Well Hello There!

My Dear Princess and Dear Friends,

Isn't this a lovely picture? Caro sent it to me of her hanging around in the garden with Jasper. We both love spending time out there with them, they putter about happily being like proper cats and we sit there reassuring them that they are not really.

I was not there when this picture was taken. I had an all-day workshop, and you may remember that all-day workshops on Project Gromit are amongst my favourite days in the office. Even if Gromit herself is no longer with us. 

Today was extra-special because Sam came down from Auckland, the first time I have seen him in person since that city went into lockdown last August. We exchanged hugs and he was in as good spirits as ever. I sat between Ellie and Fazzy, who were also on good form.

Ellie immediately apologised for her hairy armpits. She is a busy working mum, she explained and just doesn't have time for all of the extensive grooming requirements that her sensitive skin requires every morning. 

She went on to say how baby Aubrey interrupts her ablutions every morning by lifting up the back of her dressing-gown and going "AAAAAAAARGH!" before resting her head on the back of Ellie's bum and busying herself under there. 

"This is why we can never ever have house-guests," she told me. 

April also came up from Christchurch. She made us play a fun game that I cannot help but think would be fun in the Princess's kitchen after a drunken night of tomfoolery. Basically, you tape money to the side of the kitchen table in increasing value up to say a tenner. 

Then, you hand an empty can to the party-goers and they have to ROLL the can so it is parallel to one of the prizes. If it rolls off the table you are out. You take turns, for as many rounds as you like.

It is MUCH harder than it sounds. Because empty cans just don't roll the way you expect them to! So it was a fun game with lots of larfs as we humiliated ourselves trying to win the cash. 

Meanwhile, Fazzy gave me sh*t all day. For one reason or another. To be fair to her, I did manage to give a particularly boring presentation but it is not like I choose to be boring. I have been given the BAU Support Model to work on, and it is hard to make it exciting. "It's not my fault!" I protested.

"Quite," said Fazzy. "You didn't choose to be born with that droning voice."

Harsh. 

I told her I was going to put that EXACT LINE into one of my stories and then she will feel GUILTY every time she reads it.

Maybe.

This didn't stop me from taking Fazzy and Corrie for McFlurries at half-time and it was actually a lovely day in Wellington today.

And then I came home to Caro and Jasper (and Dave and DG and Punky, of course). 

It is hard to be grumpy.

S.