On Thursday I had planned to deep-clean the kitchen. Then Granddaughter Number Two came round to visit and we did other things. Yesterday I planned to deep clean the kitchen. Then I went shopping with my daughter and Granddaughter Number Two (who needed items to take to university with her tomorrow. Grandson Number Two had to come along - he’s only just 4 and, despite his own opinion on such matters, is not really old enough to be left independently at home.
His presence necessitated a visit to a toy shop, where he had been promised he could choose one SMALL Hotwheels car. Inevitably he gravitated towards the bigger toy cars. Some bargaining was attempted. The grown-ups won. I was on the lookout for academic year diaries so that we can organise our lives a little better. Of course, we were waylaid into looking at notebooks and other stationery items. We managed to acquire some of the necessary items for Granddaughter Number Two, but the new duvet she wanted was eluding her.
And suddenly it was past midday and food came onto the agenda. It was proposed that we go to Tim Horton’s as there was such an establishment on the retail park. I was not previously acquainted with Tim Horton’s, which is, I believe, an American import, but the grandchildren and indeed my daughter and her partner rave about it. There are no waiters as such. You place your order on a touch screen when you go in, wait for it to be packed up and you select a table to your liking. It specialises in donuts.
Now, when I was in sixth form they allowed an outside provider to sell donuts at midmorning break. These were quite old-fashioned plain lumps of dough, deep-fried and coated on sugar and then injected with a dose of strawberry or possible raspberry jam (one of the red ones). Delicious when freshly made, they did not merit keeping until later in the day.
The donuts I encountered yesterday were quite different: mostly smaller and denser and flavoured with chocolate, cinnamon, caramel, and goodness only knows what else; some varieties were glazed, iced, sprinkled with jelly sweets. And people were buying them in tens and taking them away! There were also fried potato waffles, served with ketchup or mayonnaise. And of course, there was coffee!
Then back to shopping! Later we located a shop selling a duvet to meet Granddaughter Number Two’s requirements - hurrah! And then we went to collect Granddaughter Number Four from her primary school. The plan was to have light refreshments at our house and then daughter and granddaughters would depart to collect Granddaughter Number One and take her to their house for a family chippy tea - Granddaughter Number Two’s request before she departs for a while.
In the event my daughter’s partner had had a stressful day at work and felt decidedly anti-social, or so said on the phone. Not wanting to be grumpy over a family tea, he asked could they not do it at my house and leave him to his own devices. Quite a sensible attitude! So daughter and I went out later to collect Granddaughter Number One (and dog!) and to purchase fish ‘n’chips, sausage ‘n’ chips, scampi ‘n’chips, Granddaughter Number Two looked after the small people and organised seating around the table!
The last big family gather for a while.
Then they all departed. We tidied up. And I never posted anything!
Today I have done the deep-clean - a sort of autumn clean instead of a spring clean. I am feeling virtuous. All is well. Tomorrow is another day.
Oh, here’s a new and interesting word, ideal for the sort of weather we have experienced this week:
“thunderplump”: the sudden downpour of fat, heavy raindrops that leaves us drenched and dripping in minutes.
In Galicia they call it “la tromba”!
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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