I always struggle slightly coming home to Tennessee.  In London and in every big city in which I’ve lived time is precious.  Time is money.  Time is a commodity.  In Tennessee it seems that time is in so much abundance, noone gives time a second thought.

Case in point, the Christmas tree.

Desmond Talbot launched our first Christmas offering this year and one service we offer is a full blown Christmas tree design service – we supply the tree, installation, decoration, removal and recycling.  Of all the orders we received, one particular client’s request stood out as the most stunning design.  Burgundy roses, gold poinsettas, mauve, steel grey and pearl white baubles, cinnamon sticks, dried fruit – the absolute works.  I fell so in love with this design I decided to create the same tree for my Mom as a surprise for Christmas in Tennessee.

So off I went to Hobby Lobby, our local craft shop in Kingsport, TN,  to buy all the dried flowers and decorations I needed to create this beautiful tree for my Mom.  When I pushed my shopping trolley to the till, the shop assistant clearly had not dealt with the likes of this crazy Christsmas tree crazed woman trying to match the likes of the well healed in Hampstead Heath in London.  Her eyes bulged at my huge cart full of flowers and she said, “Honey, what  on earth are you doing with all these flowers?  You decorating your whole house?”  I explained that I was buying the flowers to decorate a Christmas tree for my Mom as a surprise.  And so for the next 20 minutes at the till, I experienced a conversation with this lovely woman who discreetly requested and received pretty much my life story while she wrapped each individual flower in white tissue wrap until each one was placed safely in a bag for me.

I have to get used to this again.  People being nice.  People actually caring and taking time.  I really don’t want to.  I have lived away for so long I feel I don’t have time and to be fair I wished that woman would have just shoved my flowers in a bag and let me be on my way.  Will I ever enjoy these people taking interest in me again…