Week Forty: Sunday 1 July – Saturday 7 July
If an interesting, although mildly disturbing, four days were taken up attending the Cheltenham International Screenwriting Festival at the beginning of the week, the time away only served, as always, to make my return to Falmouth, and my wife and daughter, all the more rewarding.
I met up with an old and dear friend from Scotland at Truro Rail Station on the way back from the 'writers frenzy', travelling with Frea, a fellow weary wanderer, keen to get back to the fold. She had already had a couple of glasses of wine by the time we met; by the time we ate dinner with my wife and daughter, brother Dominic and his son Josef, cleared up, said goodnight and then stayed up till four in the morning reminiscing, Sharon and I had demolished four bottles of a rather fine rioja!
No time for hangovers, or lie ins, when you have a lively and alert three year-old daughter in the house. Kumali woke me nice and early, wanting to go downstairs and do the same to Sharon: so much fun having visitors stay over! And so the rest of the week, from Friday through Sunday, was spent, in between writing, getting reacquainted with the wonderful wife and beautiful daughter I continually count my blessings for having in my life.
On the Friday evening Toni, Kumali, Sharon and I attended the private viewing/opening of the latest art exhibition to be displayed at the excellent Falmouth Arts Gallery. One of the many pictures Kumali has created, and had displayed, during her time at the FAG children's art club was chosen to be hung along with five other lucky and talented youngsters work - within the main exhibition. It was a major thrill to see Kumali's mixed media collage, 'Full Moon', proudly framed and displayed, complete with an information card mounted underneath. A photographer from one of the local papers took her picture beside her masterpiece, and we all basked in the joy of the creative environment and praise being heaped on Kumali for her creativity.
Sunday was spent at Praa Sands Beach, some twenty miles down the coast. Jenny, our ever lovely 'big-girl' sitter, and friend and fellow student, celebrated her birth day with lunch in the local restaurant, along with her delightful partner, Kai, and some of their Norwegian friends. Among the many other fellow students who trapsed along, some with their older children,Emily, was one, and brought her three year old son Jack, who knows Kumali from nursery. Emily's dad's jazz band were also playing; as we tucked in to roast beef or lamb or pork, with all the trimmings, Tony and his jazz buddies, no one under 60, strummed away and the young bucks boogied together on the dance floor. That was followed by a brisk walk on the beach, kicking balls, digging holes and paddling in the water, to work off lunch - then ice-cream!
From those who pass their children over to others to look after from virtually the moment they are born, to those who carry the unresolved pain and hurt of their own childhoods/lives into their children's, there's a lot of parents, and children, missing out on the many good things that come from being a family. Love, attention, support, guidance, love, nurturing, nourishing, love, security, fun, love, love, love.
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