Here is a photo of me at a time when I was still pretty unhappy, but not entirely unhappy in this moment.
I can’t remember the exact name of the place where we were staying, but it was a kind of desert glamping which I think would have been somewhere between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
I had taken along a bienenstich cake, or as we call them ‘bee sting’ cakes. I hadn’t realised that it was yeast cake, nor had I realised just how many components it had. But I was extremely proud of the result. Haven’t made one since.
Some expats who live in Abu Dhabi really get into the desert camping, but I never did. I mean, I spent my whole childhood camping and I was mostly in the car reading and willing the time to pass. But I did love the desert sunsets. They were so gentle and peaceful and created such evocative colours.
I remember being not unhappy because I had a friend who had invited me to go away; because I’d made a beienstich cake; and because the sunset reminded me that even the harshest of days have gentle moments.
As for the present day, I spent this morning working my way through some admin tasks, then the mid-morning until the afternoon running two shows. It’s only three weeks now until I open with Pearls and Stitches so I’ll be running shows every day from now until the end of March.
After I’d finished rehearsing I spent ages tidying up after myself. I feel like I’m a tidy person, but the evidence suggests otherwise. There are always piles of clothes in my bedroom just for starters. At this stage of your life, do you try to change yourself, or do you just accept this is what you’ve got to work with and go from there?