Art

Recently I was fortunate enough to be invited to the gallery opening for a friend's most current works of art. Normally I'm more of a "traditional art" kind of girl and don't understand or appreciate most modern art. This time, I was pleasantly surprised. This lady used concrete as the medium in which to capture the enlarged images of tiny, transient objects. I was captivated by the series of dandelion seeds, in their wispy floating glory.

While it was hard to choose a favourite, I think I'd have to go with the series of coffee rings. There was something about the little splash on one side that had me wondering. Did the coffee drinker spill because the drink was too hot? Because he/she was laughing with a friend and put the cup down on the table with a thump? Perhaps the drink was cold, not hot - no one said it was coffee. Maybe it was a tall gin & tonic, sipped on a hot day out in the back garden, and the condensation dripped from the glass and pooled on the table.

I may not know a thing about modern art, but I do know when I have a fun afternoon.

Friends

I have the best friends anyone could ever wish for.

Last night I got a call from an old and very dear friend I haven't seen in over a year. I was invited out for a drink at a local pub and I accepted. (I don't have the kids this week, so my time is somewhat free.) I was greeted with a big hug, encouraged to vent over the dissolution of my marriage and then expound on the joys of my new full-time job. Alas, the time to part came too soon, but when a girl has to get up and get to work on time, a girl has to go to bed on time too. I was not allowed to pay for my pint of Guinness (although I insisted that the next time will be my treat) and was sent on my way with another hug.

This evening I had just come back into the house after mowing the lawn - the rather overgrown lawn that has been loving the recent rain and that should have been mowed days ago - when the phone rang. It was my neighbour. She was about to step into their backyard hot tub and called to see if I would like to join her. This is the second time she has called with this offer and, like the first time, I couldn't say no. What a glorious evening, sitting in her hot tub with a big glass of ice water, chatting and looking out at all the flowering trees.

I am fortunate indeed.

Friends

I'm blessed with the best friends a girl could have. Two very dear friends of mine had flowers delivered to me at work on my birthday, then took me out for drinks in the evening despite a raging blizzard.

Everybody Needs a Friend

Tonight I realized once again how fortunate I am to have a good group of friends. Once a week some women in my neighbourhood gather for an evening of crafts, fun, food, friendship and laughter. Some weeks when Craft Night rolls around I don't feel much like going. Those are the weeks when I really need to go. I might be feeling stressed about problems or just tired from a busy day, but I always feel so much better after a few hours spent in such good company.

We are a very diverse group: some of us have young children, some have older children still at home, some are empty nesters, some are grandmothers. We range from devout churchgoers to devout atheists, technophiles to holistic naturopaths, yet we all get along and support eachother.