It is a simple fact that My Love and I would have gotten nowhere this weekend emotionally and physically without our close circle of friends. And we are extremely thankful for each and every one of them. Friends are the family you choose.
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| This is so very true... |
The weekend started off really well and we enjoyed our family time with my sister and the gang of little ones. Our plans for Saturday evening were simple..our friends D & B were coming over and then we were all going to watch my little brother G play Ice Hockey. It was B's first time at an Ice Hockey game...my brother lives at the seaside so we planned to visit a Chip Shop and enjoy a bag of Chips on the sea front before we went to the match. Simple...no? Yes...until our car died. Refused to start..battery was just fine..but refused to start. So very stressful! B offered to drive in her car so we quickly decamped to her car and made our way. Chips were successfully enjoyed sat in front of the dark sea and then we made our way to the Ice Arena.
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| The Stormers ~ my bro is the one with the orange gloves |
I think B is now an Ice Hockey convert..lol. She enjoyed the game greatly and so did the rest of us. Although the Stormers lost to the Cobras we enjoyed every second of the game and I was very proud of G even if he did end up in the Sin bin..lol. After the game we made our way home and after D & B dropped us off we tried the car again..still dead. Bugger! What a nuisance.
Our plans for the Sunday was to visit with friends in the city near us..they had invited us to spend the afternoon with them, join them for a meal and then watch/participate in the African Drumming group they are part of. We had been looking forward to it so much and we knew they had gone to a lot of trouble foodwise for my vegan ways and My Loves 'Sali' food issues...we really didn't want to let them down.
Our friends J & S came over Sunday morning and My Love and S spent an hour outside trying to work out the problem with the car as S is very handy with all things mechanical. But after many attempts the car was still dead. They offered to take us to our friends house in the city and we were truly humbled by their offers of help. B had offered to bring us home if we could get there....friendship eh?
So we had a choice to make...stay home and be miserable about the car and finances crisis we are about to face...or take our friends offer of help and spend some much needed time with them. It took us about 5 minutes to make our decision...lol...we struggle with letting people help us. (Much to the annoyance of those close to us!)
Before we knew it we were in their Landy and making the journey to A & C's house. It was really good to see A & C and spent a couple of hours feeding their Brennan musical gadget..we take a stack of CDs with us each visit and feed them into this mass storage unit...we enjoyed catching up..drinking tea and mainly...laughing. And did we ever need a laugh. It is always so easy spending time with them.
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| A Brennan...also known as Bella! |
We were soon joined by D & B and we then enjoyed a lovely cold Sunday evening meal. The table was filled with fresh salad veggies, a selection of hummus, various breads, flavoured dipping oils and dressing, a bowl of green olives and in the kitchen there was a fish platter for the non-vegans. We sat around the table and devoured the spread and enjoyed just being together and relaxing. I particulary loved the green olives, hummus's, rocket, peppers and breads. It was a lovely meal with great company.
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| There were at least six hummus selections and I enjoyed the Chilli, Caramelised Onion, Sun Blushed Tomato varieties. |
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| I am always 1 happy person with a bowl of green olives in front of me..lol |
Once the meal was over we decamped to the lounge and I watched in wonder as it was transformed into a music room filled with many various drums and percussion instruments. Bella played good music in the background whilst we waited for other members of the group to arrive. My Love was strapped into a Djembe drum and was given a quick beginners lesson. lol.
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| Djembe Drum |
As I'm still not on form I chose to try the percussion instruments...I started with four shakers that had stones in the shells...
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| I had four of these lovelies and enjoyed playing them. |
then chose some Bean Shakers which where beans that had been dried in their skins and made a really good sound...
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| Bean Shakers...I played a 'train track' with these..lol |
and at the end of the evening I had a go at one final 'shaker'...I'm not deliberately being vague..I have just forgotten the name of it..lol.
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| Mystery shaker! lol |
The group were fantastic...My Love enjoyed playing the Djembe and confessed to getting completely lost during one piece of music. But A & D were very patient and very good instructors. D also played a drum but also played percussion too and was really good at getting across what they needed from me. I loved every second of it...I was in awe at how they all worked together and at how much they were all 'buzzing' from it. And I have to say that I was enjoying it so much that I found it hypnotic and forgot what I was supposed to be doing during the 'mystery' shaker piece of music. I was off somewhere else and feeling so happy. I know I've always enjoyed Drum music but didn't realise it could 'chill' me out so much..lol. In what seemed like mere moments everyone was packing away their drums and it was time to go home.
D & B drove us home and when we came back into our house and sat down with a cuppa...I was quite emotional about our friendships and how they had rallied around us. So thank you guys...each one of you are individually special people and our lives wouldn't be the same without you.
And the car....
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| Currently residing in Car Hospital! We are awaiting 'that call'... |
I've had a little set back but I am hoping to back in the kitchen very soon. Otherwise you may hear me screaming...
Thanks for stopping by...
~R~
UPDATE: The car issue was the camshaft sensor...and the car is now running and My Love is on the way to pick it up! Phew! lol. Just incase you were interested...lol ~R~
