dimanche 17 août 2008

It's been a long time

The month in the UK is going well - not too much stress, wardrobe functioning properly, etc. - and this weekend I managed to get out of family obligations and had time to catch up with some old friends.

On Friday I went out with a really old friend - we went to infant and junior school together, then we were split up, going to boys and girls schools respectively, and then we finally found ourselves on the same college course aged 16.

We spent some time travelling together during our late teens and shared a fondness for strange times in strange cities, a drink, a pill and a smoke, and the music of the Smiths. It was an odd old time in both of our lives.

Anyway, we last saw each other last year, which was the first time in 18 years. Eek. This time we met up in a cool pub, and made a big dent in the pub's gin stocks. We chatted about old times, recent times and times ahead of us and slotted in to each others lives as if there had never been a time delay. Towards the end of the night we caught up with her boyfriend (who I last saw 20 years ago) and headed into the city centre.

We drank late into the night and it was like we were back in 1987, in the days when we all used to work behind the bar of the same pub - serving drinks to our friends and largely ignoring all the other customers.

The great thing about good friends is the way you can not see each other for a while (or for 18 years) and then pick up as if no time had ever passed. Beautiful, and to be valued highly, in my books.

Saturday night had me driving to the wilds of Derbyshire where I caught up with my Male Model friend. Truly, he's a male model. Hilarious. He does a lot of adverts for third world airlines and the like. He moves in weird circles - circles that even I find strange. You can imagine, I'm sure.

Anyway, we sat at his kitchen table and drank our way through five and a half bottles of Cloudy Bay pinot noir. Fabulous wine, fabulous company and a fabulous hangover this morning. Again, it had been a couple of years since we last saw each other and, even though we exchanged emails pretty regularly, there was a whole load to catch up on.

I went to bed feeling blessed to have such great friends. Perhaps the alcohol was also contributing to my mood - it certainly contributed to me falling down his staircase on my way back from the bathroom....

I woke up this morning with a tongue in my ear and thought my luck had changed. Although, whoever it was had the breath of the devil. Alas, it was only the dog. The very same dog who had spent much of the previous evening humping my leg under the table. Far from ideal, but I guess there was something about my leg that put him in mind of a labrador bitch. Maybe it was my shoes?

Anyway, the point of all this meandering is to say that I love my friends. I feel lucky to have them, and grateful that there are still people in this world willing to talk to me and buy me a beer.

Truly, my friends are what hold my life together. They inspire me and humour me. They give me encouragement and a shoulder to cry on. They tell me I'm cool and don't laugh at my yellow trainers. And they are always up for a beer or two.

Does it get any better? Not for me it doesn't.

20 commentaires:

Lane Mathias a dit…

How many bottles???!

That sounds like an extremely lovely evening - apart from the falling down bit:-)

Louise a dit…

Ditto lane.

You are truly blessed. There is nothing like good friends that you can hang with after time has passed and not feel like you are just biding time. It's wonderful you can see that. (Even if through a 5-1/2 bottles of wine fog!) I'm guessing you're friends think they are just as lucky as you think yourself.

Daryl a dit…

I would say ditto to both Lane and Louise .. and I am. I caught up with a friend Thursday nite for 2 hrs on the phone and we'd only not seen one another for a year so I am sort of walking in your yellow trainers (even tho yellow is my skins enemy)


:-Daryl

Swearing Mother a dit…

I'll have you know I love those yellow trainers. Will be looking out for them next time I'm in Brum.

Manuel a dit…

if you like wine form New Zealand try The Ned, it's awesome.

Or any wine by Ben Glaetzer(Australian).......the man is a genius......

aims a dit…

Friends are usually far better to hang around with - be with - share with - everything with - than family.

Strange isn't that?

Anonyme a dit…

if they're not laughing at your yellow shoes they're not real friends :-) :-) :-)

softinthehead a dit…

Have to agree - I am also lucky to have such friends, don't see them from one year to the next but know I could ask a favour, no probem. And of course any one of them would be up for a beer or two!! They are definitely a blessing.

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Lane, five and a half. Ridiculous. But it was a great evening. Very funny.

Louise, I agree...I am blessed. But I'm not convinced that they all feel they same way!

Daryl, you walk in my yellow trainers, I'll walk in your Jimmy Choo's....sounds like a fair swap to me!

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Sweary - they're currently to be found residing in the Orion building...my pad du jour.

Manuel - I;ve never seen the Ned (will have to hunt it out) but I've recently shared a bottle of Glaetzer Bishop. Gorgeous wine. Too good for me, probably...

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Aims, it's the old saying - we choose our friends but not our family....I love my family, but would prefer a night on the razz with friends....

Conortje. hmm. Is this revenge for the braces and vest comments..?

Softy - a true blessing (apart from the ones who laugh at my yellow trainers).

softinthehead a dit…

TBNIL - knowing that they can laugh at your trainers and still be friends - that is the true test :)

Breezy a dit…

You soppy old thing. It's all that wine makes you maudling.

Seriously though lucky you good friends to drink wine with and put the world to rights what could be better

travelling, but not in love a dit…

softy, it's quite the litmus test!

Breezy - you may have a point. it's a bit soppy this post...

A Lewis a dit…

"Really old friend..." Do they know that you talk about them like that???????

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Lewis, you want to hear what I say about you....

Brett a dit…

Paris to Derbyshire, what a long way to fall (only joking as i spend loads of time in the fair place) Nice to see you have brought the weather with you.

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Brett, I trust that you're being sarcastic about the weather...it;s bloody cold and miserable here!

Anonyme a dit…

must be the season,Ive been playing catch up too,and in facy I have played hookey all day and spent it with a gem of a mate who reminded me of how non conformist i was and some of the fun and funny times we have had
what a blessing and i have resolved to may be revert a little to the former me

Anonyme a dit…

Try finca la concepcion sauvignon blanc --------lush