On Saturday I cooked for four women, myself included. It was a rare occasion, women only around my table, in my house. I had not seen any of them for a while: yet, we are very good friends, having known one another for around 20 years. We spoke about how even though there’s been many changes and developments in all our lives, the essential qualities which drew us together all those years ago are still there: as elusive as before…

We stood in the kitchen, talking while I cooked, sipping sparkling wine, each of us aware of the very special connection between us. We did not talk about make-up and men, well, definitely not make-up! The subject of men did creep in, but really only in passing acknowledgement and some teasing around my lover who had in the last week, scribbled schoolboy like, left-handed lines on my blackboard in the kitchen: “I must kiss R”… we are all psychologists, so you can imagine the comments! (or maybe that has nothing to do with it!!)

I cooked that duck-with-five spice-mix again, and noodles. I seem to have now almost perfected it. I should have, since I have cooked it (and blogged about it) a couple of times now: this time for four women, in a kitchen, cooking, talking, laughing, almost crying. Earlier that day I wrote a poem, in memory of my father. I read it to them. There was something almost sacred in that moment, each of these women who know me in their own way, listening quietly, attentively, appreciatively…

Sitting around my table eating and laughing and drinking wine brought another sense of a sacred ritual… later I read up on the significance of the number four from a Jungian perspective (two of these women are training to become Jungian analysts) and an earlier remark about the four diamonds in my new ring pricked my curiosity.

And then, after dinner and coffee and koeksisters which I have been having a little bit of an obsession about lately, I plugged my microphone into the amplifier, and me and one other sang some songs in my candle lit lounge…. until after midnight.

Yes, it was THAT kind of evening. Very special moments and memories created once again around a meal shared….