I opted for the former, to show I was a man of the world and knew what an Egg McMuffin was. In the meantime, I scratched the ears of one of Y's two cats she got from the cat refuge, saying to Daniel, her partner, "Let's have the two oldest cats to help them forget the time they spent locked up."
The night before VR and I slept in Y/D's bed because it was the nicest in their house. There'd been chat about the cat-door Daniel had fashioned - through the kitchen wall since through the door was impossible.
Ysabelle, as most will know, is my granddaughter. She lives in Tavistock, way down the south-west peninsula, and this was our first visit to their new house. As a house-warming present I'd bought a lavatory brush complete with bamboo container. This complemented the fridge-freezer which didn't really count as a prezzie since it couldn't be "handed over". Oh, plus a litre of gin and two bottles of pinor noir. From Germany of all places.
A family is like a loosely linked collection of petri-dishes with visiting rights. Every so often we take a trip and check out the bacterial action in a neighbouring dish. There may be a lot or a little. For me I felt rather smug: my earlier judgments and expectations appeared to be confirmed.
"my earlier judgments and expectations appeared to be confirmed."
ReplyDeletePlease expand, RR.
Avus - I'm with you on that. Sounds like a get-out from saying something critical, but then that would not be characteristic of RR.
ReplyDeleteRR - you may wish to pass my compliments on to Daniel for the cat door epic. I recently took most of a day fitting one to William's hut for his black cat Pancake. That door then proved to be too small and I spent another day fitting a larger one necessitating modifications way beyond the manufacturer's instructions.
Avus: About Ysabelle. Favourably.
ReplyDeleteSir Hugh: Daniel's labours were an excellent reason for not owning a cat.
"A family is like a loosely linked collection of petri-dishes with visiting rights." So true. I have yet to visit a grown grandchild's house. I look forward to that happening some day.
ReplyDeleteColette: While in Tavistock I asked VR: "Is this a first for you? Being cosseted by a grandchild?" Completely forgetting that for the last two or three years grandson Ian (aged 32) has visited us, cooked all the meals in advance, and shared attendance with us at the Hay Literary Festival and Borderline Film Festival, both fortnight-long.
ReplyDeleteCautionary note: When this event eventually happens you must discard all grandparental authority before you cross the threshold and become a guest, a totally passive role. You may find this transition hard to bring about. Whisper to yourself "The old order changeth."
I was half expecting a punch line involving food poisoning, some rare strain of salmonella etc. Egg, meat, toilet brush ... I got carried away.
ReplyDeleteBTW One of the first germs we pass on to our offspring is streptococcus mutans, the bacteria responsible for caries. It's in every little kiss.
Sabine: I try not to be obvious.
ReplyDelete