The Three Sisters

My Dear Princess and Dear Friends,

I worked from about 7am to noon today. That was it. 

I figure I will make up my afternoon hours this weekend. 

The reason I knocked off early was Fazlyn. She got the news from her dentist recently that she needs a root canal, a crown replacement and most of her fillings re-done. 

"I think he might be drill-happy," she told me. 

So she made an appointment with another dentist in Karori to get a second opinion. "Would you like me to go with you?" I asked.

"YES PLEASE!" she replied in all-caps. Shahier would be busy sitting the children, she told me. And added that, "I'm a terrible patient."

So today I got on the train, with the intention of meeting her in town at 1pm. On my way, some random woman said "hi" to me but I didn't know if she was speaking to me or not. She sat opposite me. 

She looked a bit like Fazzy I thought. But she had a bob haircut. And with sunglasses and a mask on, I figured it wasn't her. But I didn't look too close. After all, I didn't want her to think I was some weirdo.

At which point I started getting the texts, asking when I would arrive. 

I stole another glance at the woman sitting opposite me. Definitely not Fazzy. 

The train pulled in and the weird lady started following me. I picked up speed. 

"Really, Symon? Really?" said the weirdo. Flicking out her long hair from behind her mask.

Oh. 

Hello Fazzy.

She had spent her trip texting Shahier pictures of me resolutely ignoring her. "How can he NOT know it's you?" he asked. "Are you sure it's HIM?"

She also texted Caro, who replied, "What sort of a temporary husband is he?"

Fazzy would NOT let me hear the end of it. "I suppose we ALL look alike to you," she said. "RACIST."

But she couldn't be too hard on me. I escorted her into the surgery while Second Dentist gave his opinion that:

- She needed a root canal.
- And a crown replacement.
- And all her fillings replaced.

Nevertheless, she enjoyed this experience. I can claim no credit for this. This dentist's manner WAS very good and she said she wasn't as scared as she thought she would be. All the same, she'd like me to come back for the crown replacement.

We actually had a really lovely day, despite the dentist. I just love Fazzy's company, we're like a couple of squabbling siblings who love each other really. I took Fazzy out to Johnsonville so we could buy presents for Zay's upcoming birthday next week, then we went to MacDonald's for the now-traditional MacFlurry. 

I always enjoy spending time with Fazzy. She's actually a lot like Caro and is very cheeky and funny with me. She's also one of the smartest most astute women I know and I find her interesting to talk to. Basically Fazzy always puts a smile on my face. I just love her.

Even if I barely recognise her. 

Oh, that reminds me. We also had fun by staging yet another photo for Shahier. I took a picture of her looking dodgy and sent it to him saying, "That strange woman is still following me. Help." (See the extra).

But my day was not over. I had booked tickets to go and see "Nightmare Alley" with Jefe and Manda. And then Shenée and Craig decided to come along as well, just 30 minutes before the film was due to start.

I really enjoyed the film of course. It is by Guillermo Del Toro and his films are always great to look at, at the very least. I also found this film quite gripping which is surprising considering I watched the 1947 film earlier and thought it was a moralistic snorefest.

The other thing I loved was the cinema itself which is an art-deco beauty in Miramar (about 20 minutes out of the city centre). I'd like to see all movies here from now on, please. Today's blip is a wonderful mural inside the bar, but I've included pictures of the exterior in the extras too. 

However, the main thing I loved about this evening was having fun hanging out with friends. I mainly listened this time as they caught up with each other and talked movies. Afterwards, Shenée and Craig took me back home and popped in to say hi to Caro over a cuppa. 

She regaled them with tales of backpackering, I love these stories which are always funny and rude and exciting. More importantly it was lovely to see how relaxed Shenée is at our house now. 

She is not really a cat person and does not know how to "cat" - so I taught her how to cuddle Jasper and she was DELIGHTED when he responded with purrs and licks and rolled over for her. 

Maybe Jasper will turn her into a cat person. I wouldn't be surprised. 

As it got closer to eleven (Shenée is an early-to-bed person) she lay down on the couch and closed her eyes, but continued listening to Caro's stories as she snuggled up close to Craig. 

It made me so happy to see her content and relaxed like that. I had told her earlier in the day that she was my little sister and seeing her like this makes me think she feels the same way about me. 

Not that I'm her little sister. You know what I mean. 

As you may know, I have a THIRD younger sister as well. This one lives in Edinburgh, and it was her birthday today. I talked about her a lot with Fazzy in MacDonald's and how I wished they could one day meet. 

Thinking it about it this morning, I realise that I truly love my three younger sisters. Chatting to them and sending them presents and taking them to the dentist and getting them ice-cream and having them treat my living room like home makes me very happy. 

And so long as they don't wear masks and sunglasses and properly introduce themselves to me, I expect I may even learn to recognise them one day.

S.