Visitors popping in on off chance.

In theory I dislike people just popping in but in reality I don’t mind at all! I’m reasonably tidy and always dressed before I come downstairs so that’s not an issue. If the house is dusty or I’m in the middle of preparing/eating a meal then it is what it is. I’d only worry if I didn’t have a biscuit to offer them!

If close family pop in without notice I don't mind, because there's an understanding that they take us as they find us.

With anyone else, I really don't like it. I find it an invasion of my privacy. If they're in the area or just want to call in, it's fine, but I'd rather they let me know beforehand. Even a few minutes' notice is fine.

In the past, I've asked one or two people to give me a bit of notice before coming round and they've ignored that and kept turning up at inconvenient times. They've even criticised me to other people for asking them to give me a bit of notice they're coming!

When I was young, my parents didn't seem to mind when people turned up at the house without notice, but I remember some awkward moments, with their friends not even ringing the doorball and walking right into the middle of a major family disagreement.

Finding Nemo15, you are always welcome to come and visit Toby and l if you are ever in East Anglia. We are near Cambridge.
So long as you don't mind large, gentle rescue dogs.
It does get lonely.

I like arranged visits

My best friend likes anyone dropping by

Somehow we make that work lol

Yes pop in whenever you like, you are always welcome.

I wouldn't like pop in visitors, I would never pop in on others. What if people aren't yet dressed or haven't hoovered and dusted? Rude.

Until I started reading GN I had no idea that people might be still in their jammies during the day or that anyone would be worried about the dusting.

It's not rudeness necessarily; it's sometimes just about becoming aware of different life styles. Just one of the many things I've learned since starting reading GN.

I wish more people would pop by! I live in a village that isn't on the main drag so it rarely happens.

People do tend to message though, which is nice because we have phones and who wants a wasted trip?

If people say they're coming I message back that the door's open because I hate people knocking on the door. Sometimes they stand their for ages while I yell, 'the door's open!!!' but they don't hear me. Drives me nuts.

I never have any visitors by pre-arrangement or by popping in. No one invites me to theirs either.

It can be very lonely.

pably15

No I don't like people just popping in, One xmas eve ,I was up to the eyeballs getting things prepared for xmas day and expecting family for a couple of days, when a friend just popped in for a visit, which lasted over an hour,grr

Reading this makes me feel very guilty!
When newly married my DH and I visited friends on Christmas Eve and it wasn’t until we had our own children that I realised how much they must have needed to get done, rather than entertaining us!

I think it's rude to just pop in.
I've got a friend who years ago and got a toddler used to just come in. Her husband used be on shift work and when he was on nights and in bed during the day she always used to turn up. No doubt just because her house had to be quiet while he slept so had to get out of the way.
Another friend some years ago, lived across the road from me used to drive me to despair. She just used to come over with her children twice or more a day. Sometimes while we were sat eating our dinner. She would still stay. Never "I'll come back later"
She used to say she was bored so she thought she would come and see me. Nice! She always had men problems and she had many men believe me. She finally moved away.
Some people don't think about we might be doing something.
I like to know at least the day before if someone would like to come round for a chat. I always phone others.

Primrose53

grandtanteJE65

How I would love someone to just pop in - but they never do!

And when I try inviting them, they are oh, so busy!

Aww, that’s sad. I would willingly pop in if I lived near you.

me too..

No I don't like people just popping in, One xmas eve ,I was up to the eyeballs getting things prepared for xmas day and expecting family for a couple of days, when a friend just popped in for a visit, which lasted over an hour,grr

grandtanteJE65

How I would love someone to just pop in - but they never do!

And when I try inviting them, they are oh, so busy!

Aww, that’s sad. I would willingly pop in if I lived near you.

I ought to keep my home tidier as I wouldn’t mind if a friend dropped by. The last one who did stayed ages though, and has not invited me to hers.

I have two cousins, one each from my late Dad’s two sisters. They have told me many times that they remembered dropping in to see my parents (when they were kids) usually on Sundays and how much they loved my Mum and her homemade cakes and my Dad used to walk them round the garden and sometimes took them down to the swings.

If we were out for a drive on Sundays we might call at one of myDad’s brothers and they are some of my fondest memories. One Uncle and his wife were quite poor but so welcoming. You felt it the moment you walked in. She had a big kettle that was always boiling away on the fire and we always got a lovely drink and biscuits. She had an ancient pianola and used to let me try to play it. They had one adult daughter who had left home.

The other brother and his wife had no kids but, again, loved us going round and would always find something interesting to show us. Happy memories.🙂

grandtanteJE65

How I would love someone to just pop in - but they never do!

And when I try inviting them, they are oh, so busy!

I wouldn't like pop in visitors, I would never pop in on others. What if people aren't yet dressed or haven't hoovered and dusted? Rude.

However, we live out in the country, near nothing apart from our AC homes and my husband's workers - nobody would come way out here.

How I would love someone to just pop in - but they never do!

And when I try inviting them, they are oh, so busy!

This is such a rare occurrence, probably half a dozen times in a life time and always people from a distance who happened to be in the vicinity and called in the off chance,that it was always a pleasure

Nowadays it is unnecessary. You can always let someone know you would like to call, whether you live a thousand miles away or next door and I would consider it discourtious of they did not give sdvsnce warning.

What is all this obsession with wanting houses to be clean and tidy before visitors come. It would never occur to me to do anything more than picking the nespapers off the floor. if my house is comfortable for my family, then it is comfortaable for visitors. they are coming to see the occupants of the house not judge a cleanest, tidiest house competition.

I quite like surprise visitors, if lm busy, l just stop what I'm doing for a few hours and relax. My home is tidy and welcoming and Toby my rescue dog loves the fuss after years of no one loving him. Its so nice to see people and chat.
My own mum always welcomed friends and family at any time.
My late DH was from the southern USA and always told me that his mum had an open house, so he didn't mind visitors either.

I just wonder why, in the age of constant texting etc., people can’t ask if it is convenient first. What if someone has covid, is out, or is having a much deserved long soak in the bath?
I just don’t get it.

dogsmother

Brought up in a drop in culture and have always been happy it. In fact it’s always been a factor of my home to invite “strays” in for Christmas dinners or whatever rather than them being alone. Never worried me or mine.

That’s me. My Mum loved surprise visitors and made a great fuss of them. Best tea set, always some homemade cake and a warm welcome.

I do likewise, although there might not be homemade cake! I have a couple of old boys who I invite round for meals now and then. They enjoy it and we have a laugh.

Some right old miseries on here! 😉

So true Calendar girl! Although I do dream of being in a state of permanent "readiness "

I would never just land on someone’s doorstep and I would be very put out if someone landed on mine.
A phone call would always come first to ask if it was convenient.

Brought up in a drop in culture and have always been happy it. In fact it’s always been a factor of my home to invite “strays” in for Christmas dinners or whatever rather than them being alone. Never worried me or mine.

I don't mind. Usually they are people I know and like. If they're not people I like, which would be very rare, I make up a reason why they can't stay long. I don't care about the state of the house because it's usually clean and tidyish.

It is sometimes a bit annoying if I'm in the middle of something but usually it's nice to see them and have a chat.

When the children were younger they and the neighbours' children treated all our houses as an extension of home so I never knew who I would find when I got home from work, but I always knew that the children had somewhere safe to go if they needed it so it never bothered me.