Like the evening tide, it waxes and wanes

I was feeling a bit down, what with Seagull and Danby heading off for a month in the Philippines. Partially cos they get to go to the Philippines (what is up with that?!!). But mostly cos I realise I'll miss them. Who am I going to take constant coffee breaks with? Who am I going to procrastinate and shirk with? Who am I going to debate with about whether to travel to Boken by bus or Path? Suddenly I found myself feeling a bit at loose ends, a bit like things were amiss and awry.

And then - as usually happens by chance rather than design, things started to fall into place on their own.

Macklaine and Pangli are coming to visit New York for ten days, and they'll be staying with me. I can feel myself brimming with excitement over their approaching holiday. In our enthusiasm, we've come up with a full-fledged agenda, as we are naturally wont to do.

On Friday there's Milo's house party. (Macklaine and Milo, without ever having met in person, have developed a blog-affinity. Difficult to comprehend, and even tougher to explain.) Saturday, it's brunch in Clancy's with some morning football (Macklaine mentioned something about the Spurs, but I must confess I keyed out at that point). On Monday there's MNF and an obscene amount of chicken wings (for a fiver). Thursday is a sangria-and-jazz evening at Cafe Del Artistes. Friday is Thai at the tastiest Thai restaurant in the East Village (because, Macklaine insists authoritatively, the East has an 'edge' compared to the West Village). I don't think we've ever met and not gone out for Thai. After seven years, its become indoctrinated as a friendship ritual.

And today, life fortuitously threw me another bone. I was just telling Shan-K how much I missed his being in New York where I could meet him on whim and fancy, when he reminded me that he is going to be in town next weekend too.
"Can we meet for lunch on Saturday?" he asked.
"Yes please." And can we also have a heart-to-heart about things in our lives? And can we also reminisce a little about the old days? And can we examine together the uglies and beauties that life fancifully throws our way?

And then, of course, there's meeting Caveboy and Bart Tulula for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving! That's nearly round the corner. Albeit a big fat twisty windy curvy corner.

So what with Macklaine and Pangli and Shan-K and Caveboy and Bart Talula, this month will be gone in the flashest. And before I know what's hit me, things will be back to normalcy.

But that doesn't change the fact that at the moment, all I can feel is the waning mood of Danby and Seagull's departure.