Par-tay in the U.K.!

On Saturday Marie and I were invited to a Christmas dinner for the teachers of Lidget Green. We heard it was going to snow that night so we really should have bundled up more than we did. At 7 we found ourselves outside in the cold dancing around taking pictures to distract us until our ride showed up. With the help of our lovely friend Barbara, we showed up to the hotel/restaurant in style! - Commando style that is- she picked us up in her sweet truck! It was like the car Patton drove. Our lack of warm clothing became less obvious when we pulled up and saw a whole limo of girls getting out in mini-cocktail dresses and 6 inch heels! 

The hotel was warm and inviting. I don’t know how pubs do it, but it’s as if they somehow pull together every inviting ascetic, instantly making you feel at home. We weren’t sure who would be there, but almost everyone showed up! In the beginning we sat in the lounge area while the staff were setting up the dinning area. It only took another 20 mins after we showed up to finish every last touch before they let us in. It was a large room, with 6-7 long tables on either side of the room. Our staff took up about 4 tables, with us at the last table. The school was kind enough to pay for our dinner, so all we had to do was sit back and enjoy. I had so much fun talking with our new friends and poking at every indistinguishable food item placed before us. But if I thought the conversation would be the best part of the evening, what came next proved me wrong! DANCING! 

Marie and I had so much fun dancing to almost every song that came on; no thanks to the DJ. I submit this guy for the worst DJ ever award. I’n not sure if he thought was working a wedding... or a bar mitzvah, or what??? Every overplayed-shame-educing song you can think of was played: the maccarena, the twist, cha cha slide, cotton eyed joe, etc... If we had stayed longer I’m sure he would have gotten in the electric slide or cupid shuffle somewhere. Nonetheless, we rocked ‘em all the same. 

Finally it was time to leave. Actually, it wasn't until the moment we had to leave that I thought about the weather. Turns out it had been snowing for a whole hour or so before we left. The snow crackled under my high heels. I looked across the road, all the small European cars hidden under a blanket of snow. I could see all the way down the deserted street. It was so beautiful. The snow was coming down fast and thick, and yet the sky was a clear dark blue somehow. 

Author Anne Lamott says there are two kinds of prayers: “Help me! Help me! Help me!” and “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

It was in that moment I offered up the latter prayer to God.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you....