The constancy of today’s bliss is indescribable. Indeed so animated have I been throughout the day that I began to question whether I had not by inadvertence taken a codeine pill as prescribed yesterday after my endodontic surgery. Narcotics – apart from their constipating effect – are a confirmed game changer in addition to being an analgesic. Most likely I’ve just a hangover from yesterday’s meds during and after surgery. Whatever is going on I have felt decidedly improved throughout the day!
While I waited to perform my chauffeur duty precedent to this evening’s country dining – a hack undertaking and objective which I found exceedingly stimulating – I thought I should continue to improve myself as best as possible by reading further of the history of England. I am the first to confess the attraction is not only historic and literary but also approaching the prurient. Occasionally however there are snippets of social conventions which hint at an active voyeuristic depravity equally entertaining.
“This woman was the daughter of Sir Charles Sedley, one of the most brilliant and profligate wits of the Restoration. The licentiousness of his writings is not redeemed by much grace or vivacity; but the charms of his conversation were acknowledged even by sober men who had no esteem for his character. To sit near him at the theatre, and to hear his criticisms on a new play, was regarded as a privilege. 65 Dryden had done him the honour to make him a principal interlocutor in the Dialogue on Dramatic Poesy. The morals of Sedley were such as, even in that age, gave great scandal. He on one occasion, after a wild revel, exhibited himself without a shred of clothing in the balcony of a tavern near Covent Garden, and harangued the people who were passing in language so indecent and profane that he was driven in by a shower of brickbats, was prosecuted for a misdemeanour, was sentenced to a heavy fine, and was reprimanded by the Court ”
Excerpt From: Thomas Babington Macaulay Macaulay. “The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 2.”
Although of a very different nature, this bit of British business was nothing in comparison to this evening’s foregathering on the patio overlooking the meadow at my erstwhile physician’s country seat in the Village of Ashton. The occasion was his daughter Erin’s 31st birthday but the magnetism of her own new daughter Sofia (8.5 months old) and the magnanimity of the other guests in attendance made for an astonishingly fruitful evening. We were by first note a congregation of 11 people both young and old. Our host’s daughter and son were both there with their respective partners. Compared to me (I am certain I was the eldest at 72 years of age – oh no, I forgot about Miaretta who is pushing 80 years of age) everyone else was younger and considerably so in some instances. It meant I had a very profitable evening because I was both infused and enthused by the energy and beauty of the youngsters who constituted a near 50% of our total number.
Even before I arrested myself at table for the sizeable pleasures thereof, I accepted the invitation of my host to go for a swim in the pool. Everyone made a great deal of fuss about the expected temperature of the water (and the resulting size of my parts). It was however perfectly fine as far as I was concerned. The bigger dilemma for me was securing a swim suit in spite of the assurances of my host and his vassals that it was quite all-right to perform in the buff. I spent a good deal of time in the pool, I’d say at least thirty minutes. And, yes, I located swim trunks!
What followed was an extraordinary dinner. Pâté de foie gras, chicken hearts, homemade focaccia bread, duck breast salad, shrimp the size of prawns, lamb, baked potatoes and what I am told by unanimous consent was an utterly divine chocolate mousse cake for dessert. Naturally there were endless bottles of wine which eventually translated to Porto as the sky darkened above.
For me however the excitement of the evening was the unique privilege I had to be the one guest who had known every other guest from the start of their relationships or, in the case of Erin and her brother Marco, since the day they were born. My introduction to Pam (a dear friend of Karen, Franz’ late wife) was over 30 years ago before Karen and Franz were married. I could go on (and in fact I did go on) similarly for every other person in attendance. The added gift of the evening was the exceptional weather. We dined al fresco the entire time, no bugs. Five hours later (when completing my chauffeur duties) the rain suddenly began!
