15 years on: some things I know

I had my 15/16 year High school reunion on Saturday night. It was a quiet event – only 30 people there tops – but 30 of the best in my humble opinion – so a good chance to catch up with everyone. As I had to get back into the car 8am Sunday morning and prepare lunch at home for 12 adults and 7 kids, I was pretty well behaved I thought, and only consumed one cocktail at the end and perhaps one or two bottles of champagne before that. And one ciggie. And too much food. Anyway, some things I know to be true 15 years on…

: Facebook has changed the nature of these events. While I’m not ‘ FB friends’ with everyone that was there, I am with a few and so I knew the main things about people – if they had kids and how old they were etc, holidays they had been on etc. As almost all the ladies read my blog the conversations were even more boring for me as everyone knows absolutely everything about what’s going on with me – including the fact that my lounge has new cushions. Strange hey? Good though, but strange.

: All the girls that had good boobs back in the day have even better boobs whilst breastfeeding. I give you exhibit A, let’s call her Cara.

: And Exhibit B, let’s call her Heidi. I was particularly taken with ‘Heidi’s’ right breast which grew before your very eyes and I suspect would have been the first port of call for her littlest one when she got home.

: That outfits that I wore in 1991 are back in style. Although you won’t be able to see the full glory of the outfit in the background (although I have another great shot of let’s call her Lucy’s breasts. Exhibit C. And she is not breastfeeding, they just look good no?) I can assure you that I owned that very Country Road sleeveless top teamed up with some high waisted silky skorts/culottes?! except that I would have never teamed it up with a bowler hat. Was are these girls thinking?! I watched these very girls scoff and giggle when they saw the sign for 1995 school reunion. Were they in Primary School then? At least we didn’t look like that right?!

: That ciggies taste as bad as they did when you were first sucking back on a Winfield Blue in the park on the way to school in Year 8 when you are out of smoking form. I have up smoking about 7 years ago and dabble every now and then (read when I get drunk and whenever I am in Europe) but my attempt on Saturday night was particularly meagre.

: That the girls that had the best legs at school, still have them all these years on. I give you Exhibit D, let’s call her Alison. And she *just* had a baby too. And look at those shoes. Sigh.

: That the best part of the night for me is always the bit at the end when you drunkenly get food. I had a particular 1994 penchant for a McChicken but seeing as Harrys Cafe de Wheels was right there, a Tiger with sauce inside had to do. And look at her in all her glory! Magnificent! And I may or may not have backed it up with a hot dog straight afterwards. All this wedding starvation had me a little drunk on carby goodness.

: That the oldest friends are sometimes the best of friends to still have around. The ones that knew you without boobs, with mousy rat brown bad hair (and I had that hair by the bucket loads) and bad skin are the ones to really be proud of all you have achieved. Good jobs and careers. Good partners and kids. Good travels under our belts. All of it. Women in time to come will do much it seems. Even if it’s just get drunk and eat pies. And have great hair.