If I ever get the urge to expand my business “empire” (already I can picture the local innkeepers shaking in his boots), I have the perfect venture: The Felix “Motel 6 – where the food ain’t great, but there’s lots of it.”

This revelation came to me around mid-July, when I realized I could no longer tell one house guest from another without a scorecard. It all started in June, when our grandson Karter visited from Atlanta seeking some warm, sunny Florida weather poolside and some car keys. As I recall, Karter basked in that warmth for, oh, about an hour … until he was drenched by nonstop South Florida monsoons. But hey, he’s young, he’s resilient; he got over it.

But no sooner had he arrived when, about 2 days later, his dad and our son Josh and family were standing at our door, suitcases in hand. Lots of beach, pool and food ensued. And even our perfect Doodle Loki loved it, cuddling up to the self-named Dog Whisperer (NOT) Josh and our youngest grandson Wyatt. And with Josh as resident Chef and Tori handling the clean-up detail, we were actually forced to relax a bit.

Everyone stayed through the Fourth of July holiday, and it all added up to the washer and dryer working overtime churning out clean towels, consuming way too much food (where did I put that treadmill, anyway?), and a genuinely wonderful time.

The kids soon bid us adieu and about 72 hours later my niece Ali and her son Brooks arrived. (Note to self: get to Home Depot ASAP and price revolving doors.) I sincerely adore all my grandchildren, nieces and nephews, but Ali always scores additional points with me because she is the true definition of a low-maintenance houseguest: all Brooks wants is a steady supply of pool, chicken fingers and Braves baseball on TV while Ali basically cleans up after all of us, always leaving the house in better shape than when she arrived.

But despite all my “amusing” hyperbole, Carol and I love having people in our house. We realized a long time ago that the best way to take the edge off such rapid-succession visits is to learn to relax and enjoy the moment. All family members and close friends know that we live by one credo, and it is similar to hurricane preparedness: Be prepared and be flexible. We keep the fridge loaded, the pool clean, and we “suggest” that everyone pitch in. (Hey, you want room service? Next time you’re coming to town, we’ll provide you with a list of four-star hotels in the South Florida area, complete with rates. In lieu of a mint on a pillow, we provide a very large affectionate Doodle aka The Licker.)

After all if you live in Florida, you should expect your home to be the preferred getaway destination. And if some pesky hurricane ever forces Carol and me to evacuate for a few weeks, we’ve got some pretty nice places from which to choose.

So, to the ever-expanding Felix family and its affiliates, keep monitoring that Weather Channel, and if you see a big one heading toward South Florida, spread the word to the family that we’re coming. And tell ‘em to leave the light on.