We need to fast forward to Friday night...I'm pretty sure no-one's interested in hearing about my lounging around for Wednesday and Thursday, especially if they're sitting at home in front of their computer or iPad with the news in the background, the heater on, and the kids yelling at each other - it's kind of like rubbing salt into a wound.
No spectacular lunches or dinners, just good, honest food at local restaurants as you'd expect. The only thing I really did in two days was venture down to the Sindhu beach markets with C and had a massage, foot scrub and pedicure with Lulu and the gang.
Lulu has two signature catch phrases that will help you identify her:
'Don't worry be happy' - must admit this saying grates on me, not just from Lulu, but from anyone.
and
'I'll smack your bum!' - not in an S&M kind of way, more of a naughty kid kind of way. Munch giggles at her everytime she says it, and Snubs comes to his defence immediately 'He's NOT naughty!!! Don't smack Daddy OK?!' He has a very serious look on his face when he says this. I'm pretty sure if it was Mookie on the blocks Snubs would say 'go for your life Lady!'
Having removed the disastrous 80's nailpolish from my toes quite some time ago, I've recovered from the trauma just enough to try something else. Knowing what I'm wearing for The Event, I opt for a copper/gold with some white hibiscus flowers painted on them, and Lulu's mate does a stellar job, but instead of channeling Wham!, I'm now channeling Boney M instead. I'm just not good at this.
The flower art is some of the nicest I've seen (it sounds odd, but I do like to take a sneaky peek at people's tootsies and see what the competition is wearing - it's no different to checking out their shoes or their handbag, and I figure it's there to be seen after all which makes me feel less creepy). The artist wears a signature crocheted white hat and has the most beautiful smile - one of those that really warms you when it's directed at you. I just feel like squeezing her, but restrain myself - I think it's post-massage euphoria.
C emerges from her massage doe-eyed and sleepy and with the most gorgeous looking toes I've ever seen and I positively exude jealousy, in fact for a split second I image myself 'accidentally' trodding on them. This is an important lesson - leave it to the experts. When White Hat asked C what colour she wanted, C replied 'oh you know, I'm wearing this top with blah blah and blah blah, and it has blah blah bah, so...something that goes with that please.' Sheesh!
Everyone is busily preparing for the upcoming full moon ceremony - the market shrine has been re-painted, everything is being cleaned, trimmed, swept more than usual, and every now and then the guy in charge comes and bangs on the hollow bamboo tube tied to the big tree in front of the massage ladies, which is basically the signal for anyone who's free to come and help out if they can. Lying here for a hour or two you really get a feel for the community spirit they have - the laughter and constant chitter chatter (though everyone says Lulu talks more than anyone else - she's the resident Esme Watson) reminds me of falling asleep to the sound of gentle rain. Guess what Munchie? I'm RELAXED. Shame you weren't here to see it.
Anyhoo - Wednesday and Thursday pass quietly and worryingly with no news from either the Lady at the gallery, or from the Barong artist. I'm a little crestfallen assuming that the artist has rejected the offer we made and isn't interested, and C and I start thinking about alternative gifts, though there's not much time left at all.
We always have the Mona Bean...