thankful

I am so grateful for the treat a friend just bestowed on me. As a completely unnecessary thank you for a few days of my picking her daughter up from school when she was busy with onerous family responsibilities, she gave me a beautiful card and a gift voucher for the Avoca shop. She shouldn't have, but I will go spend it with glee.

I have an avaricious soul, or at least one that delights in nice things, and the prospect of going browsing among the jewellery and stockings and bowls and cupcake wrappers with actual intent to buy rather than just longing fills me with joy. Maybe I'll even do what the sweet pair of friends in the Italian gift shop recommended: I was buying a box of little candles and the lady asked should she wrap it up. I said no no, it's just for me - and her male, middle aged friend said then of course I should have it wrapped, it's even more important - he always gets everything wrapped for himself. Because he's worth it, the gist was. It's a sweet way of thinking. The only down side is the woman I always end up getting things wrapped by is an abysmal wrapper, worse even than myself, and that's saying something. Still. It's a nice thought.

I'm not proud of it, but I do miss having my mother taking me places, and buying me things. This feels a little like being treated, being looked after, and it's lovely. I really appreciate it whenever people do this for me, it's hard to say how much.