just a few more additions. i meant to say this before: a shout out and a huge congratulations slap-on-the-back hug kiss and cry to my co|mo girls. emails are beginning to pour in from curious, enthusiastic parents. cheers specially to misses sarah c. and sorelle, our fearless leaders.

folk dancing was allright. after an initial half hour, i lost interest, turned down two invitations to dance, and remained with heather on the sidelines to observe the redfaced, whirling masses. heather wants to meet the crown prince while we're here: he's single and something of a swinger. his younger brother is already hitched to a girl from hong kong and this country, which adores their royal family, is anxious for him to settle down.
incidentally, i've never seen so many engagement rings in person as i have this last week. two girls i've met are engaged (one, j., to a 37 year old professor at a prominent university i won't name here [it jeopardizes his potential for tenure if a lot of people know about him? or so she says]. she also claims not to believe in marriage; just 'in free jewelery'. another, more down-to-earth, has been dating a boy for six years. he knelt down by a waterfall and proprosed. they're getting married after they both graduate. another girl, erin, who i both lunched and pubbed with today, was engaged for a week to a guy she'd only known a year -- she had the sense to break it off.)
in a cafe today pre-folk dancing, i participated in my first catty conversation re: an engagement ring, by which i mean i was present during the conversation and felt mature by association. j. wears a rather large diamond and sam declared it fake. do you think so, said heather, leaning in. absolutely, replied sam.
glad to know these chicks aren't so pure after all.

people in this country have the right idea. the average age for marriage is 31 for men, 28 for women. many never marry at all. why the kids on this program are aberrant -- and it is aberrant, isn't it, to want to get married? at least, so young? -- i'm not sure.