Five Things To Do When Your Out-of-Town Friend Comes to Visit

A checklist of what we did when our friend Nick stayed with us, plus a sexy question for the group

Sep 24, 2024

∙ Paid

Hey y’all,

Happy Tuesday! How was your weekend? I spent the majority of it (and last week) getting over Covid, and I am happy to report I am about 95% better. It’s funny how much you take for granted feeling well all the time when you don’t feel well for a week.

In other news, we had an out of town guest stay with us for a few days last week, and it was so fun to catch up with him and integrate him into our daily life for a bit. If you’ve been here with us for a while, you know our friend Nick will occasionally pop up in our photos and videos from time to time over the years, but this is the first time he’s stayed with us for an extended period of time.

We get so used to our day to day life here at home, with the kids and the animals and the farm, that any kind of switch up from our routine feels different and exciting, which is exactly how it felt when Nick was here. It’s one thing to visit with an out of town friend, but it’s another to have them staying in your space and hosting them. We don’t typically host people other than family throughout the year since our schedules busy enough to not really allow for it, but I think that’s why we had so much fun with him last week.

Nick is extremely energetic and fun, and there never seems to be a dull moment when he’s around. The best part? He channels a lot of that energy towards playing with the kids, which is great because they adore him. Allan wants Nick to teach him how to do backflips. Riah wants him to pick him up and play with him. And Anna wants Nick to play school with her all day long. He feels like part of the family, and I suppose that’s the beauty of long-term friends.

We had a blast with him while he was here, and we wanted to share a few of the things we got into below.

Meanwhile, after a two week break because of sickness, we sat down and caught up on Sunday night’s Vino & Vent! It felt good to talk to everyone again and get back on this routine. If you want to join us for our next live chat, we do one every Sunday at 8p ET on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram!

Also, we uploaded a new vlog of our time spent with Nick and our friends and it might be one of our favorite vlogs ever. It has friends, family, farm food (quadruple F!), and rafting down the river. I loved it and can’t wait to rewatch it years down the road, and I think you’re going to enjoy it, too.

Lastly, something new we’re really excited about! We started a chat right here on Substack exclusively for subscribers!! This is a space where we can chat live with each other in the moment; it’s not a pre-written post. The first thread was started today, so feel free to hop on over there and check it out, if you want.

Join chat

Welcome Distractions

Watch: Agatha All Along

The perfect Halloween/fall show doesn’t exi-…except it does, and it’s the spinoff from WandaVision that we’ve been waiting for for what seems like forever! Agatha All Along picks up right where WandaVision left off, with Agatha Harkness recruiting fellow witches on a crazy journey to regain her powers. Katherine Hahn is amazing and iconic (as always) as Agatha, it also features Joe Locke from Heartstopper in lead role. The cozy sets, the whimsical music, and the fun plot lines make this a wonderful watch for this time of year.

You can stream Agatha All Along on Disney+.

Read: The Toll of America’s Anti-Trans War

Via Kottke.org, this article on 19thnews.org explores the harmful impact of the increasing number of anti-transgender bills in the U.S., emphasizing the emotional and mental toll these laws take on transgender individuals and their families. As state legislatures pass more restrictive measures targeting trans rights, especially in healthcare and education, the community faces heightened fear, marginalization, and a loss of vital protections.

You can read the full article here.

Listen: 143

You guys. I used to love Katy Perry. Teenage Dream came out when PJ and I first got together and every song reminds me of our early relationship. But her new album, 143, is not it. The only reason I am including it on this list is because I want you to listen to it and tell me that I’m wrong. Tell me the generic beats and bland vocals are not what I’m actually hearing. This doesn’t feel like the album of a pop superstar who gave us hits like “Roar” and “E.T.” It feels like a forgettable, throwaway pop album by someone just starting out. Ugh. What are you listening to these days? Any recommendations?

You can listen to 143 anywhere you get your music.