Friday, November 27, 2009

Jaunt Over


What a good job we weren’t flying. I managed to get everything into one small push case and just as we were leaving a strange buzzing noise started which seemed to emanate from the case. It was quite relentless and feeling strangely nervous I started to unpack. Visions of being asked:

‘Did you pack your suit-case yourself Madam?’ It seemed to be coming from the innermost depths – a separate waterproof zipped compartment and throwing caution to the winds I unzipped it. There was my electric toothbrush whizzing its little head off.


The Farthings Hotel was warm and welcoming and we had the lovely Garden room we had previously but as the weather continued to be foul we didn’t visit the animals or the garden. The evening passed fairly quickly with drinks and dinner – it always surprises me how we never seem to run out of things to talk about. I heard of one couple who on the rare occasions they ate out together used to recite nursery rhymes to each other so that it wasn‘t obvious they had nothing to say to each other.


By the time we had breakfast the next day it was still quite early and neither of us felt like hanging around in thundery weather until the film at 2.30 so we cut our losses and called at a nearby complex where I bought a Hetty – companion for our Henry so that we have an upstairs and downstairs, decent vacuum. Nearer home we called for a coffee at the Garden Centre and I bought MTL’s Christmas present – a forest green fleece which I managed to persuade him to try on and it looked great.


Back home the house is still full of flowers – such a contrast to the miserable greyness outdoors. Birthday cards, anniversary cards and now Christmas cards have started to arrive. As Joyce my old cleaner used to say:

‘Ne’er mind! Can’t be ‘elped! Be a’right!’

22 comments:

Queenie said...

Glad you had a good time despite the miserable weather. It's only three and a half weeks till the days start getting longer, that always cheers me up.

Pat said...

Queenie: thanks for that - a cheering thought:)

sablonneuse said...

The weather obviously doesn't matter when you're happy in each other's company. So glad you enjoyed yourselves.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

I like this: "it always surprises me how we never seem to run out of things to talk about."

I remember reading something about marrying for conversation. It seems to be a rather good suggestion.

rashbre said...

I think its kind of sad if I see people like the ones you describe with the speech deficit. It sometimes happens when I'm out too and theres a difference between people who are comfortable with some silences rather than ones who don't really have anything to say.

Is Hetty a real vacuum cleaner type? Its quite sweet if they've brought out a companion for Henry, although you are probably wise to keep them apart.

Pat said...

Sandy: I wouldn't go so far as to say the weather doesn't matter or we may get rain for ever:)

GG: I always remember at our reunion and MTL warned me: 'You'll find I don't talk very much.'
And then I could hardly get a word in edgeways:)

Rashbre: I suppose it is a case of being totally relaxed in each other's company so silences are fine too.
Hetty is pink as opposed to Henry's scarlet. She is a little more complicated with different disposable bags and a low energy switch. She's the upstairs gal and he's below stairs.

Barlinnie said...

I picture your cleaner to look like the character played by Julie Walters in Acorn Antiques.

As for having 2 hoovers... how posh are you missus?

Pat said...

Jimmy: a fatter version and you're spot on.
We have three but the one in the attic has hardly any suck.

kenju said...

I'm sorry the weather didn't cooperate, Pat, and hope you had a nice time in spite of it.

Pat said...

Judy: thank you. We certainly did;)

Madame DeFarge said...

Glad you had a good time, despite the weather (which was truly awful last week)

Pat said...

MadameD: last night it sounded like a typhoon and the French windows in our bedroom burst open.

Kevin Musgrove said...

"We have three but the one in the attic has hardly any suck" sounds like a bit of gossip I overheard at a wedding.

Pat said...

Kevin: I do wonder about your acquaintances sometimes:)

OldLady Of The Hills said...

It is really amazing that the bad weather just doesn't let up! Too bad, my dear....but, at least you had a little bit of a lovely change for your celebration!

BTW: I just read Leslie Caron's "memoir"....It was perfection! If you get a chance, do read it....!

Pat said...

Naomi: thanks for the heads up. That's a book I'm interested to read - especially the later life in France. It seemed to me Peter Hall always married women who looked like Leslie.

Anonymous said...

I discovered years ago, that the best way to get what I want for Christmas is to buy it myself, wrap it, slap a card on it that says, "Love You Dad" for the kids' and EMBLOS' signature and be done with it. YTL should try it.

Cheers.

Leah said...

I liked this cozy post. Nice to have so much to talk about with YTL. I don't take it for granted that I do with Sarge, either. Always interesting conversation! It really keeps the love alive--and vice versa, I suppose!

I seem to have a bit of a vacuum curse--they all lose their suck pronto. I'm saving up for a fancy Miele now, and in the meantime I use broom and dustpan...not ideal, but...

Kim Ayres said...

Glad it was just your toothbrush.

Maggie and I never run out of things to talk about either, and the weather is irrelevant so long as we have each other's company.

So pleased you had a good time :)

Pat said...

Randall: MTL would be only too happy to do that but this way I get to make sure he looks respectable - most of the time.

Leah; too many cozy posts would be bad for my 'writer' image. I must watch it.
Miele sounds like a good name.

Kim: thank you and I trust you are doing likewise;)

Charlie said...

I feel sorry for your old vacuum in the attic; does it have a name too?

Pat said...

Charlie: no and now I feel guilty. Thanks pal.
It is now 7th December and this comment has only just come through via Dashboard. What is going on?