Saturday, January 16, 2010

A Day in the Life of a Solitary Woman


I live alone - well, apart from Ansa - but I am rarely lonely.

Like last night, I came home from the day’s events and find that Leo had filled the woodbox. Not only that - and this is so special - he had laid a fire in the grate, ready for me to put a match to it. We place a lot of value in each other, Leo and me.

Today, I entertain a gentleman caller to lunch. My famous woodstove soup, some lovely smoked salmon and soda bread, a camembert cheese and small salad. He is 89 going on 40. He teaches me a lot and is a considerable and well respected artist in wood.

We enjoy talking to each other. We are both coming from the Church of Reality and are surrounded by the Cult of Christianity where we often dare not speak openly of our beliefs. It is a blessing to talk freely and spontaneously with each other about so many events and changing times without the pall of a mystical Invisible Cosmic Housekeeper hanging over us.

Later on, I moved my laptop out of my office and in front of the fire. Not a good thing, perhaps. No reading, writing (apart from this) or knitting is being done as I play on it in front of the flames, toasty and warm.

Tomorrow I head into town for The First Annual Sparks Literary Festival which promises to be a day overflowing with authors and readings.

I sometimes ask myself, where would I squeeze in a full time relationship in all of this? He'd have to be a very busy man indeed.

16 comments:

  1. He's d have to be a very independent and modern minded spirit, WWW, and not someone who hung on to your apron strings and waited for you to knit him socks. I can imagine such a man, I just don't know if you'll run into him and then I may want to keep him for myself.

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  2. Yes we would certainly fight over him, my dear!
    I'm sticking to my rather nice gentleman callers at the moment who never make demands of me and who treat me well (as I do them!)
    XO
    WWW

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  3. I often feel jealous of these, your friends, who are able to visit you and enjoy your fare. I wish I could join in.

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  4. I echo what Debstar has said, WWW, and not only to sample your soda bread and fresh farm butter! :-)

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  5. it's always a trade-off, isn't it? i was much more sociable when i was single.

    i like both ways, frankly.

    and i LOVE soda bread.

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  6. How lovely to sit in front of the fire, no matter what you are doing. Those laptops are sure addictive though...

    And will you be posting the famous recipe?

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  7. That sounds like a warm and companionable relationship you both enjoy, without the need for anything more demanding. And any man who was too demanding would get pretty short shrift!

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  8. You would be more than welcome, Debstar!
    XO
    WWW

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  9. T:
    Maybe one of these days, who knows, yourself and himself may plough your way to the edge of the Atlantic and hang off The Rock for a while!
    XO
    WWW

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  10. Laurie:
    I think you have the best of both worlds, and it is rare indeed.
    XO
    WWW

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  11. Nick:
    Yes, a self-sufficient man always turns my crank.
    And I will be content if life continues on as it does now. I have many male friends and they are a delight to me.
    XO
    WWW

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  12. Annie:
    Yes, I will post the recipe, I've had many requests for it.
    XO
    WWW

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  13. The question you asked yourself is the very one I was asking as I read your post. What a wonderful, full life you lead. I think you are right to opt for the gentleman caller, especially if he (or they) are as exceptional as your wood artist.

    I, myself, opted for the full time relationship, because I found a man I could do that with successfully. I guess I needed to prove I could do it after so many failures.

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  14. 20CW:
    I wonder if I would be successful, too, you know, my gut feeling tells me not.
    I am meeting up with an old BF (tho BF sounds pretty much anachronistic at my age!) when I head back to TO in Feb who has been paying me more than a little attention via email lately. He's talking of 'retiring' but still working (he writes, he paints) in a peaceful environment such as NL. So we will see.
    XO
    WWW

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  15. I think you have things worked out fine. Enjoy life.

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  16. I guess if you can find one who shares your interests you'd be doing most stuff together anyway, even the stuff involving 'his n hers' laptops in front of the fire!

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