I recently ran across an article "In Praise of Scruffy Hospitality" and it resonated so soundly with me. My mother used to believe that even though we didn't have much, our house would always be one of hospitality where people wanted to gather (in particular our friends when we were growing up). That while our furniture may be a hodgepodge of family antiques, yard sale finds, and hand-me-downs.... and the house I largely grew up in was very old and needed more work than we would ever finish.... and while it was often too warm in the summer and too cold in the winter..... there was always a comfy chair, good conversation, a warm or cold drink, and some sort of random assortment of food and munchies we could put together while we gathered on the porch or in the living room and talked, visited, or played cards....
Like my mom, I'm a terrible housekeeper - I neither like nor am terribly good at cleaning :) - but my house is usually reasonably neat and hopefully comfortable.... and at the end of the day, spending time with and sharing moments with my friends and loved ones (and the pups) is much more valuable to me than spending hours cleaning. Rather than waiting until I have the time, energy and money to put together the perfect coordinated meal at a well organized table - I love nothing more than picking up my kids from school or camp and deciding to put a call out to see who feels up to a fire in the firepit, a crockpot full of chili, and whatever other random sides I can find or folks feel like bringing.... I don't want to wait.... I want to enjoy my friends and loved ones when life is good and up and abundant and when life is tough, messy, and a little tighter....
I am the same way with furniture.... Why wait until my house is perfectly decorated to use and enjoy it? I have a bit of a bargain shopping habit and have become addicted to the facebook marketplace and finding wonderful deals.... Recently I've bought a couple of beautiful hardwood pieces that need a lot of work. When I picked up one of them, the lovely older woman who was selling it was shocked to hear me say that I would just be putting it in my living room and would get around to refinishing it sometime but it would be a bit.... (she also was concerned that I didn't have a man to help me unload it but rather assured her that my daughter and I had this....)
Life was meant to be lived! By finding the beautiful pieces at beautiful prices :) I can enjoy them, and my people, and my life.... I will get them refinished in time, but I'm not going to WAIT until everything is perfect to enjoy all aspects of it - if I did that I would miss all of the mess that makes life the most beautiful mosaic.... Plus I think that my hodgepodge of furniture is a reflection of me - slightly messy, comforting, eclectic, enduring, attractive even, flawed but more beautiful and richer for those, strong and lasting, stable, and inclusive.....oh yeah and most of it was a bargain.... :) (much like my hodgepodge of dishes at most of the meals at my house - spaghetti with a side of guac and chips? why not?)
So if you have been to my house.... I hope you are comfortable with some 'scruffy hospitality'.... you will always be greeted with a warm smile, something warm (or cold depending on the season - it is GA after all) to eat and drink, and some messy but good company and conversation :)
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