decide to get a room somewhere. I know that sometimes a little quality time with the family can go a very long way, and it's nice to have a real break...hotels are perfect for that. I love visiting friends and family, but since I'm a very private person I'd rather stay in a hotel.

Oh and I have to say, I don't think it's polite when non immediate family or friends expect to be provided with a place to stay when they visit. If you offer fine, if not, they need to plan their own trip including lodging expense.

For immediate family, it's different. My parents, sister and one auntie that I'm super close to can ask if they can stay. But some relative that I don't know that well? Please don't assume you can save a few bucks because we'll take care of you.

Honestly, I don't like having guests or being a guest. When I travel, I prefer to stay in a hotel so that I can come and go as I please, sleep in or stay up without feeling awkward, eat what I want, etc.

My next place will be a pretty small place. I don't want more space than I need, just enough for me and my little dog (and maybe an overnight guest lol). But definitely not anything that will lead to relatives calling and asking for a place to stay. Hmm, maybe an open loft/studio space :)

I'm glad to read so many comments from people who have difficulty with guests! My in-laws and my husband's siblings feel entitled to use our home whenever they are traveling nearby. (I am just as uncomfortable when my family stays with us, but they almost always get a hotel!) The in-law visits have actually forced us to consider buying a bigger house, which is really ludicrous and expensive. I resent it.

I can't remember the last time we extended the invitation for them to come stay with us, but they just invite themselves, usually with no regard for our schedule. I wonder if they'll ever notice the imposition!

I honestly do not like having guests. I especially hate for people to sleep on my couch because they tend to "camp out" and I don't feel like I am able to use my own space. We had our first child in May and made a rule that only one person can stay at our home at a time because of space limitations. Grandparents didn't like it but with a new baby I was not going to give up the daily routine that I had established.

It depends on the guest really. I don't like the judgey ones -oh my apartment is to small for you? It's so inconvenient of me to only have a single bed for a spare bed, I should buy a king for when you stay because that's what you like?

I don't think so, you knew I lived in a small apartment and that I only have single bed spare before you got here, now shut up or go fork out for a hotel.

I love having close friends over. Having them overnight means we get that much longer to relax and enjoy each other's company. My bf and I regularly have a pair of really good friends stay over and it's pretty great.

As for family and relatives, I usually feel more stress (from his family and from my own) since I always feel the need to keep them entertained and happy.

Cleaning the house is never a problem since both the bf and I love keeping our home clean for our own enjoyment (who likes to be confronted with a messy/dirty house at the end of a long work day?) so we are pretty much guest-ready any given day.

I love having visitors! But luckily for me I have a two bedroom apartment so there's a place where people can crash with privacy, which makes everything easier.

I sort of like having guests but it is a LOT of work! Especially for my in-laws who expect the red carpet, don't want to be left alone for a moment and prefer I cook/prepare them 3 meals a day so they don't have to spend money. But after I've put in the work and their visit is over, I find I miss the bustle when they're gone. :)
I will say this.. at least among my friends, those that LOVE to have guests over and entertain often, are the ones that generally put very little preparation time or thought into hosting.

Btw, ironically, I *hate* being a house guest at my sister-in-law's home. She MAKES you march to her drum beat. If she wants you to watch her 4 kids while she goes shopping, you better do it or it'll be hell to pay. She refuses her guests the luxury of planning anything that doesn't include her family and fit within her schedule which means that if you want to do something, you have to clear it with her first and more than likely she will veto it (even just taking a solo walk around the block!). I suggested one year that we rent a car and/or stay in a hotel and I thought she was going to have a heart attack! Absolutely not.

Yippeeee! I'm so happy there a people just like me!!!!! I love having guests over -- just not overnight. I have a husband, kids, a dog, and a family routine that I'm pretty happy with. Overnight guests would just upset my balance. If that sounds neurotic, well, then, I'm thrilled to be neurotic. You can call me anything as long as you don't ask to spend the night!

P.S. For some reason it doesn't bother me when my kids' friends spend the night. Kids are soooooooo much easier than adults. And so much less needy and judgmental. Kids are great, actually.

@paperkite: you have to start standing up for yourself. You are a grown up, and you have to ask to take a walk? Come on. Your sister-in-law sounds ridiculous.

Growing up with a large, extended family, you'd think I'd love having guests. I fondly remember all us cousins camping-out in my grandmother's or uncle's homes, big family meals, playing board games or watching movies. But, as an adult, I have a really hard time with even two guests visiting. I feel a bit bratty saying that with my 1,100 sq/ft home, but it is what it is.

I guess it depends on the guest themselves, the sort of relationship you have with them - close, so-so, etc, and the timing as well.

Recently, my family hosted an event and thus some relatives decided to come early to help. However, you know, there are times when help is not actually needed and having too many people around makes things even less productive. It was fun, but rather chaotic, trying to find some space amongst all 14 of us in the house. In our culture, guests are also highly respected and their needs comes first...for that particular night, some of us slept on the floor to make way for the guests, argh!

Actually I don't like having guests at all. Particularly those who just drop by. I prefer a call so I can tidy up a bit. Overnight guest are not my favourite either because there is always some home critique. No we haven't painted all the rooms and no we can't afford to change all the light fixtures. Yes we have only renovated one of the two bathrooms. Yes there are only two bathrooms so suck it up. Shocking there might be cat hair since we have two cats. I also hate staying at other people's homes too. I don't like that I am expected to wake and sleep at certain times. I don't expect to be fed. I can make myself cereal so just relax people.

I have a really tiny house. I don't mind one person overnight, but any more than that can be a real hassle, since it basically involves setting up a camp cot in my living room/kitchen.. which isn't cozy for my guest, either!

My family actually lives in another country. It costs a small fortune in airfare for them to visit me, so I could never ask them to stay in a hotel. When they come to visit, I actually hand them my housekeys and my husband and I go stay in a friend's guest room up the street. It's a hassle, but it's worth it to see their smiling faces once a year.

I guess I should add that if I had a guest room (as I have in the past) that I'd probably have house guests constantly, and I'd be very happy with that. I used to host people three out of four weeks a month when I had space and enjoyed it almost always. And people nearly always reciprocate, which is great when I'm traveling overseas and want to visit them!

I love having guests for two nights, but it starts to wear on me for longer than that. I belong to a home stay organization (Servas, used to be called Open Doors) and I get a few guests from that every year. It's fun to meet new people, and I love to stay in other people's houses for a short time, too. I do enjoy my alone time, so I appreciate it when guests can also occupy themselves for part of the stay.

I don't mind having guests stay over as long as they respect you and your feelings. I'm not an animal lover (shoot me) but my sister-in-law is. She had an Great Dane that she considered to be her kid. Whatever! She needed a place to stay, knowing how I felt about animals in my home and agreeing to keep her baby outside for one night. I awoke the next morning with this huge dog standing at the foot of my bed. Her overnight stays have been discontinued. Respect your hosts feelings.

Fun topic. I would love to have overnight guests but am too self conscious about the work my house needs and that it so small. My kids have sleepovers but they don't mind crashing in the same bed as their friends or all over the floor. The house is a mess during and after tho because there is just no space for their stuff...I think I'm an excellent house guest..;)

I really like having guests stay over. Before kids at our condo, it was a lot easier. We had a comfy full pull-out sofa in the loft plus a twin bed in the office (if we needed more we also had a queen blow-up mattress for downstairs and there is always the couch). It was a great set up and we constantly were having friends come crash for the night. When my family came, my parents would get a hotel room and my younger brother would stay with us because of the small space.
Now fast forward a few years and two kids later, in our new house we have an office/guest bedroom with a twin trundle bed. When my family comes, my parents are now staying with us in the office while my 18 year old brother crashes in the basement on the couch. There is always a feeling of having to entertain them which really makes the visits hard especially when we have a 1.5 year old and 4 month to take care of. We dont seem to have this problem when we visit them but for some reason at our house, there is always a point when they end doing nothing but watching tv or playing the computer. I don't really want to plan out every minute of their trip but they just have a hard time dealing with down time at our home. It is wierd because it never seems to happen with our friends when they visit.

We love having guests! Since we just moved across the country from all of our family, we're hoping to buy a house that can accomodate guests easily in the basement. When family can stay with us, and not at a hotel, then they have the freedom to stay longer.

Oh yes! We live in a 1br condo (600 sqft) in ski country, so we have a handful of close friends up to stay all the time during the winter. It's become something of a tradition on cold mornings for everyone (me, husband, cat, dog, guest, etc) to pile into bed on the pull-out couch and sip bloody marys and snuggle :)

I'm really surprised that so many people who regularly read a site devoted to 'making a house a home, etc.' don't like hosting guests! Not that you have to of course - just surprising. I figured everyone would dig it!
I love hosting family and friends and preparing big meals. I love getting the guest room ready and planning a big breakfast for the next morning too! :) Love it!

I just endured the past week spending each night sleeping at my son's home as I turned over my small (1250 sq.ft.),one bedroom +den, home to five family members from England. It was crazy, crowded (numerous bags, both traveling and shopping) chaotic and totally FABULOUS! I wouldn't change having houseguests for anything. BRING IT ON!

I love having guests in my home (for no more than 3 days/2nights preferably) but I loathe staying in someone else's home, even close relatives - I just never feel comfortable. Maybe I am a control freak, although I don't consider myself one.

But I do enjoy renting a vacation home where we all stay together.

I generally enjoy guests however it is mainly my family who visit us as we moved to London from the North of England in October. I always clean and do extra food shopping ect but I don't really mind the time it takes. I think my partner minds the guests more than me. I enjoy the not doing much relaxed time together.

It does annoy me though when people stay over and leave there stuff all over my home not. Like not hanging coats up, putting luggage away ect. But I think thats me just being house proud and a little uptight!

I agree with Kris0218, it's weird how many readers don't want guests. I renovated my place thinking a lot about how I would have guests. Learned from my previous place: Bedrooms far apart to have enough privacy. Bathroom not too close to the dining room. I do stress a bit when I know people will come, I want everything clean, I want to give a good impression. But in the end, when they arrive isn't what is life all about sharing good time with good friends ?

24 hours. That is my limit before I absolutely need alone time.

I don't mind having guests for dinner or something, but I prefer some distance/space overnight.

It depends on who it is. If it's my cousin, she's like a sister, we have a wonderful time together. If it's our uncle, who drank 30+ bottles of wine and champagne during his two week visit and decimated my modest wine cellar, no thanks! I've spent many years playing hostess, because everyone wanted to come through SF, before realizing I was spending most of my own vacation fund entertaining other people on their vacations. So, now, I prefer to meet in the middle and explore a location neither of us has ever visited. Turns out it's a lot more fun although I do still have the ability to make up a guest room space and host a visitor (prefer 3 days or less for a visit, honestly, and please don't infer that I should give up my comfy bedroom for you unless you're aged).

The one thing I'm finding difficult is having gone vegetarian - is it rude to entertain vegetarian-only, plus eggs & dairy, and encourage guests to get their fill of meat when we dine out at restaurants? I just don't want the smell of meat in my fridge or the smell of cooked meat in my brand new drapes and upholstery. Hmm, don't like it? Oh there's a lovely little hotel just a short car ride away, xoxo, enjoy your stay!

I dont mine overnight guest like family or a close friend. What I do mine is one day a close friend of mines younger sister was visiting her husband who was working as a contractor in my state and her younger sister was visiting him. And my friend expect me to entertain them and have them stay overnight I have never met these people in my life or talked to them. I no nothing about them. I ONLY know my best friend. not her sister and husband. So it just so happens I was out of town that weekend butifIwas in town this would have been a no-go for me.