perfect home vs sticky fingers

Have you ever had that time when the door knocks and at the door is someone you havent seen for ages is there.  you smile as you are glad to see them, then....................  you get that stomache dropping feeling when you realise you havent dusted or hoovered and they will be expecting to come on in!

well thats the feeling i dont want anymore.  i want to have housework done and dusted, shopping done, tea prepared and a cake in the oven (like the perfect 50s housewife) at all times.

but then princess wants to get the paints out or play a game. No 2 or 3 sons blunder through the door and drop everything as they go.asking for food or clothes etc as they go.  Number 1 son rings as he  needs something or the other,   and all my organising goes out of the window!

but when they have all left home and there is no mess to clean, no smiling faces as they demolish the last slice of cake,  no PE kits to wash or football boots to trip over.  what then? will i relish the clean sterile atmosphere of our home?  will i love the fact that the washing machine goes on only twice a week and the hoovering is always done?
no i will miss the handprints and sticky finger prints.  all the stuff that comes with a family,
maybe I dont want the perfect house after all!