BEING A GOOD HOST TAKES SOME PRACTICE AND PATIENCE;

I live a continent or two apart from most of my family. This is really nothing personal, it's just the way life happened to me almost 15 years ago. Thankfully, my family often comes to see me and when they do they stay for quite some time. As in three or four weeks.

Today's cover story about running a bed-and-breakfast got me thinking about that.

Or perhaps it's my subconscious reminding me that my mother arrives TONIGHT for a monthlong stay.

When you move far away and your friends come to visit, they tend to bring people along you've never met: lovers, kids, other friends, spouses and partners, and in my case once, "some Danish guy" they'd met on the street in Baltimore.

And there was the memorable time, 10 years ago, when newly acquainted and very-much-in-love friends stayed for 10 days. I'll spare you the loud details, let's just say they rarely left their bedroom.

After nearly 15 years of hosting visitors of all kinds at my house there is no nice way to say it: it can be tough being a good host for long periods of time.

Habits clash: I like to get up early no matter what day of the week it is, but can often be found snoozing on the couch before 9 p.m. When a 19-year-old cousin stayed for a week that meant I never saw him 'cause he was up all night on the Internet and sound asleep during the day.

Food can get way complicated: between food allergies and diet fads, something as simple as picking a pizza topping becomes a challenge.

But over the years I've learned a lot. When I was younger and equally more foolish I thought I had to be on pins and needles 24- 7, when people stayed with me.

Today, vacation at Pia's house is more of a do-it-yourself experience and everyone is a lot happier with that. Including the cat.

On pages 10 and 11, you'll meet a couple of families who've been running B&Bs for years. They'll share tips of the trade that will make your summer hosting a lot easier, and also tell you about what it's really like to have people staying with you day in and day out.

We also have a little project for you this week: on pages 12 and 13, Rik Nelson shows you how to make a birdhouse out of leftover wood and an old hardcover book.

Finally, on the pet page, Shannon Amidon gives you a few tricks to play on the squirrels who right now are scheming about how to rob your bird feeder.

Next week, we're on to barbecuing as we check out some of the latest gas grills (you've seen them: they have GPS, color TVs and built in espresso makers) as well as the tried and true charcoal version.

So come on over, here at Home the door is always wide open.

Pia K. Hansen

Home Editor

piah@spokesman.com

(509) 459-5427

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