Angels and cocktail parties

I never told you about my dad's guardian angel's latest adventure, did I?

Well, my mum was in town, she was supposed to babysit my brother's kids and then come and see me and stay over at my place and take me to lunch the next day before going back home... this was the weekend I was recuperating. And I was quite looking forward to the lunch and the pity I was expecting being dying and all (I get very immature and pathetic when I'm sick) but I get a text message on my mobile saying "I'm on a train heading home, not feeling very well" so the whole thing was cancelled.

Well, I was on the phone with her later in the week and it turns out she'd called my dad on his mobile, he was on the island, working on the new cottage I suppose, and my little brother was at home by himself, and mum just called to check in... well, my dad answers the phone, completely out of it, disorientated and sounding completely wasted... and my mum started panicking and thinking he'd "relapsed" and got drunk for some reason and started painting these horror scenrios in her head, what if something happens with Simon at home, what if something happens with Thomas out there, stranded on the island and completely incapacitated, etc (I take after her, I think) and she worried to the point where she was in a right panic and she had to go home, to be there for Simon so he wouldn't be alone if nothing else...

Turns out, dad had been taking a nap in the cottage and been slowly but steadily carbon poisoned (I think that's what it's called) from the old gas stove (I think) and what happens with that is that you don't notice anything's wrong, and you get sleepy and you fall asleep and then you never wake up... so if my mum hadn't phoned my dad and woke him up, well he'd be dead now! luckily though, she did phone and wake him up, and he was all dizzy and out of it and realized something was wrong, and got out of the cottage and opened the door and windows to get all the gas out. And once again, he made it out alive.

On my side of the world, our sister team has just finished their shoot, and next week ours is up. I'm really excited. I was more nervous and anxious before, but now we've tidied up the storyboard, we've started preparing stuff ahead of time, we got all the equipment to the house yesterday and started trying out shots and lighting, which we'll be doing all day tomorrow as well; we're going to plan every shot in detail before the shoot so that we don't waste any actual filming time on setting up and adjusting lights or angles, because we're literally not going to have time. We're going to have time to do a maximum of two-three takes of each frame/scene and maybe one rehearsal and blocking, but that's it. I'm really stoked though! I think we're actually going to be able to pull it off!

Taking tonight off for Annelie (my brother's wife) and her friend's cocktail party! I'm more nervous about that I think... but it'll be fun. I haven't had time to go second hand shopping for anything to wear, but mum brought my red dress with her from home, and I don't care if it's not a cocktail dress per se, that's what I'm wearing (even though I'll look like a scarlet woman...) and black "boots" -- yes, you heard me right, Cesar, I'm going in black boots, and not fancy heels, I'm sorry, but that's just the way it's going to be! -- I can't stay too long though, and I can't drink (well, the welcome drink is fine I think, but no more after that) because I have to get up early in the morning and start preparing for the shoot! So exciting!