Back in 1996, right in the middle of all the mess at our house (we were repairing the damage from being struck by lightning AND remodeling the kitchen, AND building a new office, AND building a carport), I decided to throw Pam (my best friend) a surprise birthday party. On a Thursday, no less!
The party taught me this lesson, which sorta' "Caught-My-Eye," if you will:
Getting older is OK in many ways. This party was a "come as you are to our mess and share a personal part of our life." Our friends came, celebrated and wholeheartedly agreed that a party where clean-up was pointless in the midst of all the construction mess was fun! It felt good to just be natural, not worrying whether the house looked OK for company. It all pointed out that as you grow closer to your friends, the barriers of judgment and competition fall by the wayside.
So - why don't you throw a party, on a weekday, with little or no preparation. It might help you identify who your closest friends really are.