Unexpected visitors

Have only had unexpected visitors once ie my sister, partner and two children on the way back from partner's family. Great as they stopped for an impromptu meal and lots of gossip.

The only other time it came close was when a friend from my 20s phoned as he was passing on the motorway. The call went to answer phone and I panicked and did not answer till he was clearly well past my house. We kept in touch by email and the next time he passed I knew in advance. Sad really as we connected immediately as if we had not been apart for 30+ years! I felt a bit sorry for his wife as we didn't stop talking for the 3 hours they were here even though I did try to include her. Maybe the moral is 'True friends stay that way regardless of years past or messy house!'

I love people turning up. OK I might not look my best and the carpets might need hovering, but it's being with friends and family that really matters.

No problem at all. But many years ago we did have one. We hosted foreign students. One Spanish girl turned up with her Mother!! Thank goodness her room was a double.

Every time I read this thread title Unexpected Visitors I right away think the thread is about "visitors" such as Head lice or bed bugs etc.

Just an observation.

As you were!

Or mice, or worse... Ugh

Unlike others I absolutely hate the thought of unexpected visitors but have loved it when it (rarely) happens. I'm even a bag of nerves when guests are expected and so it probably is best for everyone for them to just turn up and make me deal with it.

I would just love to have visitors full stop, I have a friend that comes here every Sunday for a coffee, & she has been wonderful since my hubby died 20th December 2011, but she is the only one, many others said we will come & see you, but not one of them has, my house is clean but never tidy lol if they are friends they don't mind, many have said it's a home not a show house & said they feel comfortable here. At one time I used to keep some scone mix I had put together (without the liquid) in the freezer, but have thrown so much out I don't now, the idea being if unexpected visitors came I could whip some up in no time. I am off the beaten track as well, a long drive from the Lane that only goes up to some farms, no-one passes, moan over lol

I don't mind unexpected visitors but we too are off beaten track so doesn't happem very often. We recently had old friend who'd had a row with his wife and wanted some one to talk to. We were all ready with daughter and her family to go out for Sunday lunch. They went we stayed. What are friends for eh??

I used to be one of those nuisance dropper inners (having come from an area and social group where it was normal and moved to an area and started to meet people who didn't do it) - then one day someone explained to me that she didn't really know what I wanted when I showed up unexpectedly and sat on her sofa . A few years later we started to get mobile phones so now it's easy to call ahead, problem solved.

At the moment there is a lot in the press about old people who are lonely. I am always welcoming to unexpected visitors. One of the reasons I do this is I think if ever I was left on my own I would need a group of friends around me who would support me and visit. However if that time came it would be otherwise too late to say I wish I had more friends outside the family so I nuture friendships now and keep in regular contact with friends who are on their own. So I say don't complain about peolple who call in there may come a day when you would be very pleased to see that friendly face.

I just want to say I don't mind visitors one bit, just not those who turn up unexpectedly.

Albangirl I agree, good thought.
Wilma that's cheating!

So many women feel the house has to be clean and tidy and themselves looking good, that it detracts from the visitor experience.Although if they turn up at 7 am may get short shrift from me until vast quantities of tea and a bit of toast and marmalade has been consumed.

I think it depends... If it's just a neighbour popping for a cup of tea and a chat, then it's fine (as long as I'm not just getting ready to go out).
But if it's long lost friend or relative and they obviously intend to stay all day, or longer, then I would really have an enormous inward struggle to stay polite as I think it's very rude and inconsiderate of them.
It happened to me once. My ex-husband's sister and husband who lived in Canada turned up on our doorstep one Sunday morning! Oh calamity!
We didn't even know they were in this country. My husband had planned to go fishing,and guess what? He still went, and left me to entertain them all day!!!
I should have won the Oscar for my acting that day. I don't think they detected my inner rage and turmoil....

Well, I must say, I'm disappointed at you Gransnetters. Surely friends popping in don't arrive expecting a pristine house, sparkling silver and a 3 course meal etc. they've popped in to see you. Personally I love people popping in just because they don't expect amazing hospitality, just a cuppa & biscuit and a warm welcome. As long as they do just pop in & not expect to stay too long.

rosesarered I just want time to get a decent bra on!

I think it's extremely discourteous to pop in without giving notice. Even if it's only 20 minutes, at least you can take your curlers out, put all the laundry in the bin, take off the sweatshirt with a tea stain on it, and as Rosesarered wisely observed, you can do something with an errant bosom!

It's something I miss - people just popping in. When we lived 'up north' we had lots of friends in the area and knew the neighbours really well and people often just dropped by, for a chat and a brew, especially after I retired. When we went away someone would always have the dog, feed the cat, water the plants/garden etc.. and vice versa.

Since we moved here, I miss that and love it when the few people I do know drop in. Now, because we're nearly three hours drive away people tend to come and stay for a few days, and of course they always check beforehand. I'm quite excited as we have visiters staying this weekend.

I think the annoying thing about it is that the 'popper rounders' have probably known all day - in our case sometimes days that they were planning on popping round on such and such a day - our serial popper rounders do this - it's just rude. Pop a quick text/call in at least - nowt worse than someone popping round expecting tea and Biscuits when you have no milk in - or biscuits - at least you can be prepared then.

Why stress about tea and biscuits? Just ask if they'd rather take tea black or do without and whoever has biscuits in anyway? I certainly don't buy them. And no one who knows me would say yes to anything I'd baked myself.

I can see why some people hate droppers-in if they feel they need to 'look after' them. You are probably very kind and caring, nurturing people, unlike me, who quite happy to send them away hungry and thirsty if I've nothing in.

But very happy to catch up with the latest gossip their lives.

Curious to know mummyagain why you think people plan to 'drop-in' on you days in advance? Isn't 'dropping-in' a very spontaneous thing - or do you live on a small island with limited ferry access perhaps

I think I like people dropping in because it means they actually want to see you, rather than being asked round,or feeling it's their turn to visit you and a duty thing.There is a caveat to this popping in thing though, it should be for a shortish time, an hour and a half say.

'I think I like people dropping in because because they actually want to see you'

Precisely. If it's Happy Hour time all the better

Haha no sadly not

We've had conversations with people and when we e mentioned what our plans are for the weekend for example they've said, oh, we were going to pop in on Saturday.

I agree about the length of the visit, Deffo short but sweet. It's always nice to have visitors, I'm not a total grouch, I just think it's a modern courtisy to call/text first is all.

Anya - we never have biscuits as my husband can't leave them, he has to eat them all haha