Thursday, June 12, 2008
Easy Living
Sad Town affords me with a simple lifestyle, quite close to what I think might be domestic bliss. Of course, that wouldn’t have happened without having the necessary characters in place for me to appreciate the surroundings. I have my friends, DL and Fluffball. What happy days!
Routine has its comforts. In Sad Town, I know I would not be allowed to sleep past 10a.m because the living alarm clock in the form of a snowy white shaggy dog would place her face so close to yours, sniffing to see if you are truly asleep and if not, would lick your face until you surrender and yield to her demands for her daily morning walk.
A creature of habit, she knows the usual walking route you would take her, albeit longer and different from where her Daddy would typically take her. Returning from a 30-minute walk, she heads for the balcony to contemplate and then lie in the sun, whilst you prepare her brunch and then wash some straying dishes and think about what to cook for lunch for DL and yourself.
Comes afternoon, you decide what you want to do-to write, to read or to nap? The house is all peace and quiet. Sometimes, you are not given a choice- Daisy turns up and drags your lethargic self out of the house. You get extremely excited if she comes to you with a potential business opportunity and you jump to your feet to check out that shop front or hop onto the internet first to do some preliminary research, whilst you fire her a million questions on points for consideration. When you get tire of sussing out places, you beg her to stop shopping (since you have no interest in stocking up on fashion given your mobility) and can we please adjourn to sit on our fat asses at a café or visit a beauty parlour to possibly get our nails done. And you are not even a nails person since manicures and pedicures are what you have always considered an excessive luxury; you much rather spend money on your face and body. But there are only this number of facials and body wraps one can do in a week.
You suggest going to the one and only newly opened Karaoke in Sad Town for the Happy Hour Rate to kill time. Even the young owners have began to recognise Daisy and you, thinking that like them, you are the prodigal, rich kids who are more interested in playing than attending classes at uni. It’s almost 4pm and you need to be home before 5.30pm to make dinner for DL. Daisy will join the household for dinner.
Night times are always nice. DL always helps with the cooking since he is the chef. Daisy comes from a family in the food business too. So is Tina. In fact, all your friends in Sad Town are related to food and you have since acquired nimble palettes. You and your bunch take eating good food rather seriously. So home cooked meals are rarely screwed up as there are enough people in the know to remedy a flawed sauce.
In our abode in Sad Town, it seems to be a nice gathering place for friends. We have no children except for the Fluffball and we are child-like. You will notice that DL’s child-like temperament as evident in the number of toys we keep is in contrast with a comprehensive selection of alcohol, always ready to whip a special cocktail for that special guest or ready to host a simple dinner with some nice and moderately priced-wine. We would probably make the best dinner party hosts- you remember in those years of working your arse off, this was your dream-to buy that love nest with a nice kitchen for your man to show off his culinary skills as you shine as a hostess-always the perfect pair that complementary!
Post dinner, Daisy and I continue yakking. Sometimes we log onto the internet to research, inquire and talk more about a business opportunity. Then there is also that one nice blissful occasion where we gather around the kitchen bench to watch DL mix up and bake a raspberry cheesecake as I awaited the electric kettle to boil whilst I make some fragrant Chinese tea blended with ginger and honey to soothe our poor throats in the autumn cold. Then we all sat at the couch with the Fluffball and we watched TV and cracked jokes.
Later in the night, when Daisy has taken leave from our apartment, DL and I watched a bit more TV. I have always been very much a no-TV peace and quiet house type of person. When we finished watching the news and I have asked him for the umpteenth time to stop snacking throughout the night, drink more water and take his daily intake of liver cleansing tablets, we settle into the comfort of our quiet joint presence. DL would read his newspapers or log onto the Internet between stroking his favourite daughter, the Fluffball whilst I sit contentedly reading my Joyce Carol Oates novel.
Every so often, I look up to pause and enjoy the peacefulness of the surroundings. I am loving every moment of it.
Past midnight, DL would indicate gently it’s bedtime. We would drag our pillows and comforters from the living room as he balances Fluffball in his arms and kisses her head gently and the three of us would retire into bed.
Another new day awaits us.
I think I might be able to do this for a long while.
Sad Town affords me with a simple lifestyle, quite close to what I think might be domestic bliss. Of course, that wouldn’t have happened without having the necessary characters in place for me to appreciate the surroundings. I have my friends, DL and Fluffball. What happy days!
Routine has its comforts. In Sad Town, I know I would not be allowed to sleep past 10a.m because the living alarm clock in the form of a snowy white shaggy dog would place her face so close to yours, sniffing to see if you are truly asleep and if not, would lick your face until you surrender and yield to her demands for her daily morning walk.
A creature of habit, she knows the usual walking route you would take her, albeit longer and different from where her Daddy would typically take her. Returning from a 30-minute walk, she heads for the balcony to contemplate and then lie in the sun, whilst you prepare her brunch and then wash some straying dishes and think about what to cook for lunch for DL and yourself.
Comes afternoon, you decide what you want to do-to write, to read or to nap? The house is all peace and quiet. Sometimes, you are not given a choice- Daisy turns up and drags your lethargic self out of the house. You get extremely excited if she comes to you with a potential business opportunity and you jump to your feet to check out that shop front or hop onto the internet first to do some preliminary research, whilst you fire her a million questions on points for consideration. When you get tire of sussing out places, you beg her to stop shopping (since you have no interest in stocking up on fashion given your mobility) and can we please adjourn to sit on our fat asses at a café or visit a beauty parlour to possibly get our nails done. And you are not even a nails person since manicures and pedicures are what you have always considered an excessive luxury; you much rather spend money on your face and body. But there are only this number of facials and body wraps one can do in a week.
You suggest going to the one and only newly opened Karaoke in Sad Town for the Happy Hour Rate to kill time. Even the young owners have began to recognise Daisy and you, thinking that like them, you are the prodigal, rich kids who are more interested in playing than attending classes at uni. It’s almost 4pm and you need to be home before 5.30pm to make dinner for DL. Daisy will join the household for dinner.
Night times are always nice. DL always helps with the cooking since he is the chef. Daisy comes from a family in the food business too. So is Tina. In fact, all your friends in Sad Town are related to food and you have since acquired nimble palettes. You and your bunch take eating good food rather seriously. So home cooked meals are rarely screwed up as there are enough people in the know to remedy a flawed sauce.
In our abode in Sad Town, it seems to be a nice gathering place for friends. We have no children except for the Fluffball and we are child-like. You will notice that DL’s child-like temperament as evident in the number of toys we keep is in contrast with a comprehensive selection of alcohol, always ready to whip a special cocktail for that special guest or ready to host a simple dinner with some nice and moderately priced-wine. We would probably make the best dinner party hosts- you remember in those years of working your arse off, this was your dream-to buy that love nest with a nice kitchen for your man to show off his culinary skills as you shine as a hostess-always the perfect pair that complementary!
Post dinner, Daisy and I continue yakking. Sometimes we log onto the internet to research, inquire and talk more about a business opportunity. Then there is also that one nice blissful occasion where we gather around the kitchen bench to watch DL mix up and bake a raspberry cheesecake as I awaited the electric kettle to boil whilst I make some fragrant Chinese tea blended with ginger and honey to soothe our poor throats in the autumn cold. Then we all sat at the couch with the Fluffball and we watched TV and cracked jokes.
Later in the night, when Daisy has taken leave from our apartment, DL and I watched a bit more TV. I have always been very much a no-TV peace and quiet house type of person. When we finished watching the news and I have asked him for the umpteenth time to stop snacking throughout the night, drink more water and take his daily intake of liver cleansing tablets, we settle into the comfort of our quiet joint presence. DL would read his newspapers or log onto the Internet between stroking his favourite daughter, the Fluffball whilst I sit contentedly reading my Joyce Carol Oates novel.
Every so often, I look up to pause and enjoy the peacefulness of the surroundings. I am loving every moment of it.
Past midnight, DL would indicate gently it’s bedtime. We would drag our pillows and comforters from the living room as he balances Fluffball in his arms and kisses her head gently and the three of us would retire into bed.
Another new day awaits us.
I think I might be able to do this for a long while.
