I have just returned from a delightful couple of days in Perth with a wonderful friend. She flew down from up north and I drove up from down south and we stayed at a beautiful resort, shared some fine wine, extraordinary pizzas, watched a very complicated movie twice (because we didn’t ‘get it’ the first time), and enjoyed chef-styled breakfasts each morning.
It was brilliant! We each had various big-city things we had to do so yesterday we went our different ways for a few hours and I visited my friend, Rose, at Dimario http://dimario.com.au
Dimario is a shop that is close to my heart for many reasons (for example, I love boots). But the main reason is that several years ago, when Anthony wasn’t so ill, we walked in and I fell in love with a pair of boots that were extremely expensive and extremely beautiful. Ants and I had to go back to our hotel room to mull it over and, despite being a rather scroogy careful-with-money person back then, he wanted me to have those boots.
From then on, whenever we went to Perth (which was only once a year), Anthony would actually suggest going to Dimario. Rose and Nikki would welcome us like old friends and Ants would watch as I tried the various boots on, usually convincing me to get the better, more elegant and expensive ones.
Then, one year, it became too hard for him to get out of the car; another year, it became too difficult for me to take him from the hotel to the shop, so I went by myself; another year, he was in a hospital in Perth having his Parkinson’s Disease medications reassessed; another year Ming came with me and cloned Anthony in picking out the best pair of boots; another year we didn’t go to Perth at all as Anthony’s health had deteriorated too much. I guess that was around four years ago and my memory of this phase in our lives blurs a bit around the edges.
To see Rose again yesterday, despite the fact that it’s probably been a couple of years now since I visited her gorgeous shop, was incredible. I was greeted with a hug!
Rose: And how is your beautiful husband?
Me: He’s in a nursing home now but he still remembers you and I need to buy some boots so I can wear them to the nursing home and remind him again.
Rose: I will always look after you; what about these?
Me: Not me – I rather like those….
Rose: And how is your beautiful son?
Me: Still beautiful. What about those embroidered boots?
Rose: They’re on sale – let me see if we have your size.
Rose then told me that Nikki had retired but had a pair of the same boots and I asked her to give Nikki our love. She said she would, then, when the boots were a perfect fit, Rose discounted them even further, I bought them and we had another hug as I left.
After that, I picked my friend up and we went back to the resort. We shared a mutual admiration of our purchases then began (again!) to watch the stupid movie and order pizza.
Today, I dropped my friend at the airport and headed home. We are going to meet like this every few months; it’s a wonderful arrangement and, even though she and I have lost touch on and off over the decades, we are still the same buddies we were as teenagers.
And I can’t wait to show Anthony my new boots tomorrow!
jmgoyder 