Oooh!!! I love this thought about surprise. You’ve touched on something so particular about right now when we get daily surprises (bad ones) in the news. This makes us surprise averse. Even Anita Brookner’s characters who seem to do be doing nothing at all have to contend with surprises and that is the pivot, the moment of decision. Thank you, Charlotte!
Hello Charlotte, My first coming across you here on Substack and glad I did. You are an enjoyable and most completely relatable read. Though I too dreaded the unexpected guest, I miss the company and fulfillment of the unexpected pleasure and time well spent in the company of others...as opposed to a couple of texts! If only we knew then how loved it was.
Your story of your tri full of surprises brought to mind a similar trip with my sister this past summer and the most memorable and laughed over events were the unplanned ones. ..unexpected picnic lunch from whatever was in our bags brought forth a sandwich tastier than any deli, getting off the beaten path via GPS misdirection took us deep into local camping and homestead areas where none but locals typically travel, but came out giggling nonetheless!! Thank you for reminding me to leave space for the surprise in life.🥰🥰
And I love your story of your trip with your sister and all the unexpected surprises. All of which made you giggle. So good. I hope we both get more delightful trips like those soon.
Charlotte, We're so alike in some ways! I don't like surprises at all and can completely relate to the terror you felt by unexpected guests. You're really pushing me here to let more surprises into my life!
This was a fun read. Your writing is so authentically you! I can hear you saying these things. I apologize, belatedly, for anytime I might have popped by unexpectedly when our boys were little… ha ha! We had so much fun raising those boys! Love your writing. It’s like sitting in the room with you.
Oh I loved those days so much! The boys were so crazy. And they grew up to be such good men. I don't remember you popping by unexpectedly but you are welcome to now any time you are in Portland--just know that my house is still always in chaos! (And no boys to blame it on.)
Oooh!!! I love this thought about surprise. You’ve touched on something so particular about right now when we get daily surprises (bad ones) in the news. This makes us surprise averse. Even Anita Brookner’s characters who seem to do be doing nothing at all have to contend with surprises and that is the pivot, the moment of decision. Thank you, Charlotte!
Surprise-averse! So good. And sadly, so true. But we can bring them back into our lives. Thank you for reading, Jeni!
Hello Charlotte, My first coming across you here on Substack and glad I did. You are an enjoyable and most completely relatable read. Though I too dreaded the unexpected guest, I miss the company and fulfillment of the unexpected pleasure and time well spent in the company of others...as opposed to a couple of texts! If only we knew then how loved it was.
Your story of your tri full of surprises brought to mind a similar trip with my sister this past summer and the most memorable and laughed over events were the unplanned ones. ..unexpected picnic lunch from whatever was in our bags brought forth a sandwich tastier than any deli, getting off the beaten path via GPS misdirection took us deep into local camping and homestead areas where none but locals typically travel, but came out giggling nonetheless!! Thank you for reminding me to leave space for the surprise in life.🥰🥰
I'm glad you found your way here, too. Welcome!
And I love your story of your trip with your sister and all the unexpected surprises. All of which made you giggle. So good. I hope we both get more delightful trips like those soon.
Charlotte, We're so alike in some ways! I don't like surprises at all and can completely relate to the terror you felt by unexpected guests. You're really pushing me here to let more surprises into my life!
You and me both, Sandra! And it is funny how much alike we are, isn't it? Funny and nice.
This was a fun read. Your writing is so authentically you! I can hear you saying these things. I apologize, belatedly, for anytime I might have popped by unexpectedly when our boys were little… ha ha! We had so much fun raising those boys! Love your writing. It’s like sitting in the room with you.
Oh I loved those days so much! The boys were so crazy. And they grew up to be such good men. I don't remember you popping by unexpectedly but you are welcome to now any time you are in Portland--just know that my house is still always in chaos! (And no boys to blame it on.)