posted on May 14, 2013 by Jaycie Cash

Company’s Coming, So There Goes My Budget

suitcaseMy best friend is coming to visit.

As excited as that makes me, I’m also scared: the knowledge that she’s going to be here for over a week has left me looking at my home with new eyes.

I’ve gotten busy and started replacing things that otherwise I’d probably just continue to put up with if I was the only one to see or deal with them on a regular basis.

In other words, my lifelong friend traveling over 1,500 miles to return to her hometown for her high school reunion is probably the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. And not just because it means I’ll be able to spend some major quality time with someone I’ve known since I was five years old.

Call me a procrastinator, call me cheap, call me lazy, all of which is probably at least somewhat accurate. . . just don’t call me late for dinner. However, since I replaced my leaking dishwasher yesterday, I’ll now be able to clean up after each one we have without washing everything by hand.

Next weekend I’m going to plant new flowers in all my outdoor containers, and we’re talking about close to 30. This is a number for which I kick myself whenever I replace or water them. As a result, my behind tends to be pretty bruised by the time fall rolls around.

I’m also checking into having the cushions on my lawn furniture recovered and getting my deck newly stained. At the very least, I will also have the carpet cleaned in the two rooms that aren’t now covered in hardwood. And have I mentioned yet that I’m going to clean out and organize my garage and home office?

Clearly, I have my work—and expenses—cut out for me.

The funniest thing about all this is the fact that my sweet friend could probably care less about the changes I’m making. She’d never judge me or look down her nose if things weren’t entirely up to snuff when she arrived. She’ll be so happy to be here and for us to be able to spend time together, she probably won’t even notice how things look.

But the point is, I’ve noticed. And as I mentioned above that’s the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time because—as my list of to-do’s no doubt makes clear—it’s past time for me to get off my duff and take care of this stuff.

So, lucky for me, she’ll have another reunion five years from now when all these things and more are sure to need to be redone or fixed!

HOW ABOUT YOU, DOES THE PROSPECT OF HAVING COMPANY MAKE YOU LOOK AT YOUR HOME MORE CRITICALLY? GOT ANYTHING YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO FIX AROUND THE HOUSE? A FREE COPY OF MY DEBUT NOVEL, MRS. GOODFELLER WILL BE RANDOMLY AWARDED TO ONE PERSON WHO LEAVES A COMMENT BELOW BEFORE THE NEXT WRITERSPACE BLOG IS POSTED.

jayciecash.com

Jaycie Cash blogs on a regular basis for Writerspace.com. Her debut novel, Mrs. Goodfeller, is available through most major e-Book outlets, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She’d love for you to like her Facebook Author page.

6 thoughts on “Company’s Coming, So There Goes My Budget”

  1. Sharlene Wegner says:

    I can relate! My house is in desperate need of organizing & cleaning, but no one ever comes over. The last time my sister came to stay, I had to clear toys out of the spare room ( my kids are teenagers). We just don’t have time or $ to paint or landscape, so that just goes by the wayside. But the cleaning & organizing – no excuse!

    1. Jaycie says:

      Boy, do I ever relate. I’ve got no excuses either. Still, sometimes life just isn’t pretty . . . and neither is my house!

  2. Chris says:

    I am the exact same way, but your blog did motivate me to buckle down and put my patio furniture back out for the summer. I am such a procrastinator!!!

    1. Jaycie says:

      So glad you were motivated. Thanks for letting me know. Hope the weather makes it possible for you to truly enjoy that lawn furniture all summer long. Some of my most peaceful moments in life involve me relaxing on my back deck once it’s in shade. Nirvana!

  3. Barbara Thompson says:

    Oh yes I know exactly what you’re talking about. My Mother and I live together and my brother can say something about coming for the weekend and this needs cleaning and fix this and on and on we go. Probably the only thing my brother thinks about when he comes is checking on Mom and eating her good cooking. Thank you for entering me in your giveaway
    barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com

  4. Jaycie says:

    Thank you, Barbara, for participating! It’s always good to hear from a kindred spirit!

Leave a Reply to Jaycie Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Latest from our Blog

Mahoney & Squire – Military Women’s Fiction – Meet The Characters

Have you met the men and women of Mahoney & Squire, my high-stakes, high-octane military action adventure series? Let me introduce you! Captain Kathryn “Kate” Mahoney, USN Call Sign “Scarlett” Ambitious, strong-willed, patriotic, and assertive, Kate Mahoney is often derided as a “bitch” by the old school naval aviation community. She struggled through dysfunctional relationships,… Read More

Read More