My daughter with Waffles and our Santa Barbara friend’s golden in their back yard a couple summers ago.
I’m waiting to hear from a friend who has a layover at in the Phoenix airport. She is one of my Santa Barbara friends, and if you’ve kept up with the news, you’ll know that Santa Barbara got hit with a major storm.
She’s coming from the east coast, trying to get home. But her leg from Phoenix to Santa Barbara has been cancelled. There’s another one at night, but with the Santa Barbara airport closed all day yesterday and partially closed today — due to flooding and mud covered runways, I wonder if she’ll get that flight?
She can’t fly to Los Angeles and rent a car, because the 101 freeway has been closed due to flooding from Ventura almost to Carpinteria.
We told her to call us and we’ll pick her up to spend the night if she can’t get home tonight.
I’m on wait and see mode, doing some cleaning and cooking, just in case. It won’t hurt me to have a clean house or food on hand, if she does make it home and doesn’t stay with us. We already planned a dinner of grilled tri-tip, corn-on-the cob and mashed potatoes. Perfect meal for a drop in guest! Or us alone.
Isn’t it weird that five years to the date Montecito had the huge flood, lives were lost and one hundred home lost? And now it was evacuated? It’s one of the most gorgeous areas along the California coast that we’ve visited for 37 years, yet it’s hit with natural disasters frequently. Or maybe because it’s home to Harry and Meghan, Oprah and Ellen, we hear more about it?
We’ll wait and see if we have an overnight guest. We’re ready.
What are your thoughts about drop in guests? Are you ready to have them or do you need to prepare?
That’s great that she has you if needed. Much better than sitting in an airport trying to figure out how to get home. With what I just heard on the morning news she may be nixing the plane altogether and finding a rental car. It’s a mess.
The freeway is closed between Ventura and Santa Barbara so driving isn’t going to work either.
Any guests (including family) that just “drop in” better have food, copious amounts of wine, and a hotel reservation in hand, because I am not a B&B, liquor store, or fast food restaurant. If it is a planned event, that is different. Then I am a great host. But just knocking on my door as a “surprise”? Does not work for me. SURPRISE!
Ha! 😅
Hope she gets home today possibly. I live in the Ventura area & some of the freeways opened up last night. (Haven’t heard anything about SB airport though.
I heard the 101 was closed by Ventura. It’s good to hear things are opening up.
You are doing her a tremendous kindness to open your home and kitchen to her. 💜
Her flight was cancelled. There was no way for her to get home. Whenever we visit Santa Barbara, she invites us over and cooks for us at least one night. Fortunately, I had planned a good dinner for my husband and I and it wasn’t leftovers or fend for yourself!
Depending on the guest, we have the room, and also depending on the time of year..(no heat on the 2nd floor anymore) We did run a b and b for 9 years. That was the hardest part (we were not busy, so as often as not, a spur of the minute call, meant we had to scramble to tidy. I’m glad your friend has you guys as a back up.
My SIL ran a B&B. That seems like a ton of work. I’m impressed!
We enjoyed the meeting new people part. Our b and b kitchen, and where we fed the guests was part of our day to day kitchen, so that meant scrambling, many times on short notice. If we had a different set up, and things were separate it would have been a lot easier
It would be easier to have a separate kitchen, that’s for sure.
That’s what my wife said. 🙂
👍🏼
Oh I’m barely prepared for guests I know in advance,..
I had to do some quick shifting out of the Casita. It’s my preferred place to write.
Not here. This place is to small and there are no extra sleeping spaces. I would recommend a cheap motel
👍🏼
You’re a good friend. We’re barely ready for visitors when we know they’re coming. But, I know how helpful that kind of generosity, friendship can be. Good luck to your friend. Best wishes to all the folks in the way of the storms.
They’ve visited us once in Palm Springs and have had us for to their house for dinner a dozen times at least. It was fun to have her over.