There are so many changes happening here right now. Changes to my (real) job; changes to my side hustle (soap making!); changes for my girls, who are leaving nursery and moving into primary school; and changes to our island home, which is opening up and welcoming tourists back in increasing in numbers. And on Wednesday, our schools will close for the summer holidays.
At work the other day we were talking about whether we would let a tourist into our house to use the toilet. This does happen – not everyone is comfortable with going behind a bush in all circumstances. Although I have filled water bottles, given out glasses of juice and pointed people in the right direction (away from my garden!) I have never had someone wanting to come inside my house. We all laughed, a bit at the absurdity of tourists but more from understanding the desperation of needing the loo at an awkward time. Secretly though, I’m sure we were all a bit hysterical about the thought of a stranger coming into our houses and seeing THE MESS.
Well, I was. I’m not suggesting that my colleagues have untidy houses - I have been in most of their homes and they are all lovely and welcoming, and tidy, but I usually panic clean for two days before we have guests because, as I’ve explained many times to my husband, although I chose ‘goddess’ over ‘domestic’ I still want people to think I have a tidy house. This is harder to do in the summer, when the dogs and the kids and everyone else is in and out all the time and nobody wants to be inside pushing a vacuum cleaner around, but more important, because all that glorious sunshine streaming in through the windows picks up every bit a dust in creation and it’s all in my house.
I absolutely pictured a poor person, knees pressed together in desperation, hands wringing, teeth floating, stop at the door and say, ‘actually, it’s okay thanks’, and turn tail.
With all the change that the summer is bringing, I wonder if it’s time to change my attitude about keeping house?
I’ve already bought and read (and enjoyed!) a book about cleaning – properly keeping things clean, not just walking around wafting things about feeling their spark of joy – and while I have taken some of the advice, there is probably still room for improvement. One of the things I could do is invest in some proper cleaning products, natural and sustainable, and, inspired by the great push to support small businesses, buy them from a local producer.
But then again, maybe I should just let it go, and encourage people to just drop in and leave me little notes in the dust, wash their own glasses while I get the ice, and carry the chairs outside so that we can admire the view. I live in paradise with people who love me, and that isn’t going to change.
