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May 26, 2008
May but grey.
I had a mind to take my basket and join the old village schoolmaster and his miracle dog for a stroll on the wild side collecting Elderflowers for cordial. However, they are best collected before noon on a bright day, and this one wasn't. Alas,it was so wet that even the frogs stayed indoors.
Aunt Betsy had promised to visit so I hurried to the store to find something a little special for the table. Mr Kipling was already there and we stood and chatted and peered at a couple of tarts suspecting they might be past their prime. Wearing spurs like flailing rods on a threshing machine, Sir Lee de Meener swept into the store grabbed a tart in each hand, tossed several coins to poor Mrs Oldbuck behind the counter and was gone. Mrs Oldbuck raised her large grizzled eyebrows.
"That Knight is unsupportable. I don't know how Mrs Minchin at the big house can bear to serve him with his flouncing and barging ways. Why, he never even bid us 'Good Day'." Her eyebrows returned to their accustomed postion resting on her similarly grizzled cheeks. She has a lot to cope with, living in a shoe, too many children etc etc
We helped her gather the coins, which, as it turned out, were generous pieces and turned away to select a pastry, me to serve to Aunt Betsy and Mr Kipling to take home for Mrs Kipling who is partial, I'm told, to an almond slice.
" Well I'm sure we're grateful to the Knights for bringing almonds back from their crusades," I said brightly, hoping to lift her glum spirits, and hastened home before any more bad manners could assault us. There's some talk of assault in her large and unruly family but it may be nursery gossip.
Aunt Betsy had more news of the railway. She had been attending a protest meeting in her hamlet which will be demolished if the monster is unleashed through the valley. She is delighted at the prospect of being rehoused in an affordable hovel scheme towards the Nine Elms. She has been tempted by the promise of an eco sustainable 'living roof' which supports two milking cows and a family of field mice. I was about to enquire as to the obvious problems of access for milking but she had already moved on to the delightful prospect of an en suite tin bath. I think she's too easily pleased.
Here comes drab Eileen, I don't suppose she's bringing good news.
Posted by Martha at May 26, 2008 05:06 PM