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We were a motley group from many countries somehow all ending up here in the land of green hills and rain. Conversations were held in Swedish, Italian, German, French, Spanish & English. It was the most oddly enjoyable evening I have passed in someones home in a very long time and I am so glad I was invited.
We were each asked to bring a dish to compliment the meal and me, having been assigned the cranberry relish, was thrilled to cook anything at all. I adore cooking and in the last two years have had almost no time at all to cook one proper meal and sit down to enjoy it. One of the perks of my crazy job is an expense account whereby I treat clients to lunch and dinner, a lot. It’s been murder on my waist line but fuck it. I’m still healthy and I think, I may even be learning how to be happy. I digress…
Upon arrival, I was greeted by two charming gentleman I have never met before who welcomed me into their home with genuine kindness and an enthusiasm to learn more about their stranger-guest. Their home was filled with warm golden light and a crackling fire with beautiful piano music in the background which I later learned was arranged by our host.
Drinks and nibbles well in hand, I began to greet all these people whom I have never met before. At first, the fact that four of the guests spoke no English at all was a bit of a conundrum however, between my poor French and not half bad Spanish, we were all able to translate for each other some how or another and the conversation flowed quite nicely.
We were; a buyer for a very popular upscale gentleman’s haberdashery, an professor of music at University, a Financial adviser for a very large well known firm, a VP of a very well known estate agency, a bank president, a director of stage plays, a professor of theology, a musician (such a small word for so big a talent), a chef and me. It was, probably, the most brilliant group of guests I have veer had the pleasure of sharing a meal with. These were people who were not just about their professions, they were all artists as well. Hung in this home were paintings by two of the guests that were absolutely beautiful.
Dinner was a fest for he eyes as well as the taste buds and a more beautiful table has never been laid. I really felt out of my league. All these lovely people with their highly responsible adult jobs and prestigious degrees of varying types and here I was, just an office worker. Well, not really just an office worker but it felt that way, at first. One of our Swedish guests, through the help of two translators, told me I should never feel low about the type of work I do. He said, it makes no difference if you are cleaning toilets or restoring paintings at the Louvre, as long as you love it and are passionate about it that is what really counts. He said it with such passion and commitment that I felt lifted immediately.
After dinner, we all stood around the piano and listened to our host play, for the first time, some new arrangements of holiday music about to hit the market. Our Uni Professor of music then joined him for a few newly arranged duets that were so beautiful they actually made me cry. Soon enough, Christmas Carols ensued and the wine flowed. For the first time in many years, I felt at home and I felt I was exactly where I was meant to be. It was one of the most beautiful evenings I have ever spent in the company of strangers…friends.
I arrived home smiling and contented for the first time in many, many months thinking we humans do indeed need people to survive. No woman is an island.
Bullshit. Thats’ what it is. Bullshit. When you ask a direct question and receive either an erroneous answer or no answer at all, it’s complete bullshit.
I have a friend in the states who suddenly has become too busy to answer emails and reply texts consist of things like “just about 2 shower. have a gud day” or “on my way 2 mtg w/ boss. have a good nite”. Sure, they would be simple and expected responses if you were popping in just to say hello but when your text message says “Worried about u, u ok?” you expect a direct response not “Oh, haha I’m just going into the shower”. What the hell kind of answer is that? When you email someone who you have not heard from in weeks and say “Hey, I’ve not heard from you in weeks are you okay? I’m actually quite worried about you” you expect a response not total radio silence.
This week, I ‘ve had to fire a woman I befriended months ago, a man who has a family and a kid just out of Uni. Not exactly my best week ever so when I ask if you’re okay don’t fucking ignore me. It would appear you’re hiding something.
I’ve listened to my friends bitch and moan about tiniest of things in their sad little lives for years; oh, my husband snores and now we’re in counseling because of it; oh, my child was yelled at by the teacher so we’ve hired a solicitor..blah blah blah. I do the same thing but you know what? I’m always there for them. I’m always the one who shows up with tea and vodka and a shoulder to cry on. I’m the one who calls the x-boyfriend and tell him I have all the crap he left behind and would be happy to drop it off ot him 50 bloody miles away. When I need them, they are all too busy or don’t bother responding at all.
I’m so sick of people treating me like a carpet. It stops now.
I’m stateside this morning to vote. I came back home about a week ago on the guise of a visit to family when the really I turned up to vote. Though I live over the pond now, I always come back to vote in major elections. This one is far too important to pass up.
The only problem is, I really do wish I had a third candidate to choose from. Let me explain. One of these two gentleman is no way getting my vote. The other is not exactly my perfect choice. So what so I do? Choose the lesser of what I consider to be the two evils? Choose the one with whom I feel more connected to on issues that matter to me but does not quite live up to what I would like on other-just-as-important-issues? Do I allow the media to help sway me? Do I let my coworkers comments and badgering compel me to be a sheep and vote as they would?
Yes, of course I will vote my conscious. I will do what I think is right. The way things have been going over the last several years really hasn’t worked out very well, has it? We do need to change. Problem is, The House has so much say so and controls so much of what happens in government that I don’t know if what happens at the polls today will make much of a difference either way.
I do know that as of today, gas prices are waaaaay down and now that I’m driving a *gas guzzling American car while I’m here I”m happy to say it’s still considerably cheaper than back there. $2.25 a gallon. A GALLON! That roughly .56 cents a litre or .28p! Even when it was $4.00 a gallon and everyone was winging and complaining, it was still far less than what the the British were paying.
Too bad I wasn’t able to catch up with Annie.
Right. I’m off to put a bit of slap on then it’s to the polls! Good luck America. You’re going to need it.
*It’s really not a gas guzzler but the statement fits the stereotype and we all know how stereotypical Americans are :: rolls eyes ::
