fancy

This week's writing invitation is "Fancy."

My life is the opposite of fancy. I live down-to-earth, simple, and comfortably ordinary life. I love my far-from-fancy life. Therefore the rare moments of fancy bring great delight. 

I am not too keen on fancy clothes, shoes or jewellery. My fancy experiences come from culinary world. I have had the chance to lunch with French ambassador's wife, nibble hors d'oeuvres in Austrian embassy's reception, dine a six course meal in a restaurant in Beijing. Each time I wondered how I ended up there - me - the girl who grew up in an old wooden house, was a pioneer in Soviet Estonia and became a primary school teacher. I quickly switch from pondering to gratitude. 

The little glimpses of worlds other than mine inserted a desire to treat myself with some palate pleasing pleasures. Once in a while my husband and I choose to visit restaurants that would deliver surprises, and don't necessarily have to be the biggest and shiniest places. We like to ooh and aah when the chefs' artful creations arrive to the table, and mmm with enjoyment when the food dances in our mouths. 

Last year, for our twenty fifth wedding anniversary we went to a restaurant in the most famous Art Deco hotel in a seaside town. The crispy white table cloths, silver candlesticks, soft piano music, flames in a fireplace, waiters in white gloves, and a five course meal with chef's compliments in between - we gave a luxurious indulgent treat to ourselves.

This year, when the opportunities to dine outside are limited and precaution to stay safe pressures to stay at home, and the special date falls on the first workday of the week, we will keep the celebration small and on home-ground, fancying it up with bites of sweetness. 

With a due date for report comments looming a day ahead, my carefully devised writing plans fallen short because of different interruptions last week,  I spent yesterday trying to get the last comments finished. There was a moment yesterday when I was ready to cry because it seemed as if the comments would seal me in front of laptop on Sunday too. I set myself an incentive - if I get my reports done, I would drive to the city and buy chocolate and some books. Writing went much faster. 

Today at noon I put the last period on the document, closed the laptop, got dressed and drove to the city. Three hours later I am back with six new books and a box of fancy handmade chocolate candy. 

I made a cake too for tomorrow - a modern Russian Napoleon cake.