Saturday 6 October 2007

Visitors and Lying

We took James out for coffee this morning and as we took him home he insisted on giving us a bakewell tart that he didn’t want. (I can’t stand the stuff but Himself likes it so we accepted gratefully.)

James stood in his room, waving his arms (it seems to help him think). ‘I just want you to know,’ he said, ‘that I am very – very grateful – about you.’ He stopped and smiled. ‘Have I got that right?’

‘Yes,’ I said with a grin. Well, you could see what he was getting at.

‘And it’s like a – you know – er- thingy – to go out with you two.’

‘Good.’ What thingy, I wondered?

‘A lifeline!’ he shouted triumphantly.

I have to say I’d been feeling very tired this morning and hadn’t really felt like more people. But that made it all worthwhile.


Last night some friends, who’d been staying in Porthleven, arrived to stay for the night. To my relief, I found that at least a few brain cells were starting to work yesterday (ie I managed to write a bit for the first time in days) but made the great mistake of looking in the mirror shortly before John and Annie arrived. Not a pretty sight.

I went into the kitchen where Himself was preparing enough food for 40 people instead of 4 and said, ‘I’ve gone all grey.’

He didn’t look up from peeling the spuds. ‘I’m grey all over,’ he said. ‘Don’t worry about it.’

‘Not my hair!’ I cried. ‘My face.’

He looked at me and his face softened. He gave me a hug. Then he said those three fatal words.

‘Never mind, darling.’

I must give him more lessons in Lying When Necessary.

23 comments:

laurie said...

you know what? he's right. never mind.

we've never even seen your face, and we love you. it's the inside that matters the most, not the outside.

and.......because you'll only half believe me........this is what blush is for. dab a bit on. you'll get your rosy glow back.

Flowerpot said...

ah laurie - Cor - I feel glowing all over now. and yes you'll be glad to know that I Got Out the Slap. amazing what a bit of blusher can do. I looked almost normal!!

Elaine Denning said...

Thumbs up for the slap!

My friend Tim, who passed away a few weeks ago, is having his ashes scattered at Porthleven. It was his favourite place in the world. I haven't been there yet, but I'll be there on the day.

Hope you're feeling less grey today FP...

Flowerpot said...

MissU - exactly about the slap! I remember now you said that Tim's favourite place was Porthleven - I love it and hope you do too. If you need alcoholic refreshment before or after, go to either the Ship or the Atlantic. One of my favourite places.

Anonymous said...

Bakewell tart, Amy would probably eat it but no one else would in this house hold! A lovely gesture though, very thoughtful.

And I agree with Laurie.

Crystal xx

Lane Mathias said...

Himself said absolutely the right thing:-) And he called you darling. Aw.

xx

Swearing Mother said...

Oh dear Flowerpot, blokes don't always realise that when you say "I've gone all grey" the answer is "What do you mean? You're lovely." Sometimes they caught unaware though, and blurt out the first thing that comes into their head. Bless 'em.

You were probably just tired and needed a quick bit of blusher and a gin. We all have those grey days now and again. That's what slap is for!

laurie said...

oh yeah, i forgot about the gin.
excellent point, swearing mother.

the rotten correspondent said...

who said blogging isn't productive? blush and gin...makes the world a better place.

Cornish Dreamer said...

I'm sure you really are a lifeline to poor James. It must be so frustrating for him to have problems with communicating like that.

I hope you had a good time with your friends.

RT

Akelamalu said...

James must bless the day he met you.

Give himself a list of acceptable retorts so he doesn't make the same mistake again! ;)

Aoj and The Lurchers said...

I have the opposite problem, howerver it's more "broken-veins" thatn "rosie glow". *sighs*

Flowerpot said...

Crystal - thanks for that. Though the bakewell tart has now been given to my brother in law. One slice was enough for Himself!

Lane - he's usually good on the tact front, so I can't complain.

Flowerpot said...

swearing mother - it was the gin that was missing! Actually I hit the wine later and that certainly helped produce a rosy glow...

laurie - yes, gin acts faster than wine. I should have started on that first perhaps!

Flowerpot said...

correspondent - I agree, blogging makes the world a much better place. Any time I havea problem now I can just address it here and all my problems will be solved. I feel better already...

RT - We had a lovely time withour friends thanks though having two people staying in a one bedroom flat makes you realise how small it is!

Flowerpot said...

Ak - that's a very good idea. List coming up already.

AOJ - I sympathise. Ageing is not a glamorous process.

Mid-lifer said...

Mine would have sai: @££++XXX*** - do you really want to meet our guests like that??

I try very hard NOT to look in the mirror - it's always a terrible shock.

Anonymous said...

I'd focus on the sincere words of James rather than any concerns about being 'grey'. You seem pretty colourful to me!

Grump said...

Men they really don't get tact do they. My missus is the same and shes a she. Maybe it is cross gender trait. I also can be known to be less than subtle.
Thanks again for the stories from Cornwall. I loved the one of you as a baby on the boat. I'm going to tell my friends that one.
Woof x from a friendly old tack less grumpy old dog.

Grump said...

Fear of being corrected. I said Cornwall but of course Teignmouth is in Devon. My apologies.
Woof.

Flowerpot said...

Mid lifer - yes, looking inthe mirror was a big mistake. I wont do that again!

Graham - ah, what tact! I shall carry round those words all day!

Grump - good to meet you all teh way over there in Oz. Glad you enjoyed the baby on the boat story. I presume you know Devon and Cornwall?

Grump said...

Thanks flowerpot for a lovely blog. Yes I used to live in Treen down near Porthcurno. I even built a house there called Long Barn. Still standing I think.
Cheers from sunny Aus.

Flowerpot said...

grump - I know Treen. I will go and have a look for Long Barn next time I'm there! Glad it's sunny in Oz - very gloomy here!