March 12, 2010. I’m still basking in the after-glow of my party on Saturday night. I felt like a Queen. There were flowers, more flowers and even more flowers. My secret wish for flowers came true and now my apartment looks like spring has sprung!
Pam arrived right on 7:30 pm, which if you knew Pam, you might be surprised at her punctuality. But she was coming straight from work, and it being a Saturday, she managed to get out of the office at a decent time, despite a client walking in 5 minutes before closing wanting to book a holiday. I was glad it was Pam because I wasn’t ready – in fact I was flat-out on my bed taking a power nap when the buzzer went. Pam helped me polish up the wine and martini glasses, lay out the tablecloth, set up the bar and do some last-minute party preparation. As an incentive, Pam poured us some milagro ‘sipping’ tequila sprinkled with cinnamon and followed by a wedge of a juicy orange. I think the tequila gave me that energy boost I needed.
The food was great — a platter of sushi – something you cannot get in Tillsonburg; mini quiches, sausage rolls, spanokapitas, dry cashews, deviled eggs, delightful chinese nibbles with a yummy sauce, cheese, a box of chocolatey petite bites and some cannolli…did I leave anything out? It was a feast! No wonder everyone was hovering near the food. A big thank-you to my friends for their generosity in bringing such delicious food.
There was a steady stream of people arriving – quick hellos, big hugs and kisses. What a feeling when you see someone for the first time in ten long months. It’s a bit surreal, but at the same time, those ten months seemed more like only ten weeks — it’s been a while, but it didn’t feel anywhere close to a year. It felt natural as if time had stood still or had moved in very slow motion. But I hugged a little harder and longer, because my heart knew there had been a long absence.
I enjoy watching the new connections being made among my friends. I overheard Lori, MJ and Ellen talking about getting together to play golf. Those who attended my martinis and cupcake party last spring were now coming together again, no longer strangers.
We got into some story telling because two of my former roommates from the condo on Barclay Street were there — MJ and Lane. When MJ moved in, it was about the same time as that scary movie called “Single White Woman” was out. I refused to go see the movie which is about two women who are strangers decide to share a place in response to an ad, and I think the roommate turns out to be a psychotic killer. I’m sure in MJ’s description of the movie, it was the other roommate, which would be me, that was the crazy killer.
Sometimes when art imitates life, it gets you thinking. That’s how it was with MJ and me since we had quite a few similarities: we were both paralegals, we both loved to sail, we both loved travel and reading books; but at least we had one difference – she had long hair and my hair was cropped short. I don’t think MJ and I ever talked about this movie, but we each independently spoke to our friends about it. I know I told my best friend Susan that “if she ever cuts her hair like mine, then I’m out of here”! Well of course, some weeks later, MJ comes in with a short hair cut similar to mine. Oh yes, did I tell you we both had black hair! Last night she told me that once when I was away, she had to go check in my bedroom and bathroom to make sure nothing weird was lurking hidden away behind closed doors. I think she was able to relax after that.
Lane was my last roommate at Barclay Street before I moved here to Laguna Vista. Lane and I lived together for 6 years and I liked to kid that it was the longest relationship that I ever had. The next year she got married to John and as their anniversaries started to pile up, John was very pleased to tell me, once their 6th year anniversary passed, that I no longer lived longer with Lane than he did.
Of course Lane is a master story-teller and she had us in stitches. The short of it is, by time she got to me, she had already checked out quite a few other shared accommodation ads and had become very disillusioned. Now to call Lane a ‘diva’ would not be an overstatement – although I think she prefers princess and she wasn’t having much luck in finding something to meet the style to which she had become accustomed. She was starting to think she would return to California or London, England, two of the last places she had lived before trying Vancouver. Luckily, Lane hadn’t completely given up hope yet. Even though she was already hip to ads that didn’t accurately reflect reality, she decided to meet me anyway. Well, the rest is history. She loved the place and we got on very nicely. And soon we were making lime margaritas, eating Miss Vickies chips and getting ‘liquored-up’ on many a night. I guess you can say we bonded.
And the great thing about roommates like MJ and Lane, is that we became friends and I got to meet their friends and they got to meet mine. I guess you could say that it is networking at its best. And now when I have a party or Lane and John has a party, we bring our friends together, and what could be better than that.
So the party was a success! So even though in some ways this was a going away party, it didn’t have that sadness or finality to it because I will be seeing most of these friends again over the next two weeks. Thanks everyone for making me so happy on Saturday night by your presence in my home.
Pictures from the party will follow soon. I’m still not very good at getting pictures from my camera to the computer. Wish me luck!
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