The size of the family living in this house changes frequently. There are three people that live here permanently full-time. There are two people that live here temporarily full-time. There are four people that live here permanently part-time. And then there are two people that come sometimes but there isn’t a set schedule of when they come or how long they stay but it’s usually when all of the other people are here. This means that there are usually five to eleven people in this house at any one time. When nine to eleven are here I call this my full house and it is usually a weekend.

Full House weekend means that 21 cups will be in the dishwasher after just one formal meal when there are only 10 people in the house. The entryway will look like the coat and shoe section of DI and family dinners will be an interesting mix of table manners. Usually a decided lack thereof. And no matter how many times one asks for each person to wash their own dishes, there will be a sink full of dishes when they go home and dirty socks will have been stashed all over the house. I tend to be a lot more comfortable away from this crowd where I don’t have to endure eating sounds, noisy chaos, and table manners that would be frowned upon where I grew up. The weekend will pass, the crowds will thin out, the noise will abate and the coats and shoes will disappear. The socks will linger on.

Here is a shout-out to all the step mothers out there. We have a damned difficult job. Even with the fantastic support of my wonderful husband who always backs me up, it’s a rough job. Here’s a second shout-out to those step moms out there that don’t get the back up they deserve. I feel for you.

I spend a lot of time in my room during those times, not because I don’t love this crazy full house, I do. I love and enjoy the company of everyone in this house, including our two new house guests. There’s just no room to sit and the noise level makes any sort of concentration next to impossible even if we were to all be watching a movie. I hope to have a house someday that will accommodate a large group. David and I have our eye on this couch that has two recliners in it. Until that day, I hang out in my own personal space.  I can usually get some knitting or writing done.

This week’s knitting is a scarf for Sunshine who turns 21 in a few days. The scarf is going to match a hat and mitts that I made for her previously and that she seemed to enjoy.

I’m hoping that I have enough of the red yarn to make the scarf as long as I want. Since I’m on a big yarn diet (I’ve gone what is called cold sheep), I can’t get more and the scarf will have to be whatever length it turns out to be.

I’m also hoping I can find where all the socks were stashed before the people all come back.