Been busy… back now

Have you missed me?  I’ve been out having a life.  Scary really.  Normally in the weekends we don’t do much but on the weekend just past I had things to attend Friday evening, Saturday evening  and two events on Sunday.  And I had coffee this morning.  One of the Sunday events was a party plan party so I was sort of relieved when I had other plans.

You see I’m one of those people… I think SUCKER is the correct word.  I often buy something (generally it appeals at the time) which I don’t need and may not use. Then I have to restrain myself from having a party just because if the host of the party I’m at doesn’t have enough sales and bookings then they won’t get their cheap or even free item!  It’s quite bizarre really because I’m not that good at having people in my house let alone a bunch of people in my house.  I spend the entire time from knowing date of the party stressing about cleaning the house and I end up throwing stuff into boxes or rooms with closed doors on the morning of whatever Party Plan event I have managed to talk myself in to or been talked into.

Friday evening was a farewell for someone moving to Western Australia.  It was one of those things scheduled to run all night so Boy Child, Girl Child and I showed up for the pre dinner drinks portion of the evening.  Mr E was at work later than expected so never made it.  It was weird seeing people I only see in one forum / aspect of my life in an different setting.

Saturday night was Fireworks! 20 minutes of pyrotechnics to music. Our family doesn’t ‘do’ crowds so instead of sitting in area with thousands of other people, we forego proximity and the ability to see the lower fireworks and go to a much quieter place.  There we park, have dinner and watch the sky light up surrounded by a few other families who aren't willing to brave the crowds either.  This particular night we were also sharing the space with cattle.  The area we go to was surrounded by cattle.  There was lowing and mooing to accompany the musical soundtrack to the fireworks.  The cattle odour which also added to the experience.  But a fun time was had by all, in our family at least.

I didn’t go to the Party plan event.  Instead I met up with some old family friends from interstate at a picnic. It was nice to catch up but strangely surreal as well.  I spent a lot of time with these people as a young child but as an adult don't have much contact with them.  Mostly because I am slack and don't write letters.

We do the catch up thing generally for weddings (my one and only), the birth of children (both of mine) and funerals (mum’s).  So there was also the whole ‘last time I saw you my life was a complicated mess’ from my point of view. 

It was interesting weekend.  With people leaving and people from the past visiting, I have been doing quite a bit of contemplation.  Why do some people have a major impact on our lives and others don’t?  What makes the difference? Is it us or them?

There is that poem about people being in your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.  Maybe that really is how life works.  I wonder… What do you think?