I love my job! Unless you’re a movie star or Paris Hilton, where else can you get so much time off from work other than working in education; six weeks off now and hopefully the sun will join us. But I am sad. The first few days of the holiday always make me sad. It may be the calming down after so much fun; it may be the end of an era what with people/children moving on. It could be that I have nothing to look forward to as no holiday booked this summer. (Well I do have plans but the no holiday thing depresses me if I think about it too much especially when everyone else is buggering off). But the real reason is that my lovely friend- The Mad American- is off home for the summer.
I will miss her! But
she never fails to keep me informed of what is going on . . . .
1. I always get a text about her ‘companion’
on the plane. I can just imagine her sitting there with that empty seat next to
her, watching as people get on and walk towards her, then heaving a huge sigh
of relief as they walk on by. I can also imagine her screaming silently inside
as the seat is filled, wishing that person had walked on by! And she has eight
hours to go! She doesn’t sit with her Hubby for that long at home! This time,
however, she is sitting with her kids but I’m sure there will be someone that
catches her eye and I will get a text despite the fact her mobile should be
switched off at that time!
2. With
Facebook, The Mad American can keep in touch! Yay! But it is not as easy as
that. Her parents do not have access to the internet. So as she takes her
bright pink laptop with her, she stands on her parents drive, waving her laptop
around until she gets the signal. There is someone out there who has not
secured their signal! And it would be rude not to take advantage of that. I
wonder what the neighbours think that this strange woman is sitting on the
drive rather than in the house or the garden by the pool! Obviously, The Mad American
visits plenty of family and friends with internet so she gets to use it in the comfort
of their home and rarely needs to stand on the drive and then it’s only in an
emergency. . . . Is that ok honey? Don’t want to get you in trouble!
3. The internet (whose ever it is) has meant
that The Mad American has been able to get in touch when she needs. And the
distance between us is nothing as I’ve been there for her when needed over the
years and hopefully been a huge help in her hour of need. xxxx
4. There is never a simple journey for The Mad
American. There have been delays. There has been lost luggage! There has been
surprise ‘lets-keep-this-trip-secret-so-I-can-surprise’ despite her advertising
the fact on Facebook and telling the whole world. And there is always the
luggage weigh in which is always way over what it should be and that’s just
going out! Never mind coming back with cases full of goodies for people. Which
brings me on to . . .
5. She is the most generous person I know. She
goes around asking everyone and anyone ‘would you like me to bring you
something back?’ She is a shopaholic. She loves to spend! Her cases on the
return home are full of purple skittles, Peanut Butter M&Ms, Twinkies, T
shirts, jewellery, watches, cereals and other bits that you can only get in America!
Obama should give her recognition for her single handed efforts in restoring
the economy with her spending!
6. And finally, today is the last day I will
get to see her for six weeks. We are meeting for a last gossip, giggle and hugs.
It has become a bit of a ritual now; the goodbye/happy holiday drinkies after
work are not enough and we need our little time.
In the mean time,
I have Hubby’s birthday, a wedding anniversary to remind my Hubby of, lay ins,
books to read, flash fiction to write, a sun lounger needing my attention, days
out, a trip to Suffolk and catching up with friends. I do love the summer
holidays really but just wish for once I could spend it with the Mad American .
. . Maybe next year I’ll be the one sitting next to her on the plane and her squeals
of delight will break the sound barrier.
Safe journey!
Love, Me. xx
OMG!!!!!!!!I don't know what to say!!!!!! I just sat here laughing out loud, Chloe is asking me why am I laughing and what am I laughing at??? This is the funniest and even funnier that it is so true. Reading it from another person's perspective is a riot!!!!! Do I really spend that much??? Am I really supposed to turn my phone off while I am sitting on the darn plane feeling claustrophobic????? Does some stranger really have to sit next to me????? Can they not see that I need my own space especially when it's toilet time. The answer to all these things is 'YES!!!! I am so thankful to you Koch, for dedicating yet another blog to me. You must really love me. Well, of course you do. I love you. We love each other. We are really best friends. And yes, one day, you will be that stranger next to me on the plane. You, me, and Chloe probably. Thank you for taking time to write this hilarious blog. I am humbled. Hubby read it too. although he isn't so happy about being reminded of my spending skills. And don't worry about mentioning the borrowing of internet. One summer, I am bound to be dragged down to the police station. Love you lots <3 xxxxxx
ReplyDeleteAwww, this has got to be the best reply to a blog EVER! I don't know what to say really except love you!!! And thank you for being such an avid follower and so enthusiastic (in everything you do)!!
DeleteWhat a lovely blog. Am sure you will miss each other loads but just think of the reunion. xxxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteAh yes, the reunion! By then I won't want to go back to work but will want to see my friend. . . Mmm tricky! ;-). Thank you for reading chicken and taking time to comment. Very much appreciated. xxx
DeleteNice to have a best friend. Mine died a year ago so I know that awesome connection. ANYWAY, I am a new follower now and would love it if you would follow me back.
ReplyDeletehttp://vintageboomer.blogspot.com/
That's so sad. You must have fantastic memories to enjoy and never forget. Thank you for reading and following. I have visited all your blogs and followed as well as on Pinterest. I loved your movie random facts!!!
DeleteI have friend who lives on the other side of the world. She has been my best friend for 35 years. We get together for 3-4 weeks a year, and parting is always such sweet sorrow x.
ReplyDeleteWow! I haven't known mine for that long(sometimes it feels like it- hee hee). I get to see mine every day as we work together! Just the summer and sometimes Christmas I don't get to see her. So I guess I'm extremely lucky. I bet when you see your friend, it's just like you only saw her yesterday as you pick up where you left off! xxxx
DeleteWell hello I have just managed to read this one at last too, I always have such high hopes in the summer holidays of having days on end of oodles of time and getting hyper organised and up to date on everything, ha! ha! I think I have been away from home more than at home these holidays. There were still lots of peeps I thought I might get to meet up with but that never happened. Something I have managed to do and rather well is eat too much and put on far too much weight, what is the world coming to when even your generous M & S items are not so roomy. I also had to blow off slimming weigh in tonight as it would have been rude not to meet some peeps from school at Pizza Express! It will be good to see Jan again at school when I am forced to go back to boring evenings or ironing and packed lunches and sensible early nights, well fairly sensible anyway. I have just finished reading that triology I lent you Liz have you taken up the challenge? I have just finished the last one this morning which was fab but sad that they have all finished.
ReplyDelete