Today I exercised the exception that proves the rule, and just took the day off. I know it's meant to be a Sunday, but it was just such grey, cool, stay-inside kind of weather that no matter how much I tried to talk myself into a walk, my mind and body were having none of it. I read through one of the books I had brought, a random charity-shop purchase, and every time I thought of setting it aside and going out, I found I was putting it off further. "I'll just read till one..." - and one o'clock would come and I'd shift it to three, and pretty soon I just wasn't going anywhere. I drank green tea, and ate popcorn I found in a cupboard, and then drove off to celebrate New Year's with friends in Larnaka. We ate roast pork with cider and cranberry stuffing, curry potatoes, mediterranean grilled vegetables, and some amazing desserts. We drank wine that sparkled as much as the conversation and laughter, and the language switched between Greek and English with so much rapidity that I didn't even feel lost. (Well, not much.) We paused to pray at the start of the meal, and as I bowed my head the words that flowed out were incomprehensible to me, and then there was a pause. "And we can also pray to you in English, Lord," he said, and amidst laughter continued on in prayer. We ate German stollen (made festive with a cheery red bow) and drank coffee, and suddenly it was a minute to midnight and we were standing on the balcony watching the fireworks over the city and wishing each other a happy new year.
Happy new year!
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