A Twinkling Canalside Outpost of Hogwarts
Due to circumstances beyond my control I may shortly be homeless. It will break my heart to leave the canal, pushed inland by brute economics. Tears will be shed.
I could start feeling the sorrow now. It would be the perfect partner for the worry about where I will be laying my head after this year closes. Yet last night the only response that made sense was to host a party.
Adrian, the lovely Canadian man I live with, will be in the Philippines for Christmas and the New Year. This provided the perfect excuse to hold a gathering. Wine was mulled, food heaped onto tables and our home transformed by light. Every flat surface held a candle creating a pool of stuttering golden warmth. Fairylights and snowflake LEDS were tumbled across the windows. From the water it must have looked as if we become a twinkling canalside outpost of Hogwarts.
As the hours flowed, I drank Kir Royale and Canadian icewine, watching as every guest marvelled at the spills of light rippling across the black night of the canal. According to Surreal Girl, I sat cross-legged and held court like Buddha. I think this is a little unfair as I do not remember Prince Siddhārtha answering questions about the Mongolian Death Worm.
I could start feeling the sorrow now. It would be the perfect partner for the worry about where I will be laying my head after this year closes. Yet last night the only response that made sense was to host a party.
Adrian, the lovely Canadian man I live with, will be in the Philippines for Christmas and the New Year. This provided the perfect excuse to hold a gathering. Wine was mulled, food heaped onto tables and our home transformed by light. Every flat surface held a candle creating a pool of stuttering golden warmth. Fairylights and snowflake LEDS were tumbled across the windows. From the water it must have looked as if we become a twinkling canalside outpost of Hogwarts.
As the hours flowed, I drank Kir Royale and Canadian icewine, watching as every guest marvelled at the spills of light rippling across the black night of the canal. According to Surreal Girl, I sat cross-legged and held court like Buddha. I think this is a little unfair as I do not remember Prince Siddhārtha answering questions about the Mongolian Death Worm.
Labels: Buddha, Canalside, Kir Royale, Mongolian Death Worm
posted by David at 1:34 PM
13 Comments:
I enjoyed the description of your magical soiree, all twinkling lights and bonhomie. Sounds like a lovely area you live in.
We visited our former neighbour in Turnpike Lane last night and, as we were waiting for our Chinese food, we got a phonecall telling us that the delivery boy had been jumped on by a gang of youths who had taken his scooter, his money and his/our food. Ah, London. How I miss it.
Best of luck with househunting. I'd steer clear of N15 if I were you...
I believe that would have been my response too. I hope it was a wonderful gathering and I hope you find somewhere to live that you love as much as the canal.
I have always thought living on a canal barge must be fun, and possibly quite romantic. But then I also think it must be cold and cramped. Which rather puts me off.
I am sure, however, if the Buddha lived anywhere, it would be on a canal.
Puss
How I love your reaction to sorrow-to dwell in it's complete opposite, with such aplomb.
I am fascinated by the glow of white lights in the dark, rippling on water, even if it's just a mere puddle-they hold my fascination, magical, bringing me to world like none other.
And, I have read Dune, years ago, cover to cover, more than once.:)
Oh, I'm so sorry :( I hope you'll find a new home that's just as pleasant.
That's a damn shame if you have to leave the water.
My little brother had to leave his boat in L.A. recently. He couldn't keep both it and the collective he runs afloat at the same time.
Regards
It's a long time since I enjoyed Kir Royale. I hope you will find a new home soon.
Red – I think if I go that far north in London, my nose starts to bleed. I hope your food was replaced and the driver was unharmed.
Z – Any gathering with Kir Royale and candles tends to be wonderful.
Glamourpuss – Unless one is fabulously wealthy, I think all of London is cramped. However, I agree with you. If Buddha was in town today, he would live by the canal.
GM – Water is often called the ‘magician’s hinge’, the bleed between realities. To see the canal at night, polished jet holding light captive until broken by the chug-chug of a passing boat, is to be given a demonstration of this through nature’s innate poetry.
Mariana – When we have to leave here it will break our hearts. We might live in London, but when your only noise pollution is the geese and moorhens, your view one of trees and water, it seems can easily seem as if you border some bucolic part of an earlier age. I doubt we will ever find anywhere quite as soul-warming and special within the city.
33 – I empathise with your brother. I do not want to leave the water.
Ellee – I think all of our guests get plied with Kir Royale at some point.
Well, I hope you don't have to leave and I identify with the worry you must be experiencing. I have been there and it's an awful thing not to feel secure in your home. But I am glad you had a stylish party!
David.
It all sounds simply idyllic, just my kind of soiree.
A perfect knit where I would have socialised til the hours drew early, the eyes strained themselves to remain fully open and the ears & mind tried their hardest to devour every last morsel of new and intelligent conversation.
What a crowd ... what a place ... what a party. ... must of been one hell of a do.
A wonderful celebration of what the future may hold! That is my wish for you, that you may find yet another perfect space for yourself where you enjoy living.
I could see you holding court, what a great image. Maybe a dustcover photo? ;)
Sorry to hear you might have to find a new home!! Sounds like you so love where you are. I've left houses I love, and it's hard. I hope the next place is even better!
Will hold that one in my prayers for you. I wish I had a magic wand. Oh, the things I would fix for people.
Please write us a post about the Mongolian Death Worm! I saw the Lair of the White Worm here on tv a week back. I so love that movie.
WL - Thank you so much for your kind thoughts.
Dickon - You were invited.
Nina - That is a lovely wish. Thank you. I try to keep my dustcovers free of my photo.
Chandira - If I would trust anyone with a magic wand, it would be you.
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