A Guide to the Perfect Summer Guest

Okay, summer's here, and you've received a weekend invitation to a friend's cottage. While you're looking forward to relaxing in a hammock with a good book as the loons sing their doleful tune, remember that there is an art to being a good summer guest, that is to say, the one who gets invited back year after year. So, before you head out for your season in the sun, you might want to consider a few of my do's and don'ts for summer guests, compiled from a lifetime of observation, conversation and sheer trial and error.