We’re a little bit excited here in Doha, we have guests arriving from Australia on Monday. In an episode of Love Boat – this would be a definite “special guests” week. I met Krissy when I was 15, ahem, just a couple of years ago, when we were heading off with a mutual friend on a Easter camping trip. I can’t remember too many of the details. It was cold, the drive was long, there were giggles, chocolates and a lot of a roaming around waiting for something to happen. At the end of the trip we went to see Footloose and I preempted every scene by telling Krissy what would happen – she wasn’t impressed, she reminds me about it every few years. What I didn’t preempt though, was that in years to come, we would end up having our first babies not only the same day, but at the same hospital. Like I said, special guests.
When they rolled me back to my room after the first little traveler was born I received a message that Kristina had gone in to labour. I kept pestering the midwives “Can you go and check? Is she okay? Has she had it yet?” and they just kept shaking their heads saying they couldn’t tell me anything. I knew they didn’t understand.
At a quick breakfast in Sydney last year, G and I giggled continuously with two of the guys, really silly, naughty giggling. I hopped in a cab afterwards thinking I hope the little travelers make friends like I have, but I really hope my girls get to have man friends like mine. I never ring these guys, I email sporadically, but I love being in their company. Krissy happens to be married to one of them. At our beach house last year, one of the guys arrived with his beautiful wife and three boys, holding a copy of the weekend Australian. “There’s a story in here about a woman who’s returned to Oz, she’s has her own column, she writes really well- I reckon you could do that”. I want my girls to have friends like that. It’s the simple things that make the strongest friendships.
Special guests.
How about you? Do you have an old group of friends that feel more like family?
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