"Welcome, Do come In and Sit a Spell"

I've heard this all my life. Just what exactly is a "spell" and how long is a "spell"?

You don't hear that phrase uttered often now but I remember hearing my grandparents using it. I loved being at my grandparents and my parents on the weekends when relatives and friends would visit. It was always such social times. Where have they gone?

No longer do relatives gather as they did every weekend to visit and enjoy each other's company and food. Life has picked up speed; there are too many other options and families have spread apart to obtain jobs to support their own growing families.

The bonding has been severed and what a loss it is. I'm reminiscing a lot after this little trip.

A most interesting trip and one that has ended today. I arrived back home. 1600 miles driven, 45 minutes spent on the beach, 12 hrs of visiting and hundreds of dollars spent on gas and motel rooms doesn't compute for a fair and balanced good time. It happens. Things went awry from the beginning of this trip so why would I not think it would end the same way.

Customarily, when one invites someone to visit, it's understood that shelter will be provided unless specified otherwise early on in the invitation. Many times the area to be visited hinges upon knowing or having a friend in that area that will be kind enough to offer an invitation.  Such is the case for all my houseguests. I've had so many people converge on my house at the same time that sofa cushions were comandeered as temporary pallets swaddled in sheets and blankets and spread upon the floor to sleep on.

The giggles late at night can be heard throughout the house and I always envied those that got to "camp" out which usually were the children visiting with their parents.

I've always wondered what it would have been had the adults got to do the camping and sharing of stories while gathered together on their make shift beds in front of the fireplace protected from the outside elements.

Christmas visits are the ones that come to mind for these in house camping visits. The bitter cold air and the snow laden ground, the plaid blankets and  people in every corner of the house, the chatter and the baking was all holiday connected.

My welcome mat is always out. Accomadations are offered and hopefully you will have such a good time  my hope anyway and I'll make a special effort for each and everyone that expends the energy to just get here. I want you to feel "at home"!