Thanks, everybody, for your kind comments on yesterday's post! It was particularly great to hear from a few new commenters. I always wonder who's reading out there!
After my day in Bath, the pendulum has swung quickly back to the routine of "real life." Olga's happy because yesterday I once again had time to take her for a walk in the morning. We'd skipped the previous two days, which is very unusual, and running around in the back garden apparently just isn't as fulfilling as dragging me along the city streets, sniffing at the leavings of other strange dogs. A walk is a social experience for her, even if we never come face-to-face with another canine.
Last night after work I met up with my friend Caroline, who I know from the Peace Corps. She works in international development and was here for business purposes. We rendezvoused (now that's some Frenglish, right there) in a wine bar in Selfridges and raised a couple of glasses with some coworkers of hers, one of whom bought a very '50s dress with a flared skirt. (I'm told that's what "A-line" means. I always wondered.) Anyway, it was great to see her and meet her coworkers, one of whom lives in London but is leaving in a few months to move to Bamako, Mali, where I'm pretty sure there is no Selfridges. I'm kind of jealous, actually.
My Peace Corps friends are so great. Even when I don't see them for years, when we get together the time just falls away. It's like we're back in Rabat for our quarterly gamma globulin shots, swapping stories about our jobs and villages in Morocco. (But fortunately, without the needles!)
(Photo: Bath, on Wednesday. We're all addicted to our devices!)
Lovely to learn that you spent time working in Morocco with The Peace Corps Steve. I guess you have blogged about this before?
ReplyDeleteThe term "co-worker" is creeping across from The States. I still prefer "colleague" which I shall continue to use when I am on my deathbed.
I have a friend here, another glass artist, who also served in the Peace Corps. He taught at a small village in Indonesia. He went back about 20 years later and met his former students. they were happy to see him. I think that is so cool that you and he did that. nothing quite so glamorous in my life. took me years to get out from under the thumb of my father and I had to marry someone to do it. not married to that guy now.
ReplyDeleteI love that photo and it's so true. I'm used to seeing young people absorbed by their phones but it is not as common to see the older ones so intent. For some reason I find it comforting to see. Sounds like you had a nice reunion with your Peace Corps friends. I can never hear the name Selfridges without thinking about the history of the place.
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely to have such connections, the kind that outlast distance and time and diverging lives, because they knew you when.
ReplyDeleteADORE the lady on a bench photo, congratulations Sir LRPS, just catching up with news here!
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to see old friends and be able to pick right up on each others' lives. Have you written much about your time in the Peace Corps? I will have to check your archives!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had captioned the photograph - I'd missed the mobile phone and simply thought she was having a snooze. There is an age-related connection in that photo, the stone balustrade, the wooden seat and the old lady.
ReplyDeleteMs Soup