Fa venire l’acquolina in bocca

 After walking the dogs, I slept heavily until 3pm

I must have needed the sleep , for I woke cuddling Albert which never happens when we are both conscious. 

Subsequently I’m on catch up.

The place looks like Coventry after the bombing. 

Having a new puppy is like having a toddler without a nappy and this compounded with night shifts mean than the cottage looks, well rather grubby.

I drove to Sainsbury’s listening to the seven minute Last Resort by The Eagles 

And sang it all the way through.

I bought healthy

Mozzarella, Basil, huge organic tomatoes and a small Italian ciabatta. 

Chic Eleanor caught me by the fruit aisle and peered into my trolley

“ Fa Venice l’acquolina in bocca” she purred

She’s taught me that phrase before.

I came home and made proper coffee in the Moka pot. 

I gave each one of the dogs a pigs ear ( Dorothy always has two as her mouth is bigger) so I’ve got, I reckon a good 15 minutes piece until they start demanding again.

I pour my coffee and sit at the table 

I need a few minutes to write my blog and chill.

I note I have written several syringe driver readings on my hand in pen

You can always tell a hospice nurse when you see them, written above the glove line.

There’s a Trelawnyd Community Association meeting at 5.30 and because of the brief rain we had everything feels humid and sticky.

I need a shower too

But not before coffee and kitchen table time.

Dorothy kicks the cat flap in a diva anger strop and I let her in. 

Villager Jim is standing outside the cottage on two sticks 

I haven’t seen him since before lockdown. 

He wasn’t well then

We chatted for a while 

“ Apparantly I have  early onset Alzheimer’s John” he told me

“ You remembered my name after three years” I reminded him

“ Oh yes I did” he said rather pleased with himself.

Roger threw up his pigs ear onto the patio and Dorothy gleefully sucked it up.

I took my coffee and ipad into the living room, pigs ear smell is revolting

Winifred’s Rubber chicken lies forlorn on the carpet.

And from the kitchen I can hear Mary chasing Roger outside in order to bark a welcome to another passerby…Dorothy joins in because she feels she should 

Nothing is still except the chicken

I may light the log burner tonight

Winter Is Coming

 

As Carrie Bradshaw would say And Just Like That…..it’s autumn.

It’s seventeen minutes past six and it’s not yet dawn.

Where did the summer go?

I’ve booked the chimney sweep, and ordered the logs 

And the Bake Off have another motley group of 12 for us to either love or hate over the next few months.

The Christmas request rota is up at work 

The WalkingDead returns for its finale 

And I’ve already sorted through my jumper drawer trying to find ones that will fit.

Where has the year gone? 

Lockdown seems a million miles away now but the memories of isolation make us feed on company more more than we ever did. 

I’ll filling my diary with stuff and I have a list of things to do around the cottage for my last holiday of the year the week after next.

Cooking

 I’m on a couple of nights, tonight and Saturday and have spent the morning cooking.

I’m back on a healthy eating diet so have cooked some healthy meals to enjoy when I’m at work.

This morning it’s a katsu curried king prawns with udon noodles and stir fry.

Chicken and crispy potato salad with yogurt 

And garlic prawn, avocado and chicken sushi.

Each one can be split into two meals and are just as nice cold as when heated.

Sweet stuff is a box of sliced mango

I love making sushi. 

It’s mindful and careful and precise 

I love the smell of the shaoxing Rice Wine which infuses each piece 

The kitchen is filled with the scent of it

Chester

 I spent much of the morning in urology outpatients 

I never tell staff that I’m a nurse, I’m funny like that, I feign ignorance and watch everything like a welsh terrier. 

The consultant was nice enough 

I didn’t think much of the nurse I met. 

This afternoon, I went to Chester to see the Welsh horror movie The Feast , which was so dire, I left after an hour .

A friend texted me a simple, sad message about him starting radiotherapy  and I was glad I walked out of the cinema . I hurried out of the Storyhouse and sat in the sun , in the Cathedral grounds 

And we talked a long talk 

Cushions

 Mrs Trellis caught me hanging my underpants on the garden bushes this morning. 

I don’t need a washing line as I tend to wash small loads at 30 degrees.

I tell you this as a bit of fluffing.

She was walking Blue who has matured into a calm elderly greyhound with a graceful neck, and as Mrs Trellis has shrunk a little with age , I always think that when she walks him he resembles a large alpaca rather than a dog, so noticeable the change in height.

I asked her how old Blue was and she told me that he was eleven .

“He looks good” I told her 

“ He eats what I eat “ she told me as way as an explanation 

“He had porridge for breakfast”

I met chic Eleanor for brunch which was lovely ( the meeting not the food) and caught up with her news. 

I haven’t seen her for a couple of months and she looked relaxed and radiant 

We arranged to go out for dinner with some mutual friends soon.

And that’s about it for today so far.

I popped to see my sister, bought some nice cushions from TK MAX and did grocery shopping, 

I also washed the dog throws and hung them in the sun on the field gate, watered my laburnum and walked the dogs twice, both times holding three leads in one hand!

Blogger is playing up again 

Square Eyes

 Managed to get to the Community Council meeting at the Hall tonight to co represent the community Association support for the hall.

Got home as it was getting dark after the meeting 

It’s been a nice sunny relaxing day 

Roger is watching Master Chef tonight

He’s a total tv addict 

Ram Dressed As Lamb

 I’m in the middle of a night’s overtime

I supposed to be saving for the electric direct debit hike due very soon.

Total false economy 

Just bought these on line from Harlow & Lloyd

I’ve message a friend in the states who I know would be up and around 

He sent a brief message back 

Ram dressed as lamb

The “Dont Hurt Him” Conversation

 I still listen to The Archers and will occasionally refer to the long standing radio show here, when certain subjects of interest raise their heads over the mundane.

Last night matriarch Jill ( 91 year old Patricia Greene) was having a bit of a heart to heart with her grandson’s twenty something girlfriend over a quiche.

Now I am the first to say that The Archers can at times be incredibly heavy handed and prescriptive, and to be honest that is part of its charm, I feel, but last night I felt the scene between old lady and young woman had a certain poignancy about it.

Only last month , it was broadcasted that Green was leaving the soap after playing the velvet voiced Jill for over 57 years. No reason rather than retirement was cited, but it was clear to me by listening to the change in the actress’ voice that she was frail and probably rather unwell. 

The scene she was playing revolved around a huge circle in the Archer’s storyline. In the 1950s Jill entered the soap as the lead’s second wife, a city girl, who was morphed into being a country farmer wife and last night’s scene had Jill discussing life with city girl Beth ( Rebecca Fuller) who is her favourite grandson’s girlfriend.

The scene was unhurried and full of gentle pathos with Green’s rasping vocals adding an extra depth to the scene and when eventually Jill turned to Beth and said “ You Won’t hurt him will you?” I was suddenly reminded of a similar, intense conversation from decades ago now.

My grandmother was long dead when I started courting. My mother was never privy to any partners I ever had, but I remember my elder sister meeting my husband to be many years ago now, a meeting she realised for the first time that I had decided that he was a “ keeper”

Just before we drove away from that first family meal, I remember her leaning into the car and saying to my boyfriend with a smile but in a low and rather serious voice. “ Don’t ever hurt him, or you will have me to deal with!”

It was a message , I know he never forgot, for I think it was the first time anyone had spoke to him in such a way.

And It was a message I never forgot also.

Having that matriarch in my corner .