Well, we appear to have survived our double-vaccination relatively unscathed so far. One arm feels slightly bruised. Phil says he has a stiff shoulder, the same one as my bruised-feeling arm, but I think this is a case of oneupmanship in the reactions to vaccinations stakes. In my opinion it’s the arm which had the flu injection but he is convinced its the one which had the covid booster. We both had the same experience, in the same room, with the same nurse but clearly remember it differently.
After we got home there was some uncertainty about what the rest of the day would consist of. Our daughter was undecided about whether they were all coming to dine at our house. In the end the small people decided for her that they wanted dinner at Grandma’s. Then Granddaughter Number One asked if Daughter was bringing her dog, in which case could she bring hers? At half term Daughter and family go away for a few days and want to leave their dog with Granddaughter Number One. So Granddaughter Number One thought it would be a good idea for the two dogs to spend a bit more time together to get used to each others’ company. Consequently they had a crazy car journey with two dogs plugged into doggy seatbelts (government regulations) in the back of the car - not my idea of the ideal way to travel! So we had two dogs for dinner as well!
None of this would have been possible if Granddaughter Number Two had been around but she is away on York at university. She has succumbed to Freshers’ Flu, the almost inevitable consequence of mixing with a whole lot of new people and being attacked by their germs. Oddly enough I don’t remember ever suffering from such a thing. Perhaps it’s a new thing for the extra-sensitive younger generation. She is sooking. This is a new term to me. Here’s a definition:
sook -Someone who is emotionally needy, especially after a bad day or in a bad mood or sick. -Someone who wants to be taken care of like a kid when ill. "Karen was being such a sook today, she wanted me to bring her soup in bed and cuddle with her because she's feeling sick." *after asking to cuddle* " Stacey, you're such a sook.
So Granddaughter Number Two bemoaning the fact that she can’t get a mum-hug while she feels under weather is perfect occasion to use the word.
I picked up that bit of vocabulary from this First Dog on the Moon cartoon. According to that cartoon daylight saving time was invented in 1895 by a “New Zealand bug guy who wanted more daylight to stick pins in insects”. Hmmm!
Maybe “sook” is a bit of specifically New Zealand vocabulary but it seems like a useful word.
Just as I was getting to a crucial point in the preparation for the arrival of Granddaughter Number One, Daughter, small children and dogs, my phone and iPad both started making weird noises. It turned out to be my Spanish sister trying to Facetime me. As I rarely use this facility I answered on my phone and then was criticised for not being visible. I could probably have arranged to be seen on my phone but there seemed to be some urgency. So after a moment or two of chaos I got her stop the call and then call me back so that I could answer using the iPad. It turned out to be not only my my Spanish sister, but also my English sister and her oldest daughter. The latter had arrived on a visit from Saudi Arabia where she works and had arranged for my Spanish sister to arrive at Manchester airport more or less when she herself arrived. Surprise! Surprise! It’s a good job her mother has room to host both of them at the same time.
As the family was about to arrive for dinner, I then had to promise to call my sisters back when the family arrived so that they too could be surprised! Total mayhem! Everyone was trying to talk at once. The smallest member of the family became very confused as to who was who! It’s a good job we’ll all meet face to face next Saturday!
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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