The Pause Between the Musical Notes

I have been absent from my daily ranting and bitching on this blog. My older brother and his wife came out from Minnesota to visit. They have never been here before, so everything was new. I always have a mix of both happiness and apprehension prior to receiving visitors. Happy that I'm getting guests, but worry about having everything "just right."

Having guests also reminds me of the importance of family and friends. I tend to get caught up in the day-to-day bullsh** with the job and keeping the household on track. Both the job and keeping the household on track demand constant attention to minute details that in the big scheme of things just don't really matter. It will suck you down with it if you allow it. Before you know it you're consumed with work issues and/or keeping enough paper towels on hand.

With guests I feel free to ditch all my day-to-day mundane chores to enjoy their company and have some fun. I'm free to take a vacation without going on vacation. No packing or plane trip required. I also enjoy being on the go with my guests and doing the tourist thing in my own town. It's amazing what I don't know. Each time I visit Alcatraz, I pick up another little bit of information that I missed on previous trips.

Aside from doing the busy tourist thing, I think the best part of having family and friends visit are the times when we're riding in the car, relaxing on the back deck, or other seemingly non-eventful moments. There's always a little phrase said that sparks laughter, the song on the radio that begs bad sing-along vocals, and other little things that create a deepening bond with that person. It's the little things said and done during the non-event that develop relationships. It really is the pause between the notes that creates the music.