Monday, November 9, 2009

today is a day for surprises


Today was one of those quiet blissful days where the rain we needed was softly drizzling down, a cool breeze was blowing and things were getting attended to slowly but surely. I suddenly found myself thinking of two different friends from when I lived in London 21 years ago! I'd never managed to get back to London and lost touch ages ago! Why had I never googled them I wondered? No time like the present. 
Sabrina I found had studied Textiles at Goldsmiths in London in the mid 90's. That was exciting...but then I could not find more! Much disappointment! maybe she moved back to Italy?
My friend Joy however has been a busy, busy person (which does not surprise me!) - she was a very talented and wonderful person when we met in a queue in Venice in 87 looking for somewhere to stay. I seem to remember we ended up taking the offer of accomodation at a Nunnery(as you do in Venice over summer!) and of we course got talking in the process.
Joy lived in London and I ended up there for another winter working till I returned to OZ in 88, so we used to meet up and I got to know a few people in her life and she in mine. I even spent some time doing photography at a place where Joy worked at the time. She was a brilliant photographer and I decided best to stick to my coloured pencils! I think Joy met half my family who drifted over to London over the next few years. So...really it is sad to have lost touch. 
BUT just awhile ago tonight... she answered my email...and was so happy as she HAD thought to google at different times and could never find any one of us! It was her birthday Saturday...so Joy, even though we have not been in touch for 21 years  
H A P P Y   B I R T H D A Y   F O R  S A T U R D A Y !

Now for an important aside. if you're wondering where I found this amazing layer cake that i took the liberty of adding the greeting to for this post it was made by architect Debi Van Zyl who lives in Los Angeles, is multi-talented. and happens to have a wonderful blog. Below is an image of the cake in the stage prior to its ultimate architectural realisation. Frankly I'm in awe...I had a terrible difficult time with a 3 layer chocolate cake a few years ago that was saved from a severe crash to the floor by a clever guest with quick reflexes - much to the delight of grateful onlookers keen to try a piece. NB the sophisticated palette!
Another reason to mention Debi is that she found the wonderful string gardens below that i posted on a couple of weeks ago.







Anyway, back to the story of Joy. She has a website I would like to share and I love this photo below too. This is a lovely way for this mellow, rainy old day to come to a close! It was so wonderful to have that email message returned. When Joy said it was her birthday 2 days ago so that made it seem extra special...I had to post something here...now...to mark this occasion! 21 years... amazing!
Uncertainty

7 comments:

The Artist Within Us said...

What a wonderful story to read on an overcast Monday morning here in Northern California.

Your reconnection mirrors an event in my own life, when just two moths ago I reconnected with a friend from high school, that was forty-two years ago.

We still have to take up your idea of celebrating with a multilayer cake, though we did have some coffee-cheese cake.

If there was no Internet, no search engines and other social networks, how would we ever reconnected with those we miss?

Enjoy your week,
Egmont

Mlle Paradis said...

Wonderful for you to have found your old friend Sophie. It's nice to have that continuity. As for the cake, versions of that concept have popped up other places on the web but Debi's by far is the best.

Sophie Munns said...

Thanks Egmont,
it is amazing how the net can facilitate such reconnections.
What means a lot in this case is the person I lost touch with was such a gem - and over the years thoughts have been of her inclusiveness, warmth and straightforwardness. Moving from a village by the sea in southern Australia to live in London...that stood out!
S

Mlle Paradis,
Aha! I seem to have missed out on all these cake versions! Debi's is wondrous for sure. I cant see it being beaten in terms of aesthetic and architectural magnificance.
Its wonderful to find an old friend. One wonders why if it was this simple I never connected then and now till now!
Just goes to show that the obvious is sometimes not so obvious!
S

Sanne said...

lovely story Sophie, good to have contact again, she makes beautiful work.

Sophie Munns said...

Thanks for your lovely comment Sanne.
I hope you enjoyed your exhibition. Your work looked great!
Best,
Sophie

em said...

wow, i never tire of your site. you always introduce me to wonderful things. i love the cake!

Sophie Munns said...

Thanks Em...what a lovely comment!
Extraordinary cake indeed!
S