KARIN - my bestest friend

As soon as I wrote about my interview here , I received a comment from Karin, my " bestest"  friend. It said exactly this:

" Karin Everts
October 26, 2010 at 1:32 pm

Interesting interview. I am sure Inaie is disappointed now that she didn’t mention me, her best friend in all the world in the interview.
I am sorry if I’ve offended any other of Inaie’s “best friends in the world”…"

Well, I can not help but agree. Karin, you are my best friend in the world . Right up there with all my other best friends in the world.And I am disappointed I did not talk about you in my interview, but today I will talk about YOU, and make it right!

I have so many stories to share, I could just write a book about you. But this post will be about a certain fair we visited in Auckland, about 6  years ago.  Here we go:

One day Karin calls me and suggests we visit the sex shop fair - an event that repeats itself every year in Auckland.
I did not really have to think twice, the idea appealed to me immediately. We organized the timings (Karin was traveling from |Hamilton, about an hour away from Auckland.)

The fair was OK, although it did not have anything super upper dupper innovative or different. It was more like a bunch of sex shop stalls together in a huge space. No novelties, as I expected. Or so I thought.

Many people thought we were a couple, so we decided to hold hands ( who would like to disappoint the audience, right?)

Everything was fine, we visited many stalls, we were chatting, laughing and having fun, when Karin decided to make her first purchase. I am a modern woman. I consider myself a person with few taboos, but the items she chose to buy were just too much for my open mind.

Karin and I argued a little bit, I was all against her purchase, but she refused to leave the fair without the darn things. I even went to the stall and tried to negotiate with the sales person - we could pay for it right there, but we would take the "stuff" the next day. It was just to humiliating to leave the fair with it. Come on, I have a reputation to uphold and "that" would not do me any good.

After a huge discussion, when we were in the verge of areal ugly fight, I finally gave up. Our friendship is far more important than anything...

With her head up high, Karin walked to the stall and bought TWO HEAT PACKS. Yep, heat packs, you read it correctly. The ones you use for back pain, for sport injuries or just for old age symptoms. Karin managed to visit a HUGE sex shop fair and leave with elderly supplies...

I never felt so embarrassed...I don't think I ever recovered from this day.

PS. Karin is trying to disguise herself under her maiden name, but she is also known as Karin Merrifield. And she still lives in Hamilton. I had to move to the Middle East to hide my humiliation...

World Cup - Mexico X South Africa

We were watching the game with another couple when South Africa scored the first Gol on Mexico.
I imediately got the phone and started dialing my Mexican's friend number.

Dee, who was with me, asked:

- What are you doing?

- Calling Yolhi.

I had to hear a huge lecture about how "not nice"that was, and  bla, bla, bla. While lecturing me, Dee notioced no one was anwering the phone, so she said:

- Call her from my mobole - she does not know the number ( well, I guess all the PC instinct went out the window, right?)

Dee was right. Yolhi answered the phone and we both yelled:

- GOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLL

It was hilarious when my Mex friend replied:

- But it was not a Mexican gol!

kkkkk - I swear she is not blond.

Happy Birthday, Ian

Ian was our neighbor when we were living in the Emirates. He worked with FAbio and lived a couple of villas away from ours. We did not meet, until Halloween, then Anita and Lia went trick and threatening, and came back with this fab story:

They knocked on his door and he said:

- Would you like chocolate or sardines?

- My kids, did not even think twice: sardines, of course!!

He did not have any sardines and the poor ghosts had to come back home with chocolates. That was all he had.

When I heard this story, I knew he would be part of our lives. Somehow I was sure about it. He had to be. He was too fun!

Ian became part of our family. He had lunch with us whenever he could and he had dinner with us most evenings. When he could not be bothered, I sent him some food. The kids would knock on his door ( I hope) and deliver his meals on wheels. He adopted my children, and we were inseparable. His family could not come to live in Dubai, and he missed them terribly. Apparently my family helped a bit.

Ian went to parent teacher interviews at the kids school. He was there when Lia got her yellow belt at Karate. He carried Lia's b'day cake to the party when she turned 7. Ian told stories of his children, his childhood, his life. Ian loved entertaining people. He was born for the stage. And we all applauded him.

Ian went to my kid's swimming competition, he was in the audience when they performed their play at school. Ian yelled at their soccer coach when he thought he could do better. Ian was furious when Anita came home claiming a 10 year old boy had beaten her up at the playground. He put his shoes on, and said: no one beats up my girls!!

Lucky for all of us, the boy was gone by the time he reached the playground.

Ian took us shopping. We had ice cream together. He baby sat for us. Ian watched Shrek 2 with my girls over a hundred times, and laughed every time. Ian loved us. He loved us for what we are. He never expected anything else from us.

Ian missed his kids. He told lots of stories about Matthew, who looked just like him, and according to Ian, behaved like him too. And apparently was a great actor, guess like whom...

He missed his girls too. All four of them. Emma, his own child, and Cath's girls, who he adopted whole heartedly.

Ian made jokes. Ian laughed aloud. He played cards with my mother in law and helped us carry their suit cases when they were leaving the country. Ian bought us gifts. Ian was always texting his wife in New Zealand.

He took my kids to school sometimes. He picked them up other times. If he was not working, he enjoyed waiting for the school bus in front of our compound. Ian let my children mess up his hair. And put make up on him.

Ian listened to their stories. He bought coca cola and left his door unlocked so my kids could go to his place and help themselves - he knew I disapproved of soft drinks...

We went to the supermarket on weekends. We shared a washing machine. Very often I came home and all my clothes (including my undies)  were already folded, so he could use the drier.

He drove Anita to he doctor when she thought she was sick. He did not care it took him 3 hours in a stinking summer heat in the Middle East, just to find out she had nothing ( as we already suspected).

Ian enjoyed food. and a good conversation. Ian was a story teller.

Our assignment in Dubai came to an end and we moved back to New Zealand. He was in Auckland and we were in Palmerton North. Far away. But every month he came over. And cooked for us. He met our kiwi friends and made friends with them too. He helped in another one of Lia's bday party. He made us happy.

Ian black mailed Lia when she thought about going to a friend's house when he was in Palmerston North. It worked just fine.

He watched TV with us, he patted our cat and played with our dog. He taught Fabio how to make pancakes, enjoy maple syrup and do funny tie knots. Ian was generous. And fun. And larger than life, but one day he just left.

He woke up, and  fell next to his bed. Massive heart attack. He left us all orphans.

Today is his birthday. He would be 49. We love you. So much it is not even funny...