Journal - Day 5
Tuesday 28th September
Greek Salad and Colin the Caterpillar
I was invited to lunch with my new croquet ‘friends’. Three courses washed down with fine fizzy elderflower. Vegetarian Salmon dinner! How is that even a thing?
The company was interesting with two top class players at the table. One was an ex pro tennis player in her eighties and the other had broken her wrist having ‘simply slipped’. She wasn’t too concerned as it was the ‘end’ of the season. Tough old bird I thought, admiringly.
I took Millie who sat on my knee throughout. She’s like a trembling appendage demanding constant reassurance. Trying to scoff Greek salad with one hand left me chasing black olives round my plate, so I ditched the fork and ate them Greek style! Well, at least I chose the right fork!
The salmon had to dodge a wet nose and was often lost en route. I tell you, Millie plays me well.
The conversation left me a listener through two courses until the teasing began with me at the end of the mild mocking! Didn’t realize that I was the pudding. Perhaps it was because I was the youngest at the table and the new ‘rising star’. Ha!
Fortunately, the rain began lashing down and I remembered I had forgotten to leave a key for the boy drowning at the back door and made a hasty dash through the grenades of ‘pleased to meet you’ and ‘see you next season’.
‘Yes’, I thought, ‘I’ll plan ‘my’ come back for the croquet lawn’. ‘Lovely lunch,’ I called through the rain with a bemused smile.
Half an hour later, we drove through horrendous weather on the A1 to get to wish dad a happy birthday with Colin the Caterpillar. Thankfully those angels were securely guarding the car when passing tall sided lorries creating waves of water that the wipers were too woeful to clear. Singing thanks and praise we were relieved when the A63 slip road appeared.
More of the family came, which surprised mum and dad’s quiet evening in. Well, like all evenings actually. At one point mum was feeling left out of the noise in the kitchen with six of us bantering away, so she slammed Colin on the marble worktop and broke his nose. Arms flying aloft, we all turned to look with faces of hurt and distaste. Mother simply caught herself in the looks and asked innocently, ‘anyone for a piece of cake?’
‘You broke Colin,’ said ten year old P-B. ‘Never mind grandma, I’ll have his chocolate nose’.
It was time to leave when everyone started checking their social media feeds!
Thank God the angels were alert as we traveled back home in safety, the rain having exhausted itself earlier. Like me actually, spent, bemused and ready for bed … with Millie, of cause!
What a day!