how to be a good houseguest 101

Justin and I were merely displaced during Sandy. (We have a lot to be thankful for.) We missed the worst of the super-storm when we were away in Chicago, which was great for us! But was it great for our host and dear friend Jay? He claims he enjoyed having us – and two other friends – stay with him. But while we were all straight-up chilling (snuggling, eating and drinking on his couch) he was trying to get in ‘work-mode.’ Couldn’t have been easy…

Here’s what we did to make the stay smooth sailing for all involved:

• We, the refugees, went food shopping and made a feast for our group of friends in Chicago (a mixed bag of Chicagoans and fellow NY-ers also stranded due to Sandy). My friends Alex and Lauren whipped up rigatoni and homemade meatballs, lemon spaghetti, garlic bread and tomato & cucumber salad. I scooped out the vanilla ice cream to accompany our store-bought pecan pie.
• We tried to stay really neat, and when we made a mess we tidied up right afterwards (or at least FIRST thing in the AM). We wiped down the counters, took out the trash and lit fresh-smelling candles.
• We bought household essentials (which we were, of course, depleting): paper towels, toilet paper, aforementioned candles and more.
• We (just) sent a gift. (Hope you’re not reading this Jay!) Everyone knows you have up to a year after a wedding to buy a wedding gift. I think you have up to a month post storm to purchase a Sandy host or hostess gift.

A

P.S. Here's a really enjoyable read from The New York Times on the "urban camping" that has resulted from Sandy. Some of my favorite lines: 

“Why didn’t they invite me [to crash]? I had them to dinner two years ago.”

“[The situation] is like FEMA for Jews.” 

“I like my guests to feel happy: I buy organic berries, I put Ambien on the pillow.”

P.P.S. If you were affected by Sandy, did you gain weight? My friends and I have been complaining about packing on a few LB's post super-storm... And then I read this article, completely validating my (disappointing) finding. In my defense, my situation involved a road trip. And there's only one kind of food you can eat on the road... crap :)