“Y’all come on in!”

Have you ever read the journal entries of people who lived during the years of the Civil War? The social life of the time fascinates me. Though war raged throughout the south, people didn’t curl up in their homes with the doors locked and the windows closed. They traveled—extensively. If they weren’t walking down the street to visit a friend, or driving to the next town to do the same, they were hopping a train to journey across the state. It surprises me how often people dropped in on one another and stayed for weeks.

What would I do if someone suddenly rang the doorbell, expecting to be put up for the next two weeks or a month? That’s easy—panic and slam the door shut!

 I was once accused of being hypocritical for all the “company cleaning” I did. Guilty. Yep, give me at least a week’s notice. There are meals to plan, groceries to buy, towels and sheets to wash, rooms to clean…

Bottom line: If you come to my house unexpectedly, bring your own dust rag!

What about you? Does the idea of unanticipated company have you dialing 911 to report your own heart attack? Would you be tempted to hand out preprinted lists of the local motels and restaurants? Perhaps you’re the one who throws open the door with a big smile and says, “Y’all come on in!”

If so, tell me. I could use a vacation.