"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it." Greg Anderson
Easy for him to say! All he ever has to do is wash and shave. That's because he's a man.

My journey starts with the FIRST BLOG; you'll need coffee/tea and probably some chocolate digestives, or maybe some Cadbury's Fruit and Nut, or Green and Black's Organic if you've got more money than sense.

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Chaque chose en son temps

Stella came round yesterday. She’s had a cut and colour (burgundy red - I kid you not!) and looks absolutely fantastic as per usual. She was dressed in a kind of semi boho ensemble, not always pull-offable for a woman of her age, but she always manages to do it, probably because she has the panache of someone who knows she’s wearing sexy (and matching) bra and pants.Yeah, whatever. 

 I, of course, was in my customary chez moi mode: long sleeve T-shirt, skanky cardy, jeans that should have been chucked in the washing machine two days ago, no make-up, Olive-On-the- Buses specs, hair all over the place. 

Weeeeell, I do wish people would phone before they decide to descend. But on the other hand, it’s only Stella, and she’s used to me. Anyway, I forgave her because she brought hot cross buns.

She gave me a monumental dressing down because I haven’t been entirely truthful with you, my faithful followers.

“Either you’re writing this blog or not. Where’s the next one? You said you were going to write it regularly. You said twice a week. So? Stop being such a flake, for fuck’s sake!”

“I know,” I said, “But I can’t bring myself to put it on the screen. Actually, I can’t even stomach thinking about it.”  

“Well, you’ve got to. Stop prevaricating.” Honestly – that’s what she said – prevaricating. I think she’s been reading or something. “Now that you’ve decided to do it, you’ve got to be honest. And you’ve got to put him in.”

Easy for her to say. Easy for her to say because she has the skin of a rhinoceros, whereas I really don’t want the entire world (OK, what is it? Erm, ten of you?) to know what has happened because I feel such a bloody fool. Not for the first time. God forbid I should ever do anything that gives me that 15 minutes of fame because I just can’t bear scrutiny of any kind. This is not because I have anything in particular to hide morally-speaking, it’s just that I can be such an idiot at times.  

And anyway, is there some kind of Blogger’s Bible in which the fifth commandment is ‘Thou shalt not omit a single detail’? I think not.

“Stella,” I said, “Now that you’ve eaten the hot cross buns, isn’t it about time you went back to the bosom of your loving family? I’m sure one of them must need a lift somewhere.”

“I mean it! If you haven’t written Him by Friday, you can forget going shopping next week.” She can be ruthless. Last week she offered to be at my beck and call as my personal shopper; she has some uses. I hate shopping; nothing ever fits and I loathe getting dressed and undressed a thousand times to find the next size up or down, so she said she’d be my lackey for the day.

So, either I have a nervous breakdown on my own in Debenham’s… (I nearly did that once in Ikea. When they finally realised they had a nutcase on their hands, they gave me a lad of my own to hoick stuff off the self-service shelves. You might want to remember that – look like a ‘woman on the edge’ and they give you whatever you want!) Or, I spill the beans.

 So, the next blog will detail what a complete and utter prat I’ve been. It was the biker chap.  In the meantime, I’ve got jobs to do. By Friday. Lo juro. (I think that means I swear in Spanish or Italian – have I seen it in a film somewhere? Or is it part of some quote? Funny, how weird little things stick in your brain.)

6 comments:

Danuta said...

Damn... these 'leave your comment' entries are difficult to fill! This is the third time round for me!
I'm with Stella, btw... a blog isn't a blog, if there's no one blogging! I've been patient so far (and family and friends can vouch I have very little to spare) so hop to it, ma chère! Put the kettle on, adjust the specs, cushion under bum... and start doing what you said you would do!
To quote Wallace Simpson: A woman's life can really be a succession of lives, each revolving around some emotionally compelling situation or challenge, and each marked off by some intense experience.
Actually, I think Christopher Walken (from the Saturday Night Live Rock Band skit) is more apropos: "It needs more cowbell!"
Give me more cowbell!!
Je vous envoie mes bien amicales pensées. D

Cousin Bette said...

Dani,

Kettle on, specs adjusted, Rich Tea biscuits on hand...

More cowbell coming up! I stand chastised.

***Jeeze, this woman's bossy... Perhaps I should postpone my trip across the pond? ;)***

Downith said...

Waiting on tenterhooks to hear.

Can I borrow your personal shopper?

Cousin Bette said...

Downith,
My personal shopper can be made available to you, but you have to understand the disadvantages of such a venture. It's Stella, remember. You will be told how big your backside looks in those trousers, how flabby your boobs look in that jumper, how blue makes your face resemble a semi embalmed corpse. Of course, we all need friends to tell us the truth. However, it's sometimes more easy on the ear and the self esteem when it's tarted up a bit! You have been warned!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Stella said...

Skin of a rhinoceros, I will have you know missy my skin is super smooth, thanks to all the product I use, and 'woman of her age' I'm at least 15 years younger than you :) so I can get away with young and trendy, just because you have joined the comfy shoes brigade.
Love ya anyway xxx