Among Friends

[NYC Susan]

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@Big Joanie wrote:

I can sum this up very quickly ... I don't want other people telling me

how to live ( or keep house )  so I return the favor .....

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Exactly!  That's how it should be.

And not everyone views "bad housekeeping" the same.  Years ago, I had an excellent housekeeper who did an incredible job.  But it wasn't up to my MIL's very high standards, and she let me know every time she visited.   During that same time period, I would constantly hear from guests how spotless my home was, how great it smelled, how everything sparkled, etc.  I'm sure my home was kept cleaner than some and not as clean as others - But I was more than happy with it, and no one else was ever rude enough to say anything (even on the days my kids had made it not-so-clean!)

"Bad housekeeping" is very subjective.  I wouldn't expect anyone to live up to my standards in their own home nor would I assume that my preference was right and theirs was wrong.  

[Lindsays Grandma]

My house was always immaculate, a place for everything and everything in it's place.  You wouldn't find a speck of dust on the furniture or dirt on the floors.  That was and still is me.  I never expected any of my friends to be me!

One of my dearest friends was not a good housekeeper...things not put away, clutter,  what you would call messy.  March of 2011 she died from breast cancer and I would give anything to have her and her messy house still in my life.