Our neighbors invited us over for homemade pizza, cinnamon rolls, and a game of cards.
It was such a lovely evening.
We ate, laughed, played cards, and spent time getting to know one another a little better. Nothing elaborate. Just a wonderful evening with good company.
And it got me thinking about our own house.
A party at our previous home.
What I Want This House to Become
When we bought this house, one of the things I was most excited about was the possibility of having people over.
There is a music room with a grand piano, harp, and cello. The pocket doors open into the adjoining rooms, and there is plenty of space for people to gather.
I can imagine evenings with music, dinner parties, coffee with friends, and all the little occasions that don't really need a reason.
But right now, there are still plenty of things to do.
The entryway needs wallpaper removed and the woodwork painted. I haven't even figured out the wall color yet.
The kitchen could use some attention.
And there are a lot of other projects waiting their turn.
If I'm not careful, I could spend a very long time working on the house before I actually start entertaining.
A House Doesn't Have to Be Finished
I've been thinking about this more lately.
I don't want to wait until every room is finished before we start inviting people over.
I want to enjoy the house while we're working on it.
The music room is already usable. The piano is there. The harp and cello are there. We can sit around and visit, listen to music, or simply enjoy the room.
And the entryway?
Well, I can live with an undecided wall color for a while.
I suppose this is a little like the balcony. There are things that need attention, but that doesn't mean everything has to wait.
The Kind of Evenings I Hope We'll Have
That evening with our neighbors was a good reminder of what I really want.
I want our home to feel warm and welcoming.
I want people to feel comfortable coming over, even if the house isn't perfectly put together. I'd love to have friends over for dinner, invite someone in for coffee and cake, or spend an evening playing cards.
And I hope we'll have plenty of opportunities to get to know our neighbors and build friendships here.
I think that's one of the things I'm most looking forward to about this house.
Not just the rooms or the garden, but the people who will become part of our lives here.
So Maybe We Should Just Start
I still have plenty of projects to work on.
I'll eventually choose a wall color for the entryway. There are rooms to paint, things to repair, and lots of ideas for the garden.
But I don't think entertaining needs to wait for any of that.
Maybe we'll start with dinner.
Or coffee and something homemade.
Or an evening of music in the music room.
I think I'd rather have people enjoying the house with us than wait until I can show them a finished version of it.
And if someone happens to see an unfinished project along the way?
Well, they'll just have to come back and see how it turns out.