Wednesday, December 13, 2023

A Merry Gathering


I don't have sufficient hours in a day to portion out for myself and friends. The social battery depletes fast during this season. I use lunch hours to clear work or get to the gym/pilates. Although meeting friends at lunch is much easier than finding a dinner slot. So I'm very happy if friends could do morning walks and coffee. 

S is always very kind to have us over at her home. She loves hosting and being immersed in parties, baking, cooking and prepping food for all her guests, on top of juggling her daughters' and husband's schedules and a full-time job. I have no idea how she does it, but it's certainly at a lot of cost to her physical and mental health — in the sense that she's stretched thin across if everybody wants a piece of her and her schedule is packed chock-a-block full. I'm just so glad that she's scaling back this year, even on the Christmas parties, intentionally carving time out for herself. Whewwww.

What A and I did was to invite ourselves to her dining table for a coffee. Neither of us needed breakfast or food. Hahaha. We've never been breakfast people unless we're in for a long hike. So we simply turned up for a long chat. Choya was invited too! Smol Girl was given the run of the house. Goodness! She was super happy zooming in and out of the kitchen, around the garden and rolling on the carpet indoors. 

I was totally intending to have a second coffee, but sake was trotted out. And S was serious when she said a cup of sake at 10am. WALAOEH. Who's the alcoholic here again? Okay, me. I hadn't even been sober for 12 hours, and I also had champagne and sake the night before. *hic

When our lives differ so much in terms of our trajectories and goals, but our fundamental values remain aligned, I'm thankful. These are the things that encourage this friendship to continuee on beautifully. I'm ever-thankful for their steady presence in my life, all the laughs and advice. I hope I have been as steadfast to them too.

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