How does he know!?

No karma here- if hes done it before by chance and he knows youre a creature of habit(which it sounds likely)he figures youl be doing exactly same thing next wk! try mixing it up a bit!

If someone rings while I'm eating or watching a program I like, I wouldn't even bother to answer the phone. I just use 1471 afterwards and decide when and if I want to speak to the callers. If it's an emergency, family and friends text me if I don't answer straightaway.

Everyone I don't mind visiting me whenever or is important to me has a key anyway so, if it's just a general knock at the door, I know it's a casual caller so I don't bother to answer most of the time but I do sneakily look at who might be walking down the path and call them back if I'm interested in speaking to them.

I stopped answering the phone or door when in the bath many years ago. If it's important the person will ring or come again.

But oh, dear, yes, the one day I decide to do the shopping before the washing up in the morning, the chimney sweep turns up and needs into the kitchen!

Before we moved to the other end of the country, I swore our grown up son could smell coffee from the other side of town, as he only turned up when there was a freshly brewed pot!

This is making me laugh. What a tonic. I would love to not answer the door or phone but my OH cannot leave a phone ringing and it'll invariably be for me when I'm watching TV or otherwise very busy. I'll just get her.... I hear him say.
We used to have a neighbour who would Coo-ee, it's only me and come in anytime. We didn't lock the door. Once she came right into our ground floor bedroom when we were in bed! serves me right for not locking the door.

Angharad56 No! (you are not weird!) I find it impossible to deal with unexpected callers now. Especially as I'm disabled and might be having a bad day. I actually get upset with them but try to hide it. I think they should phone first. All my friends know I could be in a lot of pain and lying down. Perhaps I'm selfish, but having to entertain visitors who just drop in is really hard for me. Some travel up from where I used to live 200 miles away, and decide to call unannounced on their way to their holiday destinations further on. They could at least phone, even an hour before, but a week before is better. Even worse are those who use my house as a free B&B for a night's stop-over on their journey. It might have been great for me once but now I'm disabled and live with constant pain and frequent severe migraines, so the extra load is out of my scope. It's as much as I can do to take care of myself and often I have to let things slide until I can manage, such as tidying up or ironing. No matter how you explain there are some people who just cannot take this in.

In these days of mobiles, no excuse for not ringing first.

Poor you. luzdoh, that's so rude. especially as they know you are disabled. For people who want to use us as a stopping over place, actually it's usually somewhere to park their visitors, I've just discovered the perfect solution. I tell them about a friend who has started to do airbnb as she's a single parent and needs the income. It's nearby but no beds to make up or extra cooking for me.
www.airbnb.co.uk

luzdoh, surely the stop-over ones at least ask before turning up? Then you say No, I can't cope with overnight visitors these days.

Don't be tactful with any who just arrive. Tell them you'd have rested up, if you knew they were coming but, as it is, you can only give them a quick cup of tea and chat for 15 mins, before your scheduled rest which your health visitor is very strict about.

Maybe you could have "run out" of milk or sugar too, as you haven't been shopping for a couple of days and didn't expect visitors.

Oldwoman70
Open curtains are no indication all is well and what is wrong with a phone call from B-I-L ?, to allow you some dignity, and a spare key for your caring neighbour much cheaper than a new door/doors?

How do they ALL know? Many days my house looks clean and tidy (always lived in, but ... ) fresh flowers, coffee on- sink all cleared and shiny - and you can bet nobody comes ...

but if I have a bad or lazy day, and as soon as I think 'ah well, stuff this for a game of soldiers' - they all arrive impromptu- hello, was just passing by. I try very very hard now, NOT to apologise - and just make them welcome.

The last time someone knocked at mine, I had been getting out stray whiskers with the tweezers on my face, then noticed a few pimples and squeezed them too.

'ah well, stuff this for a game of soldiers'

Ha ha!! I haven't heard that for years, love it!

I stopped answering the door to unknown callers in 2007. Moved house that year which is how I know exactly when.

To this day I've never missed anything important. Although, like the OP, I have had a worried neighbour ask her husband to break in. (I have multiple sclerosis ). I thought they were a little over the top because they did not ring me and ask if I'm alright, just decided there was a drama.

There was hell up when the neurological nurse, after knocking for ages phoned social services and somehow they involved the police. The nurse, who wasn't my usual lady, hadn't a scheduled visit, just knocked on the off chance.

Unless I know you're coming then I won't be answering.
Telephones were invented for a reason.

ahaha Jalima- nought like a foreigner hey ;)

Anyhow- I love people popping in- and they can take me as I am . We have a couple of young acquaintances who tend to do that at about 11.30 ... and it is vere clear why... short of a hot meal.

Jura2 'stuff that for a game of soldiers' Never hear this familiar phrase used these days.
My grandparents used that phrase.

Also remember grandad constantly saying "she's not a bad old stick really" about my grandmother.
High romance indeed!

A bad old stick. I love that saying.

Jalima1108 strangely enough I was watching something a couple of days ago which looked quite complicated, and I thought to myself "b****r that for a game of soldiers" - it just sprung into my head from nowhere

Luzdoh I'm still chortling at the story of your friend's Dad
I'm another scruffy dresser - it's called comfort. I had a 'friend' and neighbour who always looks as if she's off to a party even at 8am. She once, when seeing me in my finery + make up exclaimed 'good grief Marmight, you can scrub up well if you make an effort!'....
I love surprise visits. Some old neighbours turned up this week out of the blue and took me out for lunch and brought me a huge bunch of daffs. Better than doing housework, not that I do much of that ...

I'm another one who hates surprise visitors. It always seems to happen when I am in horrible old clothes, bad hair and no makeup. This might seem as though I am a deeply shallow woman, but I feel so disadvantaged when the visitors are usually nicely dressed for their day out. I no longer worry so much if the house is untidy, we live in the house and evidence of this is everywhere!It is not a showroom. I agree though that some people just seem to know the very worst times to call - the day we decide to sleep in, the moment we return from a holiday or long day out or when we are in the middle of doing cleaning etc. If it wasn't for OH being here I would never answer the door. Don't answer phone if I don't recognise caller. I am a real recluse.

My mother almost inevitably always used to take off apron, brush hair and apply lipstick and perfume before anyone arrived. She lived in a cul de sac looking along the length of the road so usually saw them coming.

I meant to add that has not been inherited lol

I normally wear older clothes at home these days due to working on various improvements to my recently purchased property. I do try to smarten up for the odd shopping trip or visit to the cinema etc. and it never fails to make me smile when I notice my little Yorkie looking me up and down intently before getting into her bed, which she always does before I leave the house without her! I haven't been caught out yet by visits from new neighbours, but realise that perhaps I should have a rethink about my house clothes when even the dog notices the difference!

luzdoh - hilarious stories !!!!!

Very funny margaret70 your dog looking you up and down.

I hate surprise or unexpexted visitors too Oldwoman70 but if your BiL didn’t call, might that be worse. Maybe as he is close family, he doesn’t bat an eyelid when you are in curlers etc?

I do usually throw on some clothes when I get up. I don't wear much make up at anytime due to very sensitive skin.

A couple of months ago I was having a new boiler fitted, woke up early & decided to get up, about half an hour after I got up I heard frantic knocking at my door, my neighbour was worried as my lights were on when she'd gone to bed & on when she got up. At least she had brought my spare key in case she had to let herself in.

My house is always "lived in" a bit of a tip but I believe people come to see me not inspect my home