Lindi: for being my BFF; for your skillz in the kitchen (i.e. mashed potatoes, hashed browns, biscuits, sweet potato biscuits); for our walk down Church Lane and sitting in the misty rain; for our well-past-midnight heart-to-hearts in the bathroom.
Sue: for the tour of the house (and your enthusiasm about the "throne"); for giving up your bed for snuggle time; for saying how you felt about work tasks when no one else would; for being part of the great vegetable garden incident of '09.
Tiffany: for wearing that ridiculous jumpsuit; for busting out in spontaneous dance whenever you saw me; for doing the same thing with Wesley (i.e. salsa dancing in the kitchen); for ditching the London gang to spend quality time at a French deli in Covent Garden.
Cassie: for being my bed mate; for your interpretive dance moves; for surprising me daily with your revelations and musings.
Marcie: for meatloaf Tuesday; for our date to the Greatham; for being aware during a rather difficult lunch discussion.
Aaron: for your wisdom during book group; for your ridiculous (and mumbled) monologues (i.e. dinner with Stefan and Lois); for somehow always having Monday dinners with me and making them even more enjoyable.
Olivia: for the awesome rap (presented twice!); for letting me sleep in your bed on more than one occasion; for your ridiculous (and super endearing) catchphrases; for having such a book crush on East of Eden you brought it to a lunch discussion.
Drew: for letting me force you into doing dishes when we needed extra help; for making the ginger tea when I was getting sick; for always sharing and providing anything for the community.
Lily: for loving us so much you extended your stay; for taking care of my girls while I was in Italy; for being part of the loud and super obnoxious makeshift Trivial Pursuit game on Good Friday.
Leah: for your special shrug in response to many things; for dancing at the Hawkley (finally!); for showing us all up on the volleyball court; for your hugs on my especially hard days.
Helen: for waving to me every morning when I woke up (until I switched beds); for our High Tea dates that I looked forward to all the time; for making me laugh just so you could enjoy hearing it.
Kari: for your questions; for sitting in a pile of clothes every morning trying to decide what to wear; for your laugh--I could find you from a mile away; for being a part of the great vegetable garden incident of '09.
Andy: for playing "Hallelujah" every morning and singing your heart out; for always (always!) carrying Mayan Gold in your pocket for the enjoyment of those who worked with you; for doing crossword puzzles every morning and being far too loud.
Laura: for smoking whilst playing volleyball; for being the first person I had a conversation with; for huddling in a blanket out on the lawn divulging secrets to each other during the last week; for instigating Black Wednesday.
Gretchen: for dancing to the "Hallelujah Chorus" on Easter Sunday; for (unknowingly) allowing Dare to push you down in a volleyball game; for your incredible impersonation of Merlin from The Sword in the Stone (and surprising me with a performance at the last High Tea!)
Danny: for marrying Ma'rta. 'Nuff said.
Abby: for your laugh!; for sitting at the head of the big table every morning (I was devastated when you left); for instigating Grey Monday by getting lost in the woods after your tutorial.
Eri: for being able to show emotion during the last high tea (breakthrough!); for being more excited about finding my wallet than I was; for that disgusting Swedish spread you used at breakfast almost every morning.
Lee: for so diligently learning English (and using it to encourage us); for getting lost in London and making us find you in Trafalgar Square; for proving Jim wrong at a lunch discussion.
Jana: for your hating to talk at breakfast; for stealing flapjacks for me and intentionally placing them next to you during film night so I would sit there; for our walk down Snailing Lane; for being part of the great vegetable garden incident of '09.
Steven: for making the laundry signs (and letting me boss you around); for knowing that hidden treasure under a mattress would make me laugh; for our Monday nights at the Greatham (and bottles of red wine); for always trying to understand my POV.
Susan: for calling out Alasdair on your first day; for that amazing talk we had in your room one Sunday morning; for coming at all--I wish you could have stayed longer.
Jon: for engaging me in debates (and then apologizing for crossing the line); for your awesome Welsh accent; for letting L'Abri lure you into its hold.
Phil: for returning not once but twice; for reading Peter Pan; for walking back to the manor with me--a talk that solidified the friendship we now share.
Calvin: for our epic hugs; for often walking with me (to the Madhuban and Hawkley), and even holding me up as we trudged uphill; for teaching me everything I ever needed to know about Brits (i.e. chavs); for throwing yourself into the thorny bushes to save the volleyball and the rest of the game.
Charlie: for being brave enough to sing at high tea; for being brave enough to say a certain four-letter word at a lunch discussion; for always getting the dishes washed by our self-imposed deadline.
Ocelia: for crawling into bed with me the first night I arrived; for asking me to edit your letter aloud whilst folding laundry; for sitting on the cold, dirty floor of Gatwick Airport for nearly 2 hours talking with me on your last night in England.
Elizabeth: for your beautiful voice that nearly made me cry; for shopping with me on Oxford Street; for our nearly missing the train back to Liss yet catching it just in time and meeting up with the rest of the gang.
Wesley: for being "Wesley the Brave" on my first walk back from the Hawkley; for your wicked dance moves (at the house, in the pubs, on the street); for all the songs you wrote about us and performed so beautifully; for being honest and setting boundaries when necessary.
Alasdair: for being an ass (in the best of ways) on the volleyball court; for all your fish paraphernalia; for loving L'Abri more than you ever thought you would and coming back because you missed us so much.
Dare: for making volleyball a contact sport; for always saying, "Hi"; for accompanying us girls on our trip to Portsmouth.
Fiona: for your warmth and openness during my first day of working (in the garden); for teaching us that awesome Irish dance; for getting me to dance at the Hawkley; for the hard truth you gave me in regards to losing my wallet.
Julia: for letting me seduce you one too many times; for your hugs (oh, so great!); for the butternut squash chili that was always too spicy until the last time you made it; for always making music that made the house feel like home.
Tim & Meg: for your immense wisdom and desire to understand our generation; for being our adopted "parents"; for actually getting away with calling me "Lizzie" (Tim) and trying to convince us that Marmite is actually wonderful (Meg) even though it isn't.
To the workers, so much thanks for the time and energy you invested in each and every one of us. We are not the same and that is a good thing. I look forward to returning soon, to coming home once again.
2 comments:
this was beautiful, Dear..how i miss it all so.
oh, dear, I knew I forgot someone! there were so many of us it was kind of overwhelming. I miss it, too. and you.
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