Hospitality

Being in that transitory, single time of life for many years now, I have had the opportunity to put many people out on many different occasions. Thus, I have really come to appreciate good hospitality. There's nothing like having to not be in your own bed for a night or two and arriving at a temporary sleeping place to find a space reserved just for you - maybe even a bedroom with a bed all made up and the sheets turned down, invitingly. Maybe a bathroom to yourself. You get in late, find these simple pleasures awaiting, and fall asleep as content as you can be when not at home. Then the next morning you wake up, get ready, and join your benefactors in the kitchen, where Substitute Mom is making you pancakes. Substitute Dad places a glass of orange smoothie down in front of you. And these people don't even know you - have never me you before. It just makes the weekend of adventure that much better! And to all those who let me crash on their couch - thank you, too!! Hospitality isn't necessarily connected with amenities - it has more to do with the attitudes of the people putting you up. There's nothing like feeling at home and at ease even when you are not at home.

Stranger in a Strange Land

Today I went to my second ward conference of the year for my church. It is so interesting being in a normal family congregation because I have attended college congregations for the last decade of my life. It was kind of funny recognizing a lot of people - "Oh, I remember seeing him around before . . and him, too . . . oh, and her . . . and . . ." The reason that I REMEMBER seeing them is because they used to be single and they are not single now. And then there's me. I think a benefit of getting to be around these family congregations is that it might prep me for my return to them when I age out of the singles ones. I'm going to have to re-learn how to pay attention to speakers while babies are all around making noise (kind of unrelated, but true).

4 Reasons for Today

• Arizona's Birthday
• Chinese New Year
• Valentine's Day
• the Sabbath

Flannel Sheets

Tonight I was playing a game - well, actually I played a couple of different games - and at some point we got to flannel sheets. I learned that people have very definite opinions about flannel sheets. I am on the "I LOVE them!!" side of things. I purchased some a number of years ago because I thought they would be nice, and I don't think I have ever regretted them. There were several people that were part of the conversation who seem to loath them - or at least on the "No way!" side of the spectrum. In fact, I might have been the only one who really likes them. Hmmm . . . maybe nobody likes them except for me, and I am the anomaly here. What say you?