Aperatifs

[Sarah]

I was wondering how many people invite guests over for aperatifs etc.

We would really like to invite our guests over, perhaps on the evening after arrival for an aperatif and a chat. Unfortunately, at the moment we have nowhere to take them as the house is a building site and quite frankly I'm ashamed of it . Should have a lovely shady courtyard for next year, but this year we have trenches, mounds of earth and stacks of old roof tiles.

Our current lovely guests have invited us over for drinks tomorrow evening as have quite a number of previous guests and I was feeling a bit sorry that we hadn't been able to do this for them earlier in their holiday.

It would also prevent some of the inevitable knocks on the door as we'd be able to talk about lots of the things that we don't feel guests want to hear when they are tired on arrival.

[KathyG]

Sarah,

I would do it anyway - I should think they'd be really interested in what you're doing!

[Giddy Goat]

Absolutely!

[enid]

Sarah,
I would do it anyway - I should think they'd be really interested in what you're doing!

I agree - we have returning guests who always want a quick tour to see how the work has advanced. This year we have our terrace (only half finished!!!) and it has transformed our summer living including having guests round - see below:

[la vache!]

I was wondering how many people invite guests over for aperatifs etc.

In your case, if you've been invited over by them, I wouln't hesitate to extend a return invitation. Personally I'd feel happier inviting them over to a building site than the finished article as I don't want them comparing my house to where they are staying.

I don't invite all guests over for an aperatif - if we get friendly with guests during the stay, we will have drinks together but it isn't something I do as a rule every Sunday evening, for example. I'm one of those on site owners who prefers to keep a low profile and let the guests approach me, rather than the other way around. Some guests are quite private, others really like a good chat and I'm happy to oblige either way.
It may be slightly different and I'm on my own with two young most of the time, so it is more awkward than if my other half was here all the time.
My daughter always makes friends with the guest's children and she is often invited round for tea/dinner with them, she sometimes goes on daytrips with them too.

[Giddy Goat]

Um, folks, it's 'aperitif' BTW innit?

Make mine a large kir please!

[enid]

I agree Susan - we keep to our side of the house but do our weekly table d'hôte on Wednesdays?

[la vache!]

Um, folks, it's 'aperitif' BTW innit?

Make mine a large kir please!

Hear, hear GG

[Mouse]

I'm a private kind of mouse when on holiday - so wouldn't really like to feel that I'd have to mix with the owners of other guests...however Mr Mouse would love a good nosey & an opportunity to ask lots of questions.

So I think an invitation that people can take or leave is a good compromise.
I would be mortified if I was invited to a general meal with owners & other guests....I'd feel under pressure But then I'm a shy kinda Mouse at times

Mousie
x

[Lesblancs]

Hear, hear GG

At the time I wondered who would dare to correct 'the proof reader' Not I!

Bobby

[enid]

I would be mortified if I was invited to a general meal with owners & other guests....I'd feel under pressure

We only do it the one night and we only started last year - it was actually to give us a bit more space as we kept getting invited for an aperitif or people came round for something when we were having an aperitif and so we offered them one. This way it keeps all that to one evening and most of our guests take us up on it - we only do it July and August when we have mostly families and by Wednesday night they have usually made friends anyway. It seems to fit with the ambiance here but we do try not to make it feel compulsory!

Again one man's great holiday is another's nightmare!!

[la vache!]

Hear, hear GG

At the time I wondered who would dare to correct 'the proof reader' Not I!

Bobby

It was me (but I'm a cheeky cow and rarely get the opportunity to correct a wise old goat)

[Overboard]

We've had one set of guests over for dinner, that was a home exchange couple though, slightly different, and then we actually invited the Scottish family we had recently over for Margaritas but our schedule and theirs never fitted in (thats the family that left me all the drink . All depends on the people really, haven't invited anyone else over.

[Musetta]

We're not onsite, so no-can-do (a local bar though does a free food buffet with aperitifs on Sundays...so we sent 'em over there to mix with the locals), but I think it's a nice idea...and I wouldn't worry AT ALL about your home - everyone understands what it's like during construction or renovation projects

[Moliere]

This thread made me think of the different relationship those who live on-site have, compared to us UK residents who never meet our guests.
At the risk of incipient thread-creep, you always form an impression of people via email or phone, but it is frustrating to be dealing with all our guests, yet never meeting them for real, so you never know what they're really like. OK from feedback you can sometimes pick up that a family were really terrific, or that so-and-so was a complete moaner and a waste of space, but of the 30 or 40 groups and families that I've dealt with (sometimes in great detail) over the last three years, I've never actually met one!

So question - how do you guys living on-site find the relationship works, and do you find that by and large your expectations of people are matched by the actuality? Are you the lucky ones, or are we?

Moliere