Open Wide The Doors of the Tent

You might not think so off the top of your head, but you can handily host 25 people in the 800 square feet of space that you also live in if you are willing to do some rearranging. Which I was because a) what's more fun than rearranging? and b) it was for one of the nicest couples I know about to have one of the nicest babies. At least we all hope so.

I think of my little house like a ship - multiple compartments that can be arranged for the best use of the day. (Yeah, that doesn't jive with my post title. But I like both analogies so I'm keeping them!) This particular day needed an extra room for the 10 more people than I've ever had over at one time.

I envisioned a salon, a speakeasy. And I wrought this vision on my office. 

This window seat was finally used for seating, not an important-paper-stacking-system. 

                                               A desk turned sideways is a self-serve bloody mary/mimosa station.

                                                                Frankly, I never want this room to be an office again. 

People flowed easily between the front room, kitchen and office, migrating as their hunger or thirst led them. The three separate rooms made it feel you were entering a new party each time you moved to a different area. Sometimes you'd find one of the rooms with just a few people and sit down to a quieter conversation. Then a few more people would trickle in and suddenly the whole party seemed jovially crammed into one space. Which would start the process of trickling out and settling into other airier corners. I was reminded of the clouds of migrating swallows. Am I not flush with analogies today?

Regardless of what everything was "like", all together it was fun.