Friend Jennifer wrote to ask if I was back yet and I grumpily replied:
Me: Yeah I am back. Not particularly happy about it but here. Life will be blessedly different now that I can get around and I certainly can these days. I still have sleep disturbance because of jet lag but spending my time spending countless hours hooked on videos of the Sultan. No plans for Thanksgiving – I am feeling intensely UnAmerican. Today it is back to see Jim the physical therapist. I worked with my old trainer Brian while in London, who was amazing and I am pretty much there in terms of functioning.
I am suffering from culture shock – lord god am I adored in London and it is most hard to be back as a regular person. But now I am mobile I can be back to my great neighbourhood. It has been a very long haul .
Hoping to go back to sleep. And god do I ever HATE unpacking. Me.
She sent back the most amazing response that filled me with such cheer.
She: Good evening my dear Sultan magnet. Well, you may not be excited to be back but I’m sure there are many people who are glad you are here! And I beg to differ with you, but “regular person” you are not! You also do appear to be adored by those many, which happens to include me!
I went to a quilting class today at a little quilt shop in Lincoln where we made a Christmas Tree quilt which is so cute! I’ll send a photo when I finish it. (She then went on to tell me of other highlights in her life.)
(Ending with)Dreams of hugs and sultans of love!!
Me: Damn I love being a Sultan magnet! That HAS to go on the blog!! I am not sure that he would consider me thus BUT…,I would love to see the photo of the quilt i was so incredibly good with old trainer Brian in London that I graduated from Jim. I need no more physical therapy. Boo Hoo. Crowns of Hugs and Princes of Love. More later.
A good long time ago Jennifer and I got into this habit of ending emails with hugs and loves. It would be fascinating to get a list of them – most creative I do have to admit.
An embarrassment of riches – because along came an email from CPI. I had written her to ask her how Justin Trudeau (Mr. Black and Brown Face) was doing forming his cabinet.
Dear Sleepless(?) in SF,
Funny you should ask about JT – here is a cartoon that at least shows how Post Media feels about him.
Always harder to come back than to go, but you’re leaping right back into the routine of therapy and appointments sounds like you’re amazing everyone with your recovery. A perfect patient!.
Sleepless(sort of) in Vancouver. L
Flower Girl’s Wife, a dear friend who lives in the Hampshires, corresponds with me using Instagram. I posted a picture of me wearing earphones with he following caption.
Me: An admittedly not glamorous picture showing the most marvellous head phones ever. Purchased in the UK for a mere 12 pounds. They shut out all traffic noise whereas my Bosc 300 dollar headphones do not. I shopped in a small shop when visiting my wonderful friends in the Hampshires. They are supposed to be used when shooting a rifle. I don’t have guns, just quiet.
She: Glad they worked! Such a fun day!
Me: They do! They are perfect but not altogether attractive! Hahaha
She: I did say that when we were in the warehouse/shop
Me: Things that work are not always attractive. Hahaha!
Flower Girl’s Wife was also totally funny about the Sultan and his hobby of Falconry. I cannot find the exact quote but when I mentioned his hobby this was her response:
She: Watch out! You might get pecked
Me: No I will not! I am not prey. I am not a rabbit or a chicken or a snake.
So all of my friends tease me about my obsession with the Sultan. They do not remonstrate me, or tell me I am mad or stop thinking about him or tell me it is inappropriate. They just giggle with me and probably think:
They: What the hell is she going to do next?
Me: I have no idea, but it is bound to be fun.
What is remonstrate? Its definition is as follows: make a forcefully reproachful protest. Its synonyms are: strongly object to, complain vociferously about, protest against, lodge a protest against, argue against, take a stand against, oppose strongly, take exception to, take issue with, make a fuss about, challenge, raise objections to, express disapproval of, express disagreement with, speak out against; deplore, condemn, denounce, criticize; informal kick up a fuss/stink about. ANTONYMS accept.
My friends of old opposed strongly, argued against, took exception to, condemned, demeaned criticized my relationship with a fellow multibillionaire, not the Sultan. They are no longer my friends, those friends of old. The (other) multibillionaire is no longer around but it was not because of their condemnation, and fussing about, and their expressing disapproval of him. My wonderful friends remain and we giggle about the Sultan – and the Sultan is SUCH a good man. I needed them, those friends in 2017 to support me, to understand, but now they are dust. My loyal friends and they that love me – they applaud my courage and bravery to speak and to feel kind thoughts toward the Sultan. Oh My Goodness, says Jennifer, Alexis is a Sultan magnet. Hahahahah
Attached is the photo of me in the earphones and the funny cartoon from Canada.
