Other People’s Diaries Read Online Free PDF Page B

lunch is non-negotiable. They have a cooked meal, cheese and at least one glass of wine.
    â€˜I tried to explain to a Frenchman that in Australia we usually just have sandwiches and often eat at our desks. He just looked at me and said, “But why?”
    â€˜I started carrying on about getting things done and he kept just looking at me, with no understanding of what I was trying to say.’
    With relief, Alice noticed a slight softening of the expressions in front of her.
    â€˜I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. It sounds strange, but do you know anyone who is really happy? Not someone who’s just got a good marriage, or nice kids, or a well-paid job. Someone who is exactly where they want to be, who gets up every morning looking forward to what the day will bring.
    â€˜When my children were small, I used to think I’d be happy when they were older. I remember thinking, if only they were toilet trained … If only they could clean their own teeth … And then I used to think it would all come together when they were in school. Well my youngest started school this year and still I find myself thinking – if only …
    â€˜People seemed to love my book because it was about the simple stuff that was the essence of my grandmother’s life. And the question readers asked time after time was how she managed nine children. I could never really answer that. To her it wasn’t a matter of managing the children or my grandfather, they just were her life. She wasn’t trying to do a million other things or wanting to be somewhere else. I know that’s not the answer for any of us. But maybe there’s something we can take away from it all.’
    Alice took a gulp of champagne. Finally the alcohol was doing its job. She could almost feel it seeping into her bloodstream and relaxing her muscles. She took another sip for good luck.
    â€˜I have a theory,’ she proclaimed, her smile taking the seriousness out of her words. ‘I think we need to try to make things a little simpler, find some more time for things like a long lunch. Maybe even to cook it ourselves … I think the balance in our lives is wrong. We’re the slaves of what we’re doing – we need to change that so we do things that make us happy.’
    Rebecca was looking cynical and Alice’s brief feeling of success faded.
    â€˜I’m not talking about dramatic changes. You have jobs, commitments … But maybe, by doing a few small things, you can make life more worthwhile or happier. Perhaps even figure out some parts of it that you could do without.’
    Enough said, she decided. Either she was totally off course or they got what she was talking about.
    â€˜I’d love to see if what I’m thinking has any value and write about it. I’d like to see if there are some values my grandmother held that could help make us happier in today’s world. I don’t know anything about any of you. Maybe I’ve got it totally wrong and everything is perfect in your lives. If so, that’s great. But maybe things aren’t as good as they could be. If they’re not, then maybe what I’m saying makes a bit of sense. So – here’s my idea …’
    This was it, she thought. Make-or-break time.
    â€˜What I’d like is for you to join me in a kind of experiment. What I want to do is to see if, by reclaiming some simple things in our daily lives, we can find more happiness, more fulfilment.
    â€˜I thought about doing this myself and writing about it. But while I’m great at picking what’s wrong with other people’s lives, I’m not so good with my own. So I spoke to my boss at the bookshop where I work. She liked the idea and we put the entry forms in all the books we sold over a couple of weeks.’
    Alice paused, searching the faces in front of her for a clue as to how this was all being received. Claire looked captivated,