susys running away to sea

"The rigors (sic) of an expeditionary lifestyle"

Friday, June 29, 2007

Housetrained

My dearest - and only - son and his lovely girlfriend have moved into my house. Hurrah! Someone to do the garden! And they're excellent company. They've moved into two bedrooms upstairs - one for HIS things - and they sleep in the other. Well, I rather fancied having a spare room, so I asked him to clear up HIS room. Bless him, he's just finished it.
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He's moved all his stuff into the sitting room instead! Can't fault him for tidying up his bedroom though .....

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Madam receives - and accepts - an invitation

Good afternoon, Sir

May I introduce myself? I am James, Madam's personal body servant, and also in charge of Madam's social diary. I must beg you to excuse the fact that we have yet to be formally acquainted.

Madam is currently reposing upon her favoured swingseat in the arbour, following a light repast of a packet of fags and a bottle of sweet sherry, and is not to be disturbed until her head has ceased its unconscionable and unexpected throbbing. We - Rosy Fingered Dawn and I - have endeavoured to remit her undoubted sufferings with the copious applications of wet towels to her fair forehead, but alack, with little success. I believe Madam may have informed you about her recent suffering - a COLD, I believe was her description. May I take this opportunity of warning you, dear Sir, Madam is occasionally prone to mendacity, particularly when she is, as the vernacular has it, 'in her cups'. Mind you, RFD has the gentle touch of a sumo wrestler, so I fear Madam is unlikely to emerge before tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed. We do have too much of a good thing at times, in Madam's exuberant company ... Just between you and me, Sir, and I write this in total confidence, I did slip a little sedative into her sherry bottle...

May I also take this opportunity of adding here a current description of Madam?

"She is an ageing upper middle, under the impression that she is irresistible to gentlemen. She is sure the girlish abbreviation of her name, black kohl-rimmed crepey eyes, red lipstick bleeding into the smoking induced lines around her mouth, fag sticking to her bottom lip, and her patchily dyed hair with the grey parting make her among the great beauties of the century."

I am sure you will be delighted to meet her in the (overflowing) flesh - it is a pleasure to serve Madam in all her fancies..

Before she tumbled into the River Lethe, she urged me to communicate to you she will be 'absolutely thrilled, darling' - I quote - to meet you at 1.00 pm on Thursday 21 June, outside your club, of noted notori- er - fame. Probably sporting a pair of fishnet stockings, improbably high heels and a denim mini skirt, she will be immediately recognisable. May I suggest at this juncture you might like to furnish yourself with a large blanket to protect Madam's exposed limbs and capacious bosom - and your embarrassment - against the falling damps? You will find that any proposed shopping trip will be easily averted - Madam is known in these parts as 'Woman at Tesco' and will be unable to comport herself with propriety in any other emporium.

Following her customary gargantuan luncheon, a soupcon of afternoon tea will be extremely acceptable to Madam - she claims to have the appetite of a mere bird. I tend to refer to that bird more as vulture, than 'piaf'.

Please do not hesitate to contact me, Sir, should you require further information regarding Madam's management. I assure you, despite all her vagaries, she is - pardon the colloquialism - an utter sweetie!

I remain, Sir, Madam's MOST obedient servant, James

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Has anybody seen my marble?

Flipping 60 something to do with son/borrowed/bicycle?/denial!/vague/memory/local/shop/bikerack/
two/days/earlier/forgot/walked/home

Gerry Hattrick x

Nacimientos

From El Mercurio (Chile's Times equivalent):

Vida Social, Sábado 16 de junio de 2007

"Ha nacido Isabella Inés, hija del señor Rodrigo M**** I***** y de la señora Rachel W********* de M****."


Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Isabella Ines M**** W***********

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Friday, June 08, 2007

Birth

Yesterday at 10.10 Chilean time, my eldest daughter Rachel gave birth to her and Rodrigo's first child, a baby girl - Isabella Ines. Everyone is doing very well, though Rachel is tired - she had a caesarian birth.

This joy isn't muted by the death of Daisy's little boy a month ago, but I can't help but compare the two events, so close together, and remember a beautiful tiny baby.

Birth and death are often intertwined - my youngest child was born five days before my mother died.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Birthday picture


Following a good lunch ... from l to r: Julie, Susy, Bernice, Nora. Linda took the photo, so you can't see her, which is a shame. Thanks for coming along to celebrate, laydees - don't we look so happy, now we're not working...

Sunday, June 03, 2007

My Day

I'm sure I heard a woodpecker tatting several times today. Spent the day on the swing seat with a girl friend, just tanning, sweating, chatting, guzzling last night's party leftovers. Then my middle daughter and co turned up - and I felt extremely embarrassed at having done NOTHING all day long, when they are busy busy busy moving into their new home...

Oooo, just come back from a small excursion across the car park - a fire engine has just passed my window. Well, rubber necking, of course - but then I want to know what's going on in my less-than-salubrious neck of the woods. The local youths are diverting attention from breaking into the old people's home by setting fire to a pile of wood at the far end of the car park.

I thought I'd smelt woodsmoke ... and on the way back to the house there was the sharp fresh scent of elderflowers.

I couldn't write this

so I've borrowed it from the blog written by BabyM****, my eldest daughter's unborn baby, soon to be born in Chile:

"RIP Ashton Alexander Mallet

As I write, the funeral of my little stillborn cousin, Ashton Alexander Mallet is taking place in Fulbourn Cemetery in Cambridge.

I don't think there can be anything quite as sad for my Mummy's family.

I hope he rests in peace."

24 May 2007