Thursday 17 January 2013

The Real Housewives ...





Real Housewives Of Surrey
Versus
Real Housewives Of Beverley Hills




Ladies who lunch
By Beryl Cook

 
Blogger And Blogland



This is a post about friendship and support and I make no apologies for that. It has veered a little away from crafting but is equally as important as it is losely associated with Blogland, which gives women a wonderful amount of support and recognition for their various talents without knowing what personal battles they are undergoing in their private lives.









Yesterday I went to lunch with some girlfriends - there were eight of us. I have known each of them for many years and have a little insight into their personal circumstances..

M. has a husband who is at present undergoing chemotherapy, which although depressing him he has bravely managed to work full time throughout.
K. has a severely disabled daughter whom she has devoted much of her life to while holding down a job and looking after her son and husband.
D. has recently had a breakdown caused in part by her husband being diagnosed with bowel cancer.
R. has three small children and a home and garden to manage and her husband has recently left her.
H. works full time yet spends as much time as possible with her mother who has motor nuerone disease and will probably not last too long.
L. has recently been widowed and is not enjoying living alone.
S. has no children of her own and her stepson recently tried to murder her husband, which has caused much distress for everyone involved.
Me ... as my followers will already know am fighting a battle against cancer.

Now knowing all of the above you would expect our lunch date to be rather a depressing event, which is far from the truth. It was an hilarious occasion and at one point I seriously thought that the person on my right may well wet herself as she was laughing so hysterically. Much of the fun came from a resume of  Fifty Shades Of Grey, which two of the women had read. They thought it was rubbish but it gave us all a really good laugh.

The lunch was delicious, (we all contributed a dish), and I doubt any of us had enjoyed ourselves this much in a long while. We all cared for each others feelings and opinions and genuinely wanted to support each other in our difficulties. It was a great occasion and all these women were all kind and thoughtful and a joy to be with.







Cruel and callous Housewives Of Beverley Hills




When I got home I made myself a cup of tea, picked up my knitting and sat by the fire. I turned the TV on ... and it was an episode of The Real Housewives Of Beverley Hills. They were having a girly lunch date and there where eight of them too. The setting was amazing, the food beautifully prepared by staff, and the designer clothes and jewellery were divine. The women looked beautiful and were all toned and well groomed and pampered. None of them seemed to have a care in the world and each of them has every advantage that money can buy.

Their lunch date was a vile and depressing occasion. They bitched and cruelly destroyed each other with the most upsetting comments. No one laughed. Several were brought to tears. These women were selfish and thoughtless and had no support for each other or interest in making each other feel welcome and loved. Quite the opposite. These women were all horrid, cruel, callous and thoughtless without exception.

The date broke up in chaos with all the women hurting and sad. Each of these women were fighting their own personal battles, too, which will become apparent in future episodes. They also needed loving care and support and got none due to the fact of each of them being full of their own self importance and selfishness.





Pretty on the outside



This got me to thinking about support and friendship in generally. I have found that apart from real friends and  some family, virtual friends in Blogland have been exceptionally kind to me. I have built up some wonderful 'virtual' friendships, and also met with some lovely bloggers who live nearby. Without exception I have been treated kindly and been given support in difficult times. Even the tiniest triump has been met with positive comments and at no time have I been attacked or treated with anything other than polite and friendly communications. My experiences have been uplifting and I have learned so much from very talented bloggers around the world. Please remember that whoever you may meet in whatever circumstances others could also be fighting their own battles.
PLEASE DO BE KIND.



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35 comments:

  1. Oh! how I agree with you - bloggy friends are the best!

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  2. Good grief, I never even knew such programs existed! Sounds like it was more a competition than a lunch date though on the BH part!

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  3. what a great post Ann .......i agree with what you say and we can have some lovely bloggie buddies !!

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  4. Lovely post. So sad about those women, but sounds like the lunch went well. I agree that friends and blog-friends make life better. It's important to keep supporting each other.

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  5. Thinking about your friends, then the likelyhood of people in blog land also having troubles is also a high probability, but hopefully we all gain something from blogging

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  6. I was trying to edit that to say something beneficial.... And the picture is by Beryl Cook a well known artist who painted life in and around Plymouth. I particularly like her pub scenes and sailors!

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  7. Thank you for an uplifting post Ann. We soon find it who our real friends are when we have troubles to contend with, and it sounds as if you have a wonderful bunch of friends.

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  8. Great post. It is true, laughter is the best medicine.

    True story: I went to lunch in Manhattan Beach CA, a small beach community not far from LA,with a co- worker who lived there. I couldn't believe how the ladies around us looked. Tan, mostly thin, obviously have had plastic surgery and or Botox, dressed like the Beverly Hills housewives which for most was not age appropriate. One lady over 60 walked by the restaurant wearing a bikini, I totally lost my appetite. My friend told me that this was normal and in the summer it was even worse. The beach look was very important to these ladies. I'm from central CA which is more conservative and I was shocked. Know that not all Californians are not like the LA area women.

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  9. I have see TRHOBH and of other places - it is car crash TV, they are all so self-centred it's amazing!!

    Yep, I prefer virtual friends to most of my real-life acquaintances!

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  10. Such beautiful words & thoughts with real feelings for others
    An inspirational post for us all , and although I have only been a member for a short time the lovely comments I have rec'd make you feel so welcome
    thank you blogging fellowship

    Bev xx

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  11. This is a lovely post, Annabelle. I am glad you had such a wonderful time with your friends. They are certainly to be cherished. You are rich with good friends. Thank you for visiting me. I am going to follow you.

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  12. Hi Annabelle! Great to meet you ... I'm finally catching up.

    Anyhow, all those crazy "Real Housewives" shows (and yeah, there's several out there) shows the underbelly of American entertainment. Scary, I know. But trust me, they do NOT reflect that vast majority of us REAL American housewives. :)

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  13. Really enjoyed your post! I used to enjoy watching the "Housewives" shows but they have all become so mean spirited I'm not up for it any more. Your group of friends sounds lovely. There is nothing in the world like a group of girlfriends, is there?
    Thanks for visiting Buttermilk Cottage.
    Best,
    Susan

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  14. Thank you for visiting my blog, Annabelle. I'm delighted to find a beautiful blog and a beautiful person. Yes come back for the announcement as I think it will appeal to you, I would appreciate your opinion too.
    Laughter shared with friends is priceless.

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  15. Also meant to say the book on crocheting flowers would be a lovely entry on the garden book review hosted by Roses and Other Gardening Joys. There is a link on my site. Sue

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  16. Good morning, Annabellle. It's been awhile, but you kindly visited my blog, A Nest on Feather Lane, some time ago. I apologize for not visiting you sooner. You're right, bloggers can become lovely friends, and who knows, may meet one day. I hope you have many visitors to your blog. When you described your day with friends, I was hooked. I like real people! Please visit me again sometime.

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  17. what a strong group of friends you have, all of you with major happenings in your lives but still able to see the fun in life. Your blog has really moved me.
    Re the housewives on TV have only just discovered these programmes and I am struggling to understand why they pretend friendship with each other, you would never behave with friends the way they do,they are all so nasty, I certainly would not have any on my friends list.

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  18. Like you Annabelle I couldn't live without my 'real' friends - they are my rocks as yours are too.

    Blogging has been an awakening for me too - the wonderfully fun girls I've met are 'like minded souls I've grown fond of - amazing really.
    They've filled a need in me to be understood, as none of my 'real' friends are bloggers or francophiles, or hospice shop stalkers like me - but my blogging pals are and 'they get it' and share in my joy when I've found another tatty looking piece of lace!!

    As you said many of us are facing daily battles in one way or another, but put on a brave face for the world to see.
    It's all about caring and having empathy for others.
    A beautiful post - thank you.

    hugs
    Shane ♥


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  19. Your lunch date sounds far and away the better! I have never seen "Real Housewives..." and don't honestly think I could watch without throwing things at the telly if what I've heard about it is true.
    I just found your blog via the Grow Your Blog party - hope to be back again and get to "know" you a little better :) xxx

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  20. Annabelle -- It's times like these that I am greatful that I started this blog experiance because I am able to meet new people and enjoy in the experiances that they are having and how even in the face of adversity people are genuinly still good. I am also glad that I do not have cable TV and this limits my exposure to these shows because they can draw you in and that negative vibe they are sending out many times evokes negativity on our own situations. It sounds like you have an amazing group of friends that would go out of their way for one another because in the middle of all they are going through you all still found time to be together as supports not for your own pitty parties. I will be following your blog keep that positivity up because it sounds like each of you needs the support of the group.

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  21. What a wise post (and wise person you are). It's funny how these expereinces and moments come to us and show us what we need to see or be reminded of--Although it sounds like you and your friends know what blessings you have in each other. ♥

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  22. Thanks for posting this...you are so right and good friendships are so important. I am glad you have a great bunch of friends who support each other and support you. I am sure you are all far more beautiful than the picture of that shabby lot above :)

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  23. I don't envy them one little bit. I love my friends when we get together and sew and I love my sewing room and I just love my life. What more can a person ask for. Thanks for having a give away.

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  24. Have fun at the blog party today, Anabelle.

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  25. What a lovely post this was to read, thank you I needed this today :) and thank you for the chance to win, have a lovely day
    - Jeanette

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  26. Hi What a great share you posted! I agree, good friends are important. Lets hope those ladies are "made for television", and hope their values and drama are produced. Im your newest follower. Dianna

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  27. Well, thank goodness for veering (off your main topic, that is). I was touched by your post and sharing all the tribulations you and your friends have been dealing with. I have marked your blog for a re-visit.

    Popped in on the Grow Your Blog hop.

    Give me a visit some time ~
    thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com

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  28. Such a lovely post. I never watch the Hollywood ladies - the commercials alone were enough to know they weren't nice people LOL. It's wonderful that you have such a great circle of friends. Laughter is the best medicine. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm followiing yours now and will be back for more ~ Laura

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  29. This post is a fabulous read. How lovely you all got together and shared lovely company and food. There is nothing more pleasurable in my opinion than a diverse group of women getting together and sharing stories, love, support and experience. The laughter of women through adversity is wonderful. (((hugs))) I so wish I could have been there! XXX

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  30. Hello Anabelle, It is a pleasure to meet you and to visit your blog. I was very moved by your post about you and your friends. I am so glad that you have such a strong group of women around you! What a contrast to also speak about the television show as well.
    I am glad to hear you have only experienced kindness here in Bloglandia. Me too. I have really enjoyed learning to blog and meeting new friends.
    Hugs,
    Terri
    artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

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  31. Hi Anabelle, I just finished reading your most recent post and tears formed in my eyes as I read. You are so right, we all need friends... not the fake flashy ones but the real down to earth kind that you most certainly seem to have! Bravo to all 8 of you! You all get it! It is true about our blogland friends as well, thank goodness for each and every one of them! I am your newest follower and will be back for a longer visit after Vicki's Grow Your Blog party finishes.
    Hugs to you,
    Beth P

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  32. Hi Annabelle,
    Your words ring so true....well said. Thank god for women friends! I am so happy to have found your blog and will be back again for a visit! Take good care.E

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  33. That is so true can not see why them ladys are so bad
    Hope you feel better ,I was having joint thing it is better it is no fun to feel bad
    Come over and visit
    Laura

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  34. It sounds like you have a great group of REAL friends... Take care of yourself...

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  35. What a contrast, and how lovely to have such good friends! As I learnt from a very wise person: money doesn't buy happiness, but it can buy tea which is almost the same thing . . . And tea with a friend is best of all!

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