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Friday, 28 December 2018

IN THIRD PLACE BY FIONA CUMMINGS


Good afternoon Bloggets. I went to our local pet shop today to buy a couple more toys for our dogs. They were in the half price sale. One is a fluffy elephant, see, I even have my dogs’ elephants, by the way, did I tell you my Brother in law bought me a beautiful wooden box for Christmas with elephants on it? I collect wooden boxes, yep, something else I collect, but this one is so different to any other one I have. It’s stunning. The other toy I got my dogs is a fluffy pig. I went in for one toy with rope legs because the Christmas elf I got them for Christmas, The Little Fella put a hole in it on day two. And he loved it. That had rope legs, but I came out with two, fluffy toys, not one, and these have rope tails, so came rope.

 

They love them and when we got them home, they ran around the house with one each in their mouths.

 

Now my Hub is fitting my new lightbulb. Remember the one that changes colours? It’s easy to fit. It’s even easy to work with our HIVE, but to connect it to Alexa? Different story… he likes his toys though, so I’m keeping well out of this and letting him have fun with his tech.

 

We have had a lovely day, laughed a lot and now going to try to sort out going to see our friends. We are going out at some point with our Son and his girlfriend. For a meal at my new favourite restaurant. Just not sure when.

 

It’s cold today, so I’m trying to warm my hands around a cup of coffee. And then back to the kitchen to see what’s for dinner tonight. Hub has loads of food to eat as still getting through his turkey. In fact, he has frozen three parcels of meat and is left with a plate of it and of course the soup on the top of the stove he made.

 

It’s funny now Christmas is over, I’m itching to take our decorations down. Hub says no though, he wants to keep them up until the second. I can’t believe we are about to take them down for another year. Where is time going?

 

And that leads me onto what you voted for your top three blogs of the year… in third place.

Soon Hub and I shall be decorating our house for Christmas. We like to be early to look forward. As soon as the big day is over, I’m so ready to take down my decs. Last year on Boxing day, the day after Christmas, I was getting the boxes ready to start to dismantle everything. To Hubs horror. He wanted to wait until New Year’s Day, which is not like him, he’s normally like me, but most people in our avenue of all sorts, put the decorations up later and down much later. I always say the same. They are decorations for Christmas, not called New Year decorations,

 

I dislike New Year immensely. I could quite easily just sit at home with Hub and watch TV. Even going to bed before midnight. Is there a Bah Humbug version of New Year?

 

 The funny thing is, loads of my friends dislike that time of year too. We have been invited out for New Year, but to be honest, I’m so not feeling it…

 

New Year is just people who want to get as drunk as they can and snog a total stranger dressed as a chicken. People who promise to do all sorts keeping in touch throughout the new year who never bother again. Until the next year. People who wish everyone a happy new year but don’t give a stuff if they have a happy one or not. Hahaha. See, Bah Humbug!!!

 

I used to love New Year in Russia. It was exciting. And I was young enough to believe in promises. Also, there were no kissable chickens in sight.

 

In a country full of dirty snow and bleak skies, elderly ladies looking very angry and torturous eye treatment, a sparkle at New Year was much needed. The thought of Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost turning up at the hotel I stayed at, absolutely drunk out of his skull, gave such amusement to my teenage years.

 

I had two days off my treatment. A good start. I would go to the hairdressers in our hotel. It would be something like 4 roubles towards the end of the eighties, about £4. My Mum would always have a choice of beautiful dresses for me to pick. I never got a choice of clothes when I was young, not when bought, but I had the pick of my Mums selection that she packed in our huge suitcase. This particular year one of my most favourite New Years of all time, I had a Russian boyfriend. He was tall and so very handsome. Everywhere we went together, girls/women used to eat him with their eyes and their voices would be like melting chocolate around him!  I used to feel so proud to be with him. He worked as a model but we met at the hotel where I stayed each visit. He said he would like to see what I was wearing for our night. I had three dresses that year. One was a beautiful cream lace short dress without sleeves. The other was a very long pale green dress that was floaty more like a bridesmaid’s dress. My least favourite. I was hoping he would not have picked that one as he said he would like to be the one who decided… and the third, my favourite was a very long straight silky dress. Again, shoestring straps with a very figure-hugging bodice which really showed off my figure. I had one in those days. It was what we call teal now days, but back then I think it was called sea green.

 

I had gold four-inch heels. So, into the cockroach bathroom, but don’t worry, as they ran when I turned on the light… change and out. So, I put on my favourite dress first, the teal one. Stood there. Looked at my Boyfriend, he smiled and just looked through my soul with his steely blue eyes. I still in my mind see his face. He was the most handsome of all men. I melted at his glance. His presence was a lifetime gift as far as I was concerned.

 

My second dress after getting no comment from that one, was the very revealing lace one. I stood before him. Again, he smiled. I turned to walk away as he wasn’t going to say yes to that one, as he was very protective, or jealous if any other man would talk to me, so no way he would be happy me wearing that.

 

I put on the frumpy all cover up one… felt like I had lost a bride. Walked out and to my horror, he walked over to me. Took my hand. Kissed the back of it. With his other hand, he turned up the old-fashioned tape machine I used to take to Russia for some western comfort of music, and with that same hand. He placed his hand on the small of my back put a kiss into my neck and gently danced with me. At the end of the dance, I wanted to take off that dress and put on my jeans. Then put away frumpy dress number three. Hang up dress number two and on the back of the hotel room chair, lay the dress number one, the one I was going to wear that night….

 

He and I were like peas in a pod. We thought alike.

Oh.

Until he told me I would be the most beautiful girl at the dance that night.

In my bright green floaty, frummmmmpy dress.

Nonononononononono

But,

Yep.

He wanted me to wear that blooming awful thing.

 

I would do anything he asked of me. I was his puppet. He pulled my strings that night.

 

Later on, I asked him why that dress?

He replied.

“your body is only for me to see…””

Okey dokey

I still danced the night away with lots of guys from Georgia. I was far from flirtatious, I just adored dancing. And the best fun was either the delegations from Mexico, with their guitars and forever singsongs, or Georgians who were always so much fun.

 

Champagne was a flow and I laughed and had so much fun with many friends who I had known for years. Genuine people. Once I got to know Russian people, I understood most of them and all they wanted to do in their rather repressed life was be happy. And for New Year’s Eve, we were all so happy. Sadly, reality had to wake up and life once again began!

 

© Fiona Cummings

 

 

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