Penelope Todd

Snapshots

I wished I had the camera last night: just when we think the meal well and truly over, the waiter comes out flourishing a fish to set on the lazy susan — entire, ‘crispy’, teeth bared, fins awry, standing on its plate, to all appearances freshly electrocuted.

I wished I had it this morning at St Clair: a hundred teenaged schoolgirls set off along the promenade, the front-runners prancing, the last four all loosened hair and artful pallor, nonchalantly strolling; in the carpark, a lone boy-surfer strips off, surrounded by another hundred girls; three paces away the Eventide Resthome van with residents in situ, doors hung open, a fish-crate upturned beside it — makeshift table for the preparation of tea: mugs, thermoses, a jar of milk. Raymond and I might have photographed ourselves, too: walking beside blue-jade breakers, 28 years married today.

I wished I had the camera last night to photograph the beloved friends and well-wishers who helped launch Island out into the reading world. And to capture Emma saying very touching things about it, which, I’ve just been alerted, appear on Claire’s blog Icelines here.

Thank you, Emma and Claire!

Penelope

6 responses to “Snapshots”

  1. Thanks, Kay. Glad you could be there. Launches are so benevolent. I’d like to live in one. 🙂

  2. I loved your launch Pen! So warm and chatty and yes, Emma’s launch ‘speech’ deliciously said it all. I am looking forward to reading your book. Yay! 🙂 (I was sitting outside with a group of cheering pre-schooler sideline supporters at the cc centre where I am an early childcare educator reliever (wot a mouthful – I need an acronym … ECER; actually sounds rather good!) and saw the passing parade of high school students. R’s and my anniversary’s in May too (next week). (36 yrs.)

  3. Well, Hugh, they both (long narratives and marriages) simply require one foot after the other with intermittent rewards thrown in for reinforcement.:)