Begin at the Beginning

I should have done this while we were still in 2007 but I couldn’t steal a half hour to call my own. The last two weeks have been spent under command from Myrine, Piper and their offspring. So if I wasn’t holding shopping bags, then I was being fed or I was being used. That’s right.

After about 5 days, I thought I deserved a little time off to read and walk around but Nikita quickly says, “But masi, if you go away then at least send Paris mami to take your place or who will entertain us?” So in one sentence I learnt that not only was I easily replaceable but also that I was only as good as a court jester. Sigh.
So I entertained. I sat in the balcony overlooking a terrace rose garden and told stories to Eve. I sipped chai while she had hot chocolate. We licked Nuttella for dessert.
Rosie laughed and giggled and made me wash her ass every morning. Her mother chose convenient times to be missing. She perfected the butt dance and wriggled it at every one she met. I regretted having complimented her on it.
Pearl has become softer. She clung to hands and for the first time in her 7 years displayed a child’s side.
Nikita ordered as only she can and admired everything. Chose my clothes, complimented them, remembered everything, gave cold shoulders, made up… she’s a big girl now.

And since this must be documented – Myrine and Piper suffered through 3 hours of a “perfect jeans hunt”. These jeans have eluded me for the past 4 years. I haven’t bought a pair in longer. I usually walk in to a Levis and try on something made for a giraffe and come away feeling trampled upon. There are never bottoms that fit my bottom. And then this December with my very supportive sisters, I finally found them. In Marks and Spencers. And carried away by the triumph of the moment (and some reasonable fear) I invested in not one but two jeans! Myrine and Piper were suitably impressed.
“In 25 years I’ve never seen you shop before.” Myrine said at least 5 times.
“You can’t complain about us shopping anymore.” Piper said smugly. I smiled winsomely and told her that this was not shopping, “this is like watching a love story get a happy ending. You have been part of my search and now you were in at the end. It’s almost like if I found my dream man.”
Piper agrees since she too is a troubled owner of the Flanagan bottom.

Anyway I have digressed. What I really should have done and didn’t get time to do was make a quick 2007 diary. I thought it would be nice to have a yearly summary of the affairs in the lives of the cast of characters. I like imagining a series of year end summaries. A lazy person’s diary.

2007 for me was the year of friends and beginnings. In a very God Shiva sense. Things got destroyed and were regenerated.
Something paramount happened in almost everyone’s life this year and I can only wish that 2008 sees it all through happily.

So here we go:

Mars: got hitched to Paris this February and also doubled his salary in a meager year. Became a TV star and found that he likes being creative.
Paris: got balled and chained to Mars. Made breakthroughs with both families – hers and his.
Sky: got signed on by “Back From the Past productions” as a director for their forthcoming feature. A HUGE accomplishment and a step that she has been working towards for the past 5 years.
Alanis: jumped some continents and jaded as she was found ‘it.’ The ‘it’ was a package deal that comes with joy, hope, companionship and Greek stories in a mellifluous voice.
Sytar: got wed this March and is deeply enjoying marital bliss. She is a prototype of a woman changed by marriage – she dresses different, wears her hair stylishly and all in all walks more surely. Kudos to her husband who I still have to find a name for.
Harry: had her script heard by some big names in the industry. Some important, some not so much… but she got professional feedback and all of it good. She cut ties with Express and walks free and unloaded after years.
Kat: quit her job and decided to move back to Solace where she will restart her professional dance training.
Titania: decided to move with the parents to Patina and work with Mr. H in the cooking business.
Salvatore: lightened his load after ten years and found closure. Found a girl to love and is working on it.
Quinn: cut ties with all of us and got engaged. We heard of it from his parents.
Mr. & Mrs. H: moved back to Patina. Their life is coming full circle and they are in a place where things are good. They also sold Peterswood. It is a loss that will be felt as some of our happiest and toughest memories are of childhood days spent there.

These were the highlights of 2007. Other important events were Audrey getting engaged. Bee strongarmed GG into buying her a ring. Piper and Philip managed to get out of some coils and things look better. I found employers I like and signed on for a job that I have hope from. (My new mantra is to be a career woman.)

So as you can see 2007 was a really BIG year for so many important people… marriages and engagements, moves and career highs, love found and friends lost. And now we’re in 2008 and it’s come bringing in so many possibilities.

All the best to everyone.