Well this has to have been the strangest New Year’s Eve of my entire life. I suppose the only one that would rival this one was in 1994 when I was unfortunate enough to marry Paul Skvaril. It was a rather nice party in our new home located on the Peacock Gap golf course. It had a rather catastrophic ending however – divorce and then death. Obviously not mine but his.
This year it was a gathering of a rather large family. It began with a knock on the door and a present. It is the cutest think you have every seen – it will be very difficult to get the treasure home – will have to get some ideas about how to do this. Then more knocks and then more people – young people, the eldest was about 17. Very, very handsome kids, amazingly handsome. They are all quite loving, speak perfect English (and Arabic), We decided that they would call me Granny Alexis – I have been called that before by eight grandchildren. Those were preLondon days. I am not sure what will happen with this ‘family’. They live in a distant land (s) but have an airlines – a fleet and private jets apparently.
New Year’s Day could best be described as miserable – not a hangover but upset stomach, dizziness and pain from the left knee. But a talented and competent doctor came to the hotel with medicines and an injection leaving me feeling normal . Some fine time was spend with a young man from Saudi Arabia. He wants me to come and visit with he and his family. The country has changed a great deal but not much is made of this in the media. I do wonder why. He promises that his family will greet me with enthusiasm. That is my kind of tourism – not wandering around vaguely looking at the sights. But, of course, first of all I need to get the left knee replacement, then recover. I quite look forward to it. Another destination on my bucket list.
It is night time in London, Fell asleep and had about four hours of reset but awoke to make hotel reservations. Life is about to get complicated but then a return to normalcy. What is normalcy: a normal state of affairs, business as usual, the daily round, routine, a normal pattern, order, regularity.
The photograph shows the gift – no idea where he was purchased. He is a Unicorn, a happy unicorn at that. Look at that smile!!
