Sunday, April 08, 2007

I Will Never Crawl Into My Shell!

I don't even own one, let alone know where it is! And if I did, I would refuse! I will never go into a shell!

Lunch today went of with a "bang!" It was great! Lunch commenced around about 11.30am, with glasses of champagne and an antipasti. From there we wandered on freely to red and white wine...depending on who liked what! I like red...Paul likes red, but drinks white because red gives him gout...Fia enjoys red because it gives her a good feeling! We worked our way through four courses...My God! Antipasti....seafood fritters with sweet chilli sauce...followed by chicken with cherry and golden tomatoes, mushrooms in balsamic vinegar and olive oil, topped with crumbled feta cheese and a tossed green salad with garlic croutons and crisp, crumbled pancetta on the side. And, of course, golden roasted potatoes! Then...Oh! Dear! Forgive me....the berry mousse I wrote about earlier! And there is more...coffee, liqueur...and of course, dark chocolate mini-Easter Eggs! I should be shot!

But before putting myself in front of the firing line...moments after Paul and Fia left...I was still in party mode. I can tell you here and now....that is danger zone as far as I am concerned! (More for those nearby or afar...no one is safe from my evil clutches!)

I take no prisoners when I am in this or that mood! I am an enemy to the world! The Taliban and Bin Laden have no idea! Boy! Do I wish they would dare to confront me when I am in this mood!

Feeling no pain...I rang my landlords...who, I should remind you only live about 800 metres up the pass, beyond the pond, from me. After all, it was and still is, Easter Sunday...I said "Hey! Can I come up and have a drink with you for Easter?"

And they replied...."Of course you can! But we do have friends coming over for dinner."

Firmly, I replied, "That's okay...I won't stay long...I only want to have a couple of wines with you, then I'll shoot through! Are you ashamed of me...the serf from the cabin?"

"Of course not! Come on up...you don't have to shoot anything!" Was the answer. Where is my hunky gardener when I want him. I keep thinking I'm "Lady Chatterley!"

So, with a bottle of red wine under my arm...up I went! En route I didn't fall into the arms of the gardener!

My landlord's brother was there! His first name is my last name...poor guy! And he is terrified of me...I am sure. (I think he is terrified of any woman!) I have met him before...and his manner has never altered. He is terrified of me! But I, not of him!

(His fear of me is like placing a red flag in front of a bull! Not that I'm saying I am a "bull"! Of that species, I am the female...probably...okay...if you must...a "cow"!)

Anyway, the other guests arrived soon after I made my crashing appearance! I still had a bottle of red to finish. Robert, Bob, the other half of Anne, the guests who were the invited ones, turned up. And, as it happened, we had met at the Christmas party last year. I didn't recall, but they did. Bob sat next to me and soon we were engrossed in animated conversation.

Funny how things turn out...it is a small world after all...he and Anne, his wife, spent a week on Hinchinbrook Island... a couple of years or so after my time there, but we, Bob and I, had lots to talk about. My few moments with my landlords, to share an Easter drink, turned into much longer...but it was great. Bob, who is a true "English Gentleman", living here in Aus...he wore a striped jacket over tailored slacks and perfectly ironed shirt...epitomising someone from the "old school" (speaking, I must add, with a very "South Yarra" accent!) and I chatted, sharing something in common. I think he was a bit amazed by the stories I told him, stories that are true. It was interesting to meet someone who had been a guest on Hinchinbrook Island...at a time when I wasn't there. I think he found it interesting, too, learning about how it was at the resort when I was there...to hear stories from me, from the "other side".

I live, I believe, a secular life, but that is okay...I am so grateful for having the guts to have done some of the things I have done. I don't ask for or need any medals for doing what I have chosen to do. I chose to do certain things because I wanted and needed to do them. They were of my own choosing. I would do them all again...and more. I will be dead a long time. I never thought I could do some of the things I have done, but I guess, deep down inside, I believed I could, when no one else around me thought I could...or would!

What it all boils down to is this...believe in yourself. Never listen to whatever anyone else has to say about you. Look within...that is what is most important. To hell with the rest of them!

PS....tonight, because of the happy mood I'm in....I telephoned three very good friends of mine....one I've known for many years...she and I go back a long way....another I've known not as long as the first, but equally as special to me...and the other...well, he and I go back about nine years...and he is very special to me. It is Easter, after all....a time to share with those you love. Life is good!

44 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:33 AM

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  2. Anonymous6:35 AM

    Lee, life is good. Good on you.

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  3. It is, isn't it, Steve...we so easily forget that it is...and we need to wake ourselves up every now again to that fact! :)

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  4. Anonymous7:01 AM

    Happy Easter Lee!

    good wine and fun company.. can't ask for more!

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  5. That's for sure and certain, Deslily! :)

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  6. I like that - "Believe in yourself." I should do more of that. You always have the grandest of times, Lee.

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  7. What a day, a very happy Easter Sunday! Even time for some introspection. Perfect. Lovely post, Lee. You are a character, in a nice way. What a lot of us would like to be.
    Regards
    jmb

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  8. lee,
    What a treasure you are!
    Be sure and check your tag on my Saturday post if you haven't already. ;-)
    rel

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  9. Lee, the dinner sounds delicious! Glad you had such a good time and made more friends! You are a natural born story teller, so I am sure your friends guest got a special treat!

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  10. Happy Easter, tho it's late for you. Sounds like a wonderfull one had by all.

    Stormy and I went to church and had an interesting Choir performance. Stormy is Director and we had only a few members that were able to come. The rest were sick. Our organist included. So my Bass counterpart played organ, and my Pastor and myself sang Bass. Our sole Tennor was sick, as were a couple Altos. So 7 of us comprised the Choir...with Stormy singing Tennor and directing. Turned out OK.

    It was cold here, 39 deg. F. this morning. In april we are usually in the 60's and 70's. Global Warming is freezing our bums.

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  11. Sounds like the landlord's brother is rather sensible. :)

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  12. Firstly, Gto...I'm still laughing here! Just you wait! lol

    Hi Corn Dog...and I'll be having a quiet day today to recover from it! ;)

    G'day, jmb...the party mode snuck up and grabbed me yesterday! I became a prisoner in its arms! :)

    Rel, you're the treasure. Thank you so much for your kind and generous words and for placing me on your list. :)

    Hi Neocon, I hope I didn't bore the poor fellow! He was probably glad when I left! ;)

    If I was "singing" Marc...no one would have turned up! I can't even carry a tune in the shower! Happy Easter to you and Stormy. :)

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  13. Btw, gto...the white wine served yesterday was Black Opal...one was a Semillon and the other a Riesling...I drank red, though, as I prefer red, plus Aussie Jacob's Creek champagne to start off with.

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  14. lee,
    It was a full house captive audience. We lock the doors until the end. (Just kidding).

    Our church is small, usually with barely 30-40 people each service, and a quarter of those are in the Choir. It's actually fun.

    In a small rural church you get to know every member, not like the huge ones with a thousand or more members. People also get more involved in the workings of the church. There is always a job looking for someone to help out with it. And you can get more involved or not. They understand if you say no.

    Still, we have made a lot of good friends there.

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  15. That's great, Marc...as you say, a smaller congregation filled with friendly, familiar faces is far better. :)

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  16. Marc,

    Why do you have a choir? In our church, we all sing 4-part harmony - no instrumental music. We are the choir! Accapello (sp?) == is defined "as in church". Not knocking what you do, but you should turn your small congregation into the choir!

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  17. Hi, Neocon. :)

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  18. Hi Lee! Glad you made calls to your friends! Hope everything is going well for you! It is good to get in touch with friends/loved ones who can cheer you up and make your day! I'm sure your new friend is ingtrigued by you! You are such a special person.

    BTW, did you read texpat's recipes on LST? He tried posting them to your blog, but Blogger had a fit!

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  19. p.s. I can't see you crawling into a shell! I don't think there is one who can hold you!

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  20. Neo, we're working on it! 25% at the first try ain't bad. This is the first year.

    There are always people who will not even try. Mostly older folks, but we are loosing an old dear lady, 97 I think, who has kidney failure and is going fast. She has been with the choir from the get go. Has a good voice also.

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  21. Hahaha, Neocon! With all the red wine I had consumed, plus some hazelnut cream liqueur, the phone becomes a challenge! I just have to pick it up and annoy the world! ;) I was well cheered up by the time I picked up the phone as those on the receiving end can attest to!! ;)

    Well, I must admit my landlord's brother who is a very meek, mild and shy gentleman did surprise me as I was leaving! He gave me a kiss on the cheek! I was so taken aback by his bravado, I gave him one back! I think he was overjoyed that I was leaving! lol

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  22. Marc,

    The point I was trying to make is why have a choir with so few people? Get all the congregation involved. You cannot know how beautiful an entire congregation sounds in four-part harmony. Imagine "Amazing Grace" in four-party harmony! It is beautiful! To me, organs or pianos are a distraction. God said:

    "in speaking to one another in psalms, songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" Ephes. 5:19

    Also "Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one aother, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." 3 Col. 16.

    I could quote 15 more, but you get the point.

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  23. Lee, you devil you! You had that poor boy mesmerized! Admit it! He was in awe of you! But on the other hand, I cheer him on! He approached his "demon" and dealt with it! /Not that you are a demon, but that he felt you were!

    I'm sure he felt surprise his lips didn't melt off! You may have a friend for life!

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  24. Oh! God! I'm not looking to him as becoming a friend, Neocon! lol I think he probably was, and still is, in shock from his wayward, out-of-character behaviour! ;) He will forever dodge me now if he sees me approaching! lol

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  25. heck sunny, if laughs are a commodity I'm running a severe deficit with you. Thanks for the stories.

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  26. That's not good to hear, gto. Share a smile or two with me...I'm still suffering from my happy mood of yesterday and last evening! ;)

    That doesn't mean I've forgiven you yet! Hehehehehehe!

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  27. Gto...if it's any consolation I commenced Easter with a "blue" mood and a cranky one as well, but with lots of red wine lubrication yesterday, my mood lifted greatly. :)

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  28. lee, trying to setup World time for your location. Is EST right? Google said Mount Tamborine, Queensland, AU was near Brisbane. OK or not? The World Clock is not showing times that jive with your blogger times posted.

    Look at this when you get a chance:

    http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/personal.html

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  29. Marc...the date and day shown on my blog is in US time...not Aussie time...it is actually now 12.25pm Easter Monday as I type this comment. :) Confusing, aren't I? ;)

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  30. Well, look at this.

    http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/custom.html?continent=australasia

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  31. Lee, World time is actually right then! I'm putting that on my desk top so I know when to ring you up.

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  32. Lee, I always look for people to become friends! Even those whose ideology is totally opposite mine. I, like I'm sure you do too, always see the good in folk. I have friends who are flaming liberals who I do not see eye to eye with on anything, yet we still remain friends. I don't think I was wrong about your guy! I still think he was in awe of you. (You underestimate your intelligence, but others see it for what it is). JMHO!

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  33. Okay...Marc...I'm glad I cleared that up for you! :)

    Neocon...I know what you're saying. :)

    He's not "my guy" though! lol I think I would be at a loss making conversation with him! ;)

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  34. oops, sorry about the "my guy" comment. I seldom think in those terms, since I mainly have "guy friends!" Story of my life! I guess I'm just "one of the guys."

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  35. Nothing wrong with that, Neo! :)

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  36. A freely flowing post. I loved it. I was feeling left out with the description of the food.
    About the red wine causing trouble for some, I have a good friend who won't drink it claiming, "it turns me into an asshole." His wife shakes her head in agreement when he says it. I always ask him how we would be able to tell when the transformation occurs.
    Yes, believing in yourself is key. Besides farming, I'm in local government and making decisions would be difficult if one was not sure of ones self. You have to vote your own opinions and beliefs.

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  37. Ahhh red wine puts me into a good mood, Cliff! And I needed a change in mood from the one I entered into the weekend with! :) Now, I'm exiting the long weekend...not sure where I stand at the moment! ;)

    I'm thinking about all the transcribing of tapes I have to start tomorrow!

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  38. Hi Lee,

    Happy Easter!

    It sounds like you got your celebration in! The meal sounded scrumpious, but I don't think you should call yourself anything bovine.

    Janice~

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  39. Well, Lee, sounds like you had a great time and the wine certainly had its effect...a most verbal post (verbal?...well, it'll do). Somehow I can't see you as a hermit crab crawling into a shell...nah...impossible to visualise. Too out there...but, why not?

    As for the bull...er..landlord's brother, maybe he thought the china shop was a safer bet...heheh!

    Sounds like you had a grest time though and I hope the head's not giving you too much grief.

    Happy Easter!

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  40. Hi Janice and Robyn...the food was very tasty, Janice...but as always far too much! :)

    I've feeling fine today other than just a bit lethargic, Robyn. It's been a good excuse not to get too energetic! ;)

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  41. neocon

    I think I would win, as far as being "one of the guys" person. I have maybe a handful of lady friends but I have always had a ton of male friends. :)

    Oh, Lee I wanted to let you know, when you are in that mood and ready to take on the Taliban or Bin Laden let me know so I can join in. :)

    Some people think I am way to independent and that is why I am single. :)

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  42. Hey there Sandra...I've guite a number of male friends, too...a bit like you and Neo. Always have had and even when I've been in a "relationship", I've retained those friendships. My friends are my friends, whatever gender.

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  43. Love your effervescent party mood, Lee! Does George Bush know about you? - He could hire you to get Bin Laden!

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  44. lol Welsh! I'd probably have more luck in finding him! ;)

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