A Visit From A Good Friend.

Vladimir Kuch.


Seeing Ionie again was very good, no it was not good it was brilliant, our conversation started on one subject and then over flowed and everything was involved and discussed.

A wonderful far ranging conversation with Ionie, just like we used to in the past, it was vibrant and dynamic and included Richie too.

Ionie brought me some mini cucumbers, delicious paprika and some watermelon as well as two pretty scarves from her shop.

A cornucopia of delights from my wonderful friend Ionie, who was telling me she is not a generous person.

I nodded and made a very unconvinced face so she could see that I was not having any of it, it just made me think of my uncle Abby.

Who always told me he was not generous, whilst slipping a dollar or two in my hand and saying:

‘’ Do not tell your auntie I gave you any money and never forget I am a mean Aberdonian, we are all mean there so never forget it.’’

Auntie in her turn would slip a few dollars in my hand and tell me not to tell my uncle both of them laughing as they sad this.

For a mean man my uncle Abby did not do badly at all, he and Auntie Sigrid did their best to spoil me whenever they had the chance.

Their house was my favourite place to be, where I could play freely and be myself, I always wanted to live with them, and they were strict but honest and always communicated well and also so easy going and such a laugh too.

She, Ionie is one of the most generous women I know, how typical of her to pretend that she is not a giver but quite a mean person.

She does not convince me she is mean she never has, going to visit her at lovely clothes shop was always a treat seeing the gorgeous dresses and tops being created by Ionie.

Used to love watching her design and cut the material and make the clothes in the shop, something special about seeing clothes being made in shop.

It is akin to the pleasure of watching pizzas being put into a Pizza oven or Nan bread being thrown in a Tandori oven.

I love seeing the whole process and not just the finished product, sure that all Ionie’s customers enjoy seeing this too.

Ionie also sources and displays her goods so wonderfully well recall when I first went there, it was a good experience.

I used to like her slinky tops from a brand called Body Touch; they looked good on, nice colours and nice material.

That was where I bought a few of my favourite slinky tops, things I would not have bought before, if a friend had not taken me into the shop for the first time in 1996.

For me it was a revelation after spending over ten year in, jeans and t-shirts suddenly here was this wonderful women’s shop full of gorgeous sexy clothes.

In Shuga’s Ionie designs and makes her dresses and buys in other things like tops, from a couple of distributors that Ionie likes the quality of, otherwise they would not be in her shop.

The other great feature about Shuga’s is you can see Ionie designing and then making up the clothes, sewing and ironing until they are hanging on the rail ready for a buyer..

Yesterday got concerned when it was 18.30 and she still was not here, she arrived at a few minutes to 20.00 and stayed until 22.00 saying all the time she was leaving very soon.

Did not work out that way, as Ionie asked Richie how he was getting on with his banjos that resulted in them both playing the banjos.

When Ionie said she would love to learn Richie showed her the old banjo he was given in 2003.

The one he learnt on, Ionie loved it and because she knows guitar chords she was making a good sound quickly which sounded very nice indeed.

Richie asked her is she would like the banjo and she said yes which pleased us all very much, nice to find a new home for the banjo with someone who will use it.

It was nice to be able to give the beautiful Ionie something, especially something that she wanted; she left here later than we all thought happily clutching her new banjo.

Hope that in awhile, once she has played the banjo for a time she will bring it with her when she visits us and plays us a few tunes; maybe play with Richie, looking forward to it very much.

Ionie’s visit was great for me, her coming to visit with me was good, gave me a huge boost which I need so much right now.

Forgot to consult her about my clothes, maybe she could be the one who could adjust and adapt my clothes and make them easier to wear in the wheelchair, make them nicer

We shall see, its early day at the moment, if she comes back soon I will ask her.