Guesting and Hosting

It's a skill, you know, to be a good guest. To bring a gift. To inform your hosts of any allergies (before arrival). To not overstay your welcome. Or annoy your hosts. To offer to help, but not insist too much if your offer is declined. To strip the bed when you leave - unless you know your hosts want you to leave the linen on (some people do want this). To thank your hosts.

It's a skill also, you know, to be a good host. To make your guests feel at home, or at least not awkward. To talk to them. To guide them regarding the practices of the home, rather than leaving them to fend for themselves (that goes for food too). To provide clean linen and towels. To say "goodbye" and "come again" when they leave, so that there's an actual leave-taking that ends the visit.

I have been a guest often, and a host often enough. These details are only the tip of the iceberg (a friend and I have designed a guesting/hosting course that would surely put Miss Manners to shame, if we were ever to offer it). Sometimes, how to be a good guest, or a good host, is not clear. There are times when several options are viable, and you must choose.

I made several such choices today. Nothing dramatic or impressive. Just part of a regular visit away from home with old friends. Always, there's something to decide, even when either decision would work.