Saturday 30 May 2015

LONDON GOT A WASH YESTERDAY & THE SALAMI WAS A MAJOR HIT!

It started out with just a 'little' wet and then it got wetter and wetter until there was torrential rain pouring down. Did we care? Not one jot!

For out of a cupboard came her very old and much beloved Herbert Johnson hat, off the coat peg in the hall came an equally old Barbour waterproof jacket, she had waterproof boots on her feet. And I was snug as a bug in my small travelling cage tucked into a tall lined basket.

Off we walked to Victoria Station, we entered the concourse and as she had her glasses on, she saw there was a train leaving for Sutton in ninety seconds.. whoosh.. the joy of having a pass which allows one to pass through barriers at high speed, for with a quick trundle of her feet we boarded the train with a few seconds to spare.

And off went our train.. across the Thames, through Battersea, Clapham Junction, Wandsworth Common, Balham and before we knew it.. we had arrived at Streatham Hill! It is SO much quicker than using that poor bus which is still having to deal with road works the other side of Chelsea Bridge.

A quick walk up Leigham Court Road brought us to our destination. Ooh.. party time! There were lots and lots of people, most of whom I knew but a few strangers.. including a lovely Jamaican lady called Norma who is 'something' in the NHS to do with Dementia. She was sitting next to us.

I 'dropped' her a Reddy.. you know what this is, don't you? It is one of my highly prized tail feathers. She was thrilled and asked my mum if she could keep it, then she tucked it into her mobile phone case with a big smile!

She and my mum talked at length about the effect that animals have with people who have Dementia. She saw, for herself, the way that people came up and chatted to me.. yes to me.. not my mum! Mind you, you might have thought they were talking to her as I was sitting on her head.

I spent the whole time up there yesterday because Margaret, Ann or Phoebe, my very special friends, were not there. I usually sit on one of their heads but Ann was doing something with her grandchildren, Margaret had a cold and Phoebe.. well.. Phoebe was AWOL! (Absent with out leave).

A jolly and merry time was had by all but the jolliest time was had by watching Susan unwrap her chocolate salami! HeeHee.. That was a lot of fun! Nobody had ever seen such a thing before.. thank goodness she had made a HUGE one because everybody had to have a piece and luckily there was still a big bit for Susan to take home!

The pots of herbs were received with great pleasure but it was the salami which was the big hit of the day.. which goes to show that it is not the value of a gift but the thought behind it.. and as Susan is a Master Baker.. she loved the fact that her Rotary 'apprentice' had made her a birthday cake.

For yes, it was Susan who introduced her to the branch of Rotary to which she belongs, of course as a member you join Rotary International but you do your 'work' with your own branch.

We left just as it started to rain again and went to buy two dresses that she'd seen last week but had not tried on and yippee, she needed a smaller size! Two wonderful coloured and patterned linen dresses, fully lined and washable, the style that never goes out of style, a simple shift with no sleeves and to the knee. Perfect with a jacket or a cardigan or a pretty wrap, they'll go out in the morning and stay out late!

Then into Lidl for dark chocolate and nuts for Janice has requested a chocolate salami for Monday.

We came home on the 319 bus and walked back from Sloane Square. The rain had stopped, trees had been watered, their leaves were looking happy, London smelt fresh and ready for Summer.

So roll on Summer.. we want clear sunny days, some rain at nights to fill the water butts and NO slugs or thieving thieves! That's not much to ask for, is it?

GeeGee Parrot.
May 30th, 2015.

No comments:

Post a Comment