Kristin, if your kitchen and bathrooms are not sanitation nightmares, and there is enough space to sit in the living room that he won't have to hold a stack of old newspapers on his lap to use the couch, the place is good enough. He's your dad, and I bet that he gets how stressed you are today, or will when you talk about it.

What Andi said. From what you've said about your dad, he's a good man and he loves you lots, and he'll understand. As long as he has a place to sit and there's nothing conspicuously stinky lying around, don't gnaw yourself to bits over it.

Thank you...I know you're all right, it's just...

I hope you'll all understand when I say that I have to clean. I mean, I'm not going to go crazy, but I will be more unhappy and uncomfortable if he arrives and it's dirty than if I take the afternoon to nap and veg. Does that make sense?

Oh, that makes a ton of sense, hon. It's okay. Think about how nice it'll feel once you've cleaned, turn on some music and blast as high as you can, and go for it.

Love you.

I love you all so much. I really don't know what I would do without you right now. Thank you.

Okay, deep breath. Music and cleaning.

Tons of sense, Kristin. Give yourself rewards as you go. Once you pick up the living room and put everything away, you can spend 10 min on b.org. Once you clean the toilet, you can have a cold pop.

I do that to myself all the time.

Kristin, if this is elbow-grease therapy, then here is me shaking my pom-poms for you. We want you to do what will make you least stressed, and by we, I mean all the Bitches, and your Dad, too. Put on some dancing music and boogy the mess outta there. If you are having trouble getting started, maybe make a deal with yourself to have some sort of treat if you accomplish a certain amount.

I had to promise myself brownies in order to get myself to shower and leave the house to apply for a job, and yet once I got going, everything was fine.

I had to promise myself brownies in order to get myself to shower and leave the house to apply for a job,

Brownies are a great reward!

It totally makes sense. Just do whatever the minimum is to allow yourself to be comfortable having your dad in your space, and don't run yourself ragged. I'm sorry it's been such an emotional and financial whammy of a day.

Poor Kristin. What a crappy day. I'm glad you'll have your dad at the end of it. I totally understand the cleaning thing. Plus, at the end, you'll have clean apartment, which is also nice.