We had our first official guests in our new house today. In a mass get-measured-for-wedding-outfits exercise, my older sister, her husband and her two sons, Richard's sister, her daughter, and her significant other, one of the groomsmen, and my parents came over, along with the seamstress, her assistant, and her adorable little 6-month old baby girl.

It was a wonderfully fun and hectic afternoon, and we learned a few important things about this house of ours:

• We need furniture. Desperately. Badly. The tiny love seat and trio of assorted chairs in the living room just isn't enough to hold everyone. And eating with a crowd is a bit easier when there is a table - everyone ended up either perching on the stairs or settling onto the floor. On the plus side, all but two of the cats decided they wanted to pretend to be shy of strangers so our guests didn't get too pestered for having food at whisker level, but still, it would be nice to be just a tad more formal next time.

• We need curtains. Or throw rugs. Pictures on the wall. Anything. Just as long as it could help soak up the sound. The down side to having hardwood floors, no carpets and minimal furniture is (as Sebastian - the cat who could double as a foghorn - has taught us) that sound echoes in this big half-empty house. Really really well.
  

But on the plus side, even with that many people over, the house wasn't crowded. There was plenty of room for everyone and more besides - in the old house it would have felt crowded with fewer than this (a fact which often puzzles me as I recall distinctly having a Halloween party one year with over thirty people crammed into that shoebox we used to live in). This house has space to spare. Even when we finally get the furniture that we want there will still be room. It's an unusual feeling, but a long-awaited one. We - and the cats - are thoroughly enjoying it.