We accommodate a visitor.

Thursday 19 March 2009

We have had a visitor these past few days. Josie's father had to go out of town for a few days and her mother works an early-morning shift, so Josie would have been alone when she woke up. Even though she is 15 this would still have been awkward. So Mother, in her infinite generosity, just suggested, 'Why doesn't she stay with us?' So Josie's little sister went to stay with one of her friends and Josie has come here.

You may want to believe this is a big house, because I refer to it as a castle. It is a castle, architecturally, in that it is a castellated dwelling capable of surviving a storm, a famine, or an assault with conventional weapons (okay, just guns). But it is not so castlelike when it comes to size. My room is the biggest bedroom (after my parents') and it is only 13 x 14 feet. You may want to believe it is a big house, because there are nine bedrooms. But one is for my parents, each of us girls have one, little J.J. has the one that will eventually be a guest room or Mother's parlour, Gran has one down stairs and two are intended for housekeepers (which we don't currently have). And the one in the tower above Lisa's room is currently a playroom with almost no furniture. So if you are staying over, and Gran's room is not available or desirable, we kind of don't have anywhere to put you up. (We do have a guest house-- that's not finished yet-- but who would want to sleep out there when we're all in here?)

Of course Jessy intended that Josie would stay in her room. No one doubted that. Josie came over at 7.00 on Wednesday morning and has been here or at school with us since. Roger drives us all to school, we have plenty of room at the table, and Josie takes her shower in the evening like Jessy does so we scarcely even know she is here. She is a very sweet girl and we are all fond of her. It's especially nice because she is so attentive towards Lisa, who in turn has proclaimed Josie her new best friend.

And, of course, Jessy and Josie are sharing the bed. I find this terribly cute-- well, when Becky stayed over New Year's she stayed with me and Rita stayed with Jessy... no problem. Why do so many people think this is awkward, even risque? We girls don't mind. Especially with this weather trend, Jessy's been keeping as comfortable as she can, considering what week it is. Lisa was in there earlier this evening, right after her bath (say no more) and the three of them were lying across Jessy's bed looking through 'Teen Vogue' and, may I say, there was only one shirt between them. I saw the laugh in Josie's eye-- she thinks it's hysterical, in a really cute kind of way. And so do I.

At the risk of indulging the puerile, I think Jessy would sleep in the bed naked if it were convenient this week, even with Josie on the other side. It's all she does usually anyway, and Josie knows that. Of course I have not looked in on them to see, but-- Maybe we'll just let that one go.

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