Kitchen Conversations and the joy they bring

For many years I had a very special daily routine in my life.  The Housekeeper of my boss, who additionally is also regularly in my office building, is a wonderful lady .... like me she is married, has kids and all the challenges of balancing work, marriage, grown up kids (plus her one in school as well as also a grandchild). We understand school and all that goes with it, grown kids with girlfriends and boyfriends, family life and many other common things.  We are moms.  We are colleagues.  She calls me by my nickname, K, and we have spent many moments over the past 5 years, laughing at things, getting tears over things, getting angry over things and enjoying the daily kitchen conversation we used to have. Amazing how important the “basin” chats became.

We had a special ritual ..... I would come to work and find her at the basin in the kitchen.  Whilst I threw some yoghurt and muesli in a bowl (I find it impossible to eat first thing in the morning before I go to work) and made a coffee, we would catch up on the past 24 hours.  We went through a wide array of topics in every week - the political situation and who had done what, stories about our kids, concerns we had, fun things that had happened, what we had done on our leave etc.  It was just 10 mins, but felt like so much more. I remember when she went to the sea - first time ever - her son sent me blow by blow photos .... first step into the water, first time knocked over by a wave.  On Sunday she leaves to the sea again ..... I cannot wait for the pics.  When I took Setswana lessons she helped me with my practising.  When her daughter had to do a school assignment for LO incl gynaecological instruments (yes you heard right), I was the researcher.  When the baby shower rolled around, I sat at home and made colour printouts of all kinds of pics for the party.

I see her in my office now on Wednesdays and between her time in my office and then the boss’ office, making them smell wonderfully of furniture polish, we try and keep up our ritual.  Sometimes it is hard to be working, answering the phone and talking to someone who is in and out, also while she tries to bring some order to my very full desk .... but we are trying.  Even she misses our kitchen chats I was told today. We keep each other up to date as much as we can in the time we have ........

but those Kitchen Conversations ...... they will be in my heart forever.

Cherish the special moments ..... it is the little things that are very often actually the big things in our lives.

Till soon - be good to yourselves

c’est la vie xxxx