Bye Bye BBQ

Up early yesterday morning to get to Brockham, near Dorking, with Cathryn for a VSO Rwanda reunion BBQ. 

What a wonderful day! 

It was a scorcher. Perfect BBQ weather. We even managed to source goat for brochettes, although 90% of those attending were vegy. That meant there was quite a bit left over, which made Antonia's dog, Bwana, very happy.

Named Mister in Swahili, after the Jambo Song.

I had stayed on in London after my workshop so that I could attend this event. It was incredible to see Sue, Kersti, Antonia and Cathryn in the same place again, as well as some of the people who left the country before I arrived: Rose, Vanessa, Lisa and Nicky. Plus a whole huddle of the most beautiful half-Rwandan, half-muzungu baby girls you've ever seen.

To find out what these guys mean to me, you can check out my almost-finished-reblogging blog on Africa, Karibu Nshuti. It's sort of like this one, only there was a lot more alcohol involved. Ah, heady days.

Anyway, the reason I was so pleased to be there was because my very good friend Jo, and daughter Zuba, are returning to Rwanda to be with Zuba's daddy, Pierre. 

Me and Zuba when she was very little.

Jo is special for so many reasons. We worked together for two years in Disability. I adopted my three kittens from her cat, Mweru. She and Pierre rescued me one winter's night when I got stuck in snow. She and Lisa founded the salsa craze in Kigali, which continues to this day. So many memories. More than that, she's Jo. Whether I can pinpoint the exact moments or not, she's someone who has always made me feel confident about myself, or safe to ask questions about things I don't know, who always seems to believe in me even when I don't believe in myself. Funny, clever, linguistically over-achieving, talented Jo. I doubt I would have had the courage to try consultancy if it hadn't been for her example. I love her to bits, and her daughter is a chip off the ol' block already, at the tender age of two.

Let's just say there was snot and tears after she drove away. Cathryn really does give the best cuddles. 

Zuba, Jo and Myself

Not being someone who copes very well with goodbyes, mwiriwes, au revoirs or even arrivedercis, the only sensible thing to do was to head for the pub.

Cathryn and I poddled off home to Dulwich and our default, Exhibition, for a last pint.

Danny found us just about the time last pints turned into tequila slammers.

This gave us the notion that it would be nice to go home and continue the night on G&T. We had ice, we had gin, we had tonic... but no lemon.

"Can we get one at Londis?" Danny asked, as he was going that way to get a kebab.

"Possibly, but look!" I said, pointing to the bar.

The beer pumps were decoratively surrounded with lemons and limes!

"I wonder if they'd sell us one?" Cathryn asked, thinking along honourable lines.

Let's say it was the sadness of goodbyes, or perhaps the tequila talking, but I was overwhelmed by kleptomanic urges.

I know from watching Hustle that if you're going to steal something, you need to create a distraction.

The fact that there were twenty people queueing at the bar was probably distraction enough, but just to be sure I decided to take our empties up with me.

As I leant over to place the empty pint glasses on the bar, I placed my hat over the lemon.

All I know is that, when I removed my hat, the lemon was gone.

I believe it met a zesty end, butchered for gin-addled pleasure.

If anyone from the pub is reading this and wondering where their lemon went, I would just like to say that I am sorry. I was under an awful lot of stress at the time. Grieving, in fact. I am willing to pay for the item if you would like to get in contact. I hope this post goes some way to explaining my actions and may some day earn your forgiveness.

Anyway, best not to dwell on the matter.

It is fairly safe to say that I have drunk more in the past three days than I have in the past three months, and I feel fantastic for it! Utterly knackered, but I am well and truly over my cold. I think the alcohol killed whatever bugs were causing it, and possibly a few of my brain cells too. Exhausting as it's been, it's one of the best trips to the smoke I think I've ever had. I am so blessed to know such wonderful people, and constantly amazed that they choose to hang out with me. 

Massive thanks to Cathryn and Danny for looking after me and making sure I didn't get lost. Also, for feeding me nommy things like this.

So, that's the London leg of my Autumn Road Trip complete. Home to Gloucester for a week and then on to Dublin for yet another goodbye. Could everyone stop leaving, please!

Where I've been this week:
Dark Blue: Northamptonshire to Hounslow
Red: Hounslow to East Dulwich
Green: Dulwich to Highbury & Islington (return)
Purple: Dulwich to Dorking (return)
Light Blue: Dulwich to Gloucester