1.8.11

A toast to friendship









I wasn't great at making friends at school. A combination of joining a girls' school in the second term of the L4th, and my shyness being misconstrued as haughtiness.

I remember walking into a classroom on the first day to find the word YORKSHIRE written on the blackboard. It was where i had come from, they expected me to sound like a character from Last of the Summer Wine. I didn't.

We've all moved on since then.

In adult life i am better at it, and cherish friendships made. When The Sunday Telegraph sent photographer Clara Molden to my door, she became a friend. A friend you can tweet, text and have late night phone calls about boys, and a friend who comes to stay Chez Miss P.

Who brings gifts of chocolate, and a beautiful print of one of her images from the Royal Wedding (you can see all the guests, and no Becca you can't have it)

In return i filled the house with sweet peas, fed her cheese, a lot of cheese, and variety pack cereal and chocolate, and wine and gin. We talked of photography, and flowers, and boys, and The Hound, and boys.

and we toasted friendship. Good times.

Special thanks to Mr F, who when Ocado cancelled their delivery to me, took my shopping list and headed to Waitrose.

Did you eat variety pack too? Have Ocado ever cancelled your delivery? Do you hate jaunty-angled photos?

9 comments:

Avril said...

Sounds a wonderful weekend. Friendships made as an adult have so much power and resonance, none of that insecurity that school friendships had. And when Ocado announced that my delivery would be 3 hours late because their systems were down the friends who were there waiting for supper toasted the Chinese takeaway with real flair.

Mrs B said...

What a present, you lucky lucky girl xx

Dave said...

There's something slightly decadent about a variety pack, especially for those of us who normally eat something dull and bran-based.

Becca said...

I had little luck at school too. All girl's schools are horrid.

What would really cheer me up after thinking about my school days is a print of the Royal Wedding but as you've already said no to that request I'll settle for the sweetpeas.

You can get sweetpeas in June right?

I had an incident with Tesco over a delivery once (no dark chocolate digestives are not the same as milk chocolate, take the damn things away). Since then I have stayed away from all deliveries. Even Waitrose. Waitrose is my favourite supermarket.

I am worried I am becoming to copycat over Kate. Anya Hindmarsh bespoke clutch aside (thank you Kate for bringing them into my life) I couldn't fit my right arm into any of her outfits. Mistake. I think Kate and I would be such good friends. We could talk about having brown hair and everything. And I would feed her up.

Tiffany | Wedding Flowers Co said...

I want to toast to friendship too! even in the distance I feel my few friends so close! cheers!! ;) Tiff

Jenny Rudd said...

I went to school with you and remember you as being smiley, a bit shy but never haughty. Friends absolutely ROCK.

Carolyn said...

Have you ever tried Waitrose Special Choice Red Fruit - it's Waitrose equivalent of Special K but soo much nicer - I've a box in my drawer at work:-)

KELLY said...

well i am pleased i found you as a friend...even if it was delayed from schooldays. i actually took a year out in L4 to go and live abroad (check me out!!) so i didn't get to see you arrive at shs. the thought of being thrown in as the new girl with 100-odd others terrifies me now. i think i'd have to go hide in the library or perhaps in the w. cecil.

ocado have been brilliant to me.
and i love it when you get a freebie. please don't let that be a jinx after several years good service.

p.s. toasting friendship with a large coffee this morning xXx

cara said...

Yes, no and yes.