Yay! It’s Friday! And am I ready for a weekend or what?
The problem with this weekend, however, is that I have to do some work (again it is for PFE, so that’s not so bad, but it stops me from getting out and enjoying the spring sunshine. But hopefully I’ll be getting my shiny new laptop soon, so will be able to work in the park), and tomorrow evening I have to go to a family birthday party.
I’m not a big fan of family events, except when they are immediate family. I find that I don’t have an awful lot in common with many members of my family (my cousin Gemma being a notable exception, but that’s as much to do with the closeness of our ages as anything – unfortunately, she won’t be there as she has broken her wrist while snowboarding). I don’t see many of them that often, so inevitably I end up fielding questions about my lovelife ("so, are you married yet? do you have a girlfriend?" etc.) and that’s about all. Nobody asks me what else I might be doing in my life – they wouldn’t think of me setting up a new business or anything like that, because they associate me with working at the nursery and imagine that that is all I’ll ever do.
Mind you, I am probably guilty when it comes to conversation the other way. Most of the family members who will be there are retired, and what do most retired people do all day? Sit around, watch TV, go to the shops, prod the garden. They are not the sort of people who would set themselves a challenging hobby, or go travelling extensively. So it is difficult to strike up conversation – there isn’t enough common ground.
So why am I going? Well, largely to support my mum, who isn’t really looking forward to it, I think (it is for her brother’s 70th birthday) – although having said that, once her family get together, everyone else has to put in earplugs because of the deafening chatter. So Tim, Jane and I will endeavour to be sociable on arrival, then find a quiet corner for the three of us. And since the party starts at 7pm, I reckon I can scarper shortly after 10 to get to the Nags for last orders.
separating the wanted from the unwanted