Shoe mountains, vanishing leftovers and bathroom chaos!

What does it mean to be a good guest..?

I can confirm that normal service has been resumed in the Waller household.

All shoes are back in their rightful places…

The fridge is fully stocked and perfectly organised…

The bathroom shelf, previously a battleground of serums, cleansers and shampoos, now looks gloriously minimalist…

And?the TV remote is, once again, mine for the foreseeable future.

You see, after three weeks of festive chaos, my two fabulous children have both returned home!!!

Of course, I’m sad to see them go, and wish that they did not have to leave.

However, it does mean that my usual, finely tuned and regimented routine is thrown into disarray. Because as many parents of grown-up children will attest, their arrival often brings its own delightful brand of chaos…

Mornings become an obstacle course: shoes strewn across the hallway lie in wait like booby traps, daring you to twist an ankle. And if you do make it to the kitchen unscathed, you’re greeted by a Jackson Pollock masterpiece of coffee granules, rogue mugs and splashes of milk splattered across the counter.

Oh, and then there’s the disappointment of discovering that the carefully saved leftovers you were counting on have mysteriously vanished overnight (followed by the inevitable excuse “But?I thought no one wanted it!”)

All of which got me thinking about what it means to be a good guest – not just in someone’s home, but in a broader sense…

I recently read an article about the increasing number of arrests involving foreign nationals in the UK. The figures were shocking and led me to reflect on the responsibilities that come with visiting another country.

When Mandy and I moved to the UK, we made a concerted effort to embrace the British way of life. We didn’t arrive intent on recreating South Africa; we came to immerse ourselves in the culture and traditions of our new home. And yes, that did indeed mean gritting our teeth through the rain and mastering the sacred art of tea-making!

This ethos resonates in my work with Trellidor. In South Africa, where high crime rates demand robust domestic security solutions, our products are household staples. In fact, you can’t build a decent home without them. But in the UK, the needs are different. Although we’re sadly seeing a growing demand for domestic shutters here, the commercial and retail market is still very much the focus of our work.?

As I’ve discovered, success means being adaptable. It’s about pivoting to meet the needs of your host – whether that’s a new country or someone’s home.?

The return to normal service – with its quiet predictability – is comforting. However, there’s an undeniable magic in the chaos and disruption of a house filled with loved ones.

I even miss the mountain of shoes that lie waiting to ambush my ankles every morning.

And though I can relax in the knowledge that my leftovers are safe from my kids for now, I can’t wait to have them back again!