I don’t have writer’s block, really.

But real time caught up with blog time and the things that were half written don’t quite fit any more.

So let’s start small.

Two of my favourite people have younger sisters called Giulia.

So it somehow just feels right to me that if the world is Good and Just and you sacrifice things to the right Gods, you get to have a truly special Giulia in your life.

My Giulia is one of my oldest and closest London friends. We took mostly-virtual Spanish classes through our company together way back in 2020, where we both spoke a messed up Italian version of Spanish that hurt our teacher’s soul. We also lived in the same suburb during Covid and the rocky post-Covid times, and after Giulia mentioned this fact multiple times, I finally got the hint that we should meet up in person, walk the parks, and become bosom friends*.

In the past months she scooped me up, fed me soup, took me out for my birthday, danced and stomped with me, and let me cry on her. A lot.

And at the end of last year, she gave me some beautiful beads that she selected for me.

Which became earrings:

My New Year Resolutions will probably always be some version of the ones I made in 2016.

make think join give.

So it was lovely to start off 2026 with a bit of making.

Yes yes yes, the photos are terrible, the plant needs dusting, and I promise I washed my hair and showered before heading out the door to see some friends in Gent.

But the earrings are terrific.

As are my friends.

_{*An Anne of Green Gables reference, but also a friend I can talk about tits with.}

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