Fazzymas

My Dear Princess and Dear Friends,

Sometimes you get a blip-overload. Too many things and too many pictures all at once. 

So this is yesterday. Because yesterday my picture of Fazzy blowing up a balloon got GAZUMPED by my picture of me singing "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

Sorry Fazzy.

Today (the 22nd) was not so interesting anyway. I went into the office, ran around like a mad hamster most of the day and then went home to write a Christmas story for Fazzy's children.

"Is it wrong for a Muslim to love Christmas this much?" asked Fazzy.

I told her it was not. "It's not all about YOU, Jesus!" I retorted. 

"Yeah! That guy!" agreed Fazzy.

"The ego on him!" I replied.

We actually spent a lovely and entirely unexpected day together. I was in Porirua for Day 2 of the install and was expecting to do it on my own but Fazzy was available.

"Come with me!" I begged. "It will be just like old times!"

And indeed it was, with the two of us having heaps of fun bickering like an old married couple. We really do enjoy each other's company a lot, Fazzy is so much fun. But I must admit, most of it is spent in mocking the other. 

I love the Porirua office and the people there are always so nice to me. Our main contact is a lovely woman called Everlyn and she always insists that I eat. Every time I'm there, she asks, "Have you eaten yet?" 

And I invariably say, no Everlyn, I worked through lunch and I look sheepish and then she FORCES me into the kitchen and watches as I eat a sandwich.

It is very nice. Yesterday she gave me home-made banana cake. 

So to return the favour I always make an extra effort with Porirua. Today to coincide with their getting two rooms I brought in purple streamers and purple balloons and purple ribbony things. 

(Microsoft Teams is purple. Do you see what I did there?)

I was glad Fazzy was there because I have no sense of aesthetics whatsoever and would just have thrown all of the things at the wall. So Fazzy took charge, and as you see here, started inflating the balloons.

"Well done! Excellent job on balloons! Look at you go, Fazzy!" I exclaimed being as patronising as possible.

She pretended to punch me. 

Later on, she took over streamers. I wasn't doing it right apparently and she made it much prettier, I must admit. I took over on balloons. 

It was HARD.

"How many do you think we need?" I asked her after my third one.

"A hundred," she replied impassively. And went on with her streamers. 

After this, Jefe arrived to do his thing, and both rooms were up and running by 4pm. As Fazzy had gone by this time, Jefe and I went for a beer. 

And that was yesterday.

Today I went in to work to find to my surprise that Losi and Corrie were in the office! This was a shock because they were supposed to be in Gisborne for another install. But they finished early yesterday and caught the 6.30am flight into Wellington.

"And then you came to WORK?" I asked in disbelief.

They both looked exhausted. So I took them for breakfast and as we are all fans of waffles, we had waffles with crispy bacon and banana.

I know. It is not the sort of thing I used to enjoy but Corrie can be very persuasive, as can bacon.

Fazzy was again in the office but I didn't get the chance to spend much time with her, sadly. We exchanged Christmas gifts and she oohed and aahed over the wrapping because Fazzy loves "pretty" and "sparkles". Then we tried to go to lunch together but then Corrie audibly GASPED because an unexpected delivery of hardware had arrived. 

And so I had to go. "Sorry Fazzy..." I said and looked sadly behind me as I trailed after Corrie.

And that was the start of my hamster-rush of a day. I never really got to see much more of Fazzy but we promised to catch up over Xmas. We both love this holiday, a time when we really get to celebrate Muslim and/or Secular Atheist values and focus on the actual message of Jesus. 

"It is NOT all about you."

S.