Verdi and chips.

I hoovered upstairs. He hoovered downstairs.
I ironed and did the washing, he made a bacon sandwich.
I plumped up the cushions in the sitting room he fed the cat.
Then he left and I loaded my car with my books, bags and a glorious bunch of gladioli that B had given me as a thank you for helping her put her car back on the road, she bought her dad four cans of ‘Speckled Hen’ beer!!!
Jim left and I detoured to the farm shop.
Bought 8 spears of asparagus, two tomatoes and a punnet of strawberries.
I nibbled my way through my raw food snack whilst listening to Mike Walkers play on Radio 4.


Arrived in the flat three minutes before Jim turned up with his brother and sister-in-law.
They were over from Ireland to go to the Chelsea Flower Show.
I made us coffee, and stood on the pink plastic kick stool to get a cup from the back of the cupboard. The stool broke, I slipped, the cafetier smashed, and my shoulder took a scraping down the draining board.
Three Nurofen later and a cup of delicious home made coffee set me up. They left and we met up again at 8.00 in the ‘Little Bay’ restaurant in Mount Pleasant.
A young tenor from Limerick sung very loudly over our vegetables. He posed in his tights and belt and belted out Verdi over our goose-fat-fried chips. He finished his medley as the waiter removed the last glass.
It was noisy and fun. The bill was remarkably cheap for four of us and the company delicious.
Jim drove us down to Blackfriars, London at night looks magnificent from that particular bridge, then down Stamford street, over the Imax roundabout, down to Lambeth Bridge, along the embankment, over Battersea Bridge to get to the south side and then after a hug and a I-don’t-want-you-to-go-whinge he left for home.
I am now alone in SW11 readying myself for tomorrow which has Bill Oddie, talking about manic depression, Ana Isobel, bio-dynamic gardener, Judy James, body language expert and The London Gay Mens Choir, which does what it says on the tin, all jostling for supremacy in my little studio in Egton House.
Then I’m off to a picnic party in the afternoon – lets hope it doesn’t rain too hard – and then it’s head down for two weeks as I sit in for Vanessa.
Its practically June which will be busting out all over, which if I’m honest is just like me – too much of the good life eh? It’s being with the old git, time for some abstemiousness, is there such a word? Whatever. You know what I mean…

2 thoughts on “Verdi and chips.”

  1. Ouch !!! goodness you were lucky not to do more damage, hope the shoulder is fast to recover. Sitting here listening to you chatting with the wonderful Bill Oddie, a survivor ! not usually said about mental illness but believe me every day is a battle. Not a sufferer of bi polar but a sufferer of severe anxiety. Love to all xxhugxx

  2. Dear Jeni.Belated wedding anniversary greetings to you and Jim.You both certainly had an Al Fresco evenings entertainment near the cottage!
    Since i came back from my Easter Break in Torquay i was in a car which almost crashed and stopped so suddenly ive really twisted my spine etc and hurt my hip so ive not been able to sit down or lay in bed comfortably , ive had 2 X Rays at Queen Marys Hospital in Roehampton and now ive got a series of visits to the pysiotherapist to go to ! Ugh its been so bad i couldent sit in front of the pc or even use the lap top, Its easing a bit now and im taking seatone to help my joints. Do you know any remedies Jeni for bad backs? Im so sorry to hear you fell off that chair in the kitchen and bashed yourself on the sink or draining board. I sincerely hope you havent damaged anything!(No not the Kitchen jeni!) Yourself! It will be so lovely to hear you when you sit in for Vanessa Feltz for two lovely weeks . Then in Mid June im off on holiday to The German Spa Town of Bad Salzuflen for a weeks rest gourmet german food and free outdoor concerts by the Konzerthalle in the Kurpark and walks in the Obernburg and assenburg Forests. in Lange strasse which is the main shopping street in Bad Salzuflen the half timbered shops are mostly over 5 hundred years old and its like going back in a time machine!Really relaxing but not a sign of Dr Who! Ha Ha! I wish you a wonderful two weeks standing in for Vanessa Jeni! We will all be tuning in im sure Your favourite army of Bloggers!
    Take Care of yourself Jeni. We all Love You very much and love reading your lovely blog!
    Love Always Terry X

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