All manner of choice and when the Jubilee Line showed itself to be closed between Waterloo and Stanmore, she chose to slightly alter her plans for today.
After getting back onto street level, she telephoned Myra, who sounded really frog-in-the-throat and said "Ugh, you sound rough, are you ok" and after a cough or two, our lovely friend said "I have a very rough, grotty throat and my glands are up, so I'm not up for anything and am staying indoors but if you are going, please would you get me some coffee from Nutcase?"
"Certainly, call him, tell him what you want and I'll pick it up when I get my nuts, mwah mwah, stay warm, drink lots of cinnamon and ginger in hot lemon with honey, I'll see you about 5pm".
And having brought the radiators back home and unloaded WW, she caught a C1 to Shepherd's Bush and walked down the Uxbridge Road.
There was a pale blue watery sky, it was chilly but she was wearing an old and much loved shearling coat, a scarf on her head, cotton tights and fur lined boots and was as warm as hot toast and it was dry, all in all, it was a good day to be out and about.
Nutcase have altered the layout of the shop, the sweet counter is no longer behind you as you face the nuts, she made a small selection and, even looked at the nougat! None of the usual people were there so she chose her favourite nuts and said "I'm collecting Mrs. So&So's coffee, did she call you?".
"Yes, it is ready for you, thank you for taking it to her" and a separate package was handed over for which she offered her card, "no, she's paid for it, please tell her we hope that she feels better soon", she smiled, said that she would and left the store.
And crossed over to Damas Gate.. Oh dear! What has happened? Is it under new management? For nothing she wanted was in stock, there were no barberries, no prunes, no 7 Spice mix, she picked up a bottle of olive oil, paid and left.
And crossed back over the road, why she doesn't know, as she had planned to walk through the Shepherd's Bush Market which is on the same size as Damas Gate. She was pottering along, when suddenly, she smelt something very Ali Baba'ish wafting across her nose and stopped.
Ooh lookielookie, here was 'Foreign Muck' at its' very best. She was standing in front of The Lebanese Bakery @ 350. Uxbridge Road! And, it was lunch time, need I say more?
As she is, at heart, an urchin, she ate in the street, who cares, for everyone is dead who might have clicked their tongue at her and she's sixty five now, so tough dudu. I have no idea what it was called, I'll ask Myra when she's less croaky.
It had spinach, cheese and onions in it, it was folded over and tasted as good as it smelt, she slurped it, wiped her mouth on the paper napkin the man had kindly provided and continued on her search for edible treasures.
And came across a shop which is exactly as Damas Gate USED to be. With all manner of wonderful things without which your, and certainly our, YumYum HQ is not properly stocked. Spices, herbs, black and green olives done at least six or seven different ways, a big tub of labneh (Lebanese cream cheese) which she absolutely adores and a box of her favourite yellow gages.
ALDIMASHQI SUPERMARKET,
258-262. UXBRIDGE ROAD, SHEPHERDS BUSH, LONDON W12-7JA.
Tel: 020 8811 1470 / Fax: 020 8811 2540.
And they have a restaurant.. AYAM ZAMAN www.ayamzaman.co.uk which is next door.
It gives UR Supermarket in the North End Road a good run for its' money. But they'll win as very few shops of this nature stock Buckwheat, which she finds strange?
She bought YumYum, chatted with an assistant and left to cross the Uxbridge Road and to go down through the market. Which, Dear Readers, has changed beyond belief! Whereas, it used to be made up of mostly English with a mix of African stalls, it is now Middle Eastern, very few African stall holders and only two English.
She walked through and out at the other end, turned left and then right onto the road that leads to Hammersmith Broadway and caught a 295 bus to Fulham Broadway.
She wanted four lamb chops from Dickinsons, courgettes, beetroots and onions. As she was waiting to be served at the vegetable stall, who should see her and come over squeaking "Happy New Year Doll" but Karen! Whose ex-husband retired so she no longer runs his fruit and veg stall and whom mama hasn't seen since before Christmas.
She was looking better.. still far too 'heavy' but much happier.. "tell me your news" they squeaked at each other, mama said "you first, what's happened, are you ok, oh, you look so much better Karen" and out came all the news.. that..
Jasmine's baby is due in eleven weeks, Karen is going back to nursing, she handed the family home back to the council, they've given her a one bedroom flat in return, her son who lives in Somerset near to Crewkerne bought her a car, she's lost half a stone (7lbs), ex-husband 'really' retired, and, has left London.. thank goodness!
None of this would have happened if she had been with Myra, they would have swished there and back in a fast black, aka a taxi, for Myra hates the cold and hops into taxis like my mama hops onto buses!
She came home via the invalid's house, poor woman, her nose is bright pink, as, too, are her eyes and she looks very poorly indeed, she handed over the coffee bag, into which Myra reached and took out a smaller bag and said "this is for you.. eat them with my love and thanks" and she came home.
The smaller bag contained an assortment of Lebanese YumYum, she'll have a couple with a hot drink tonight and hopefully give me a nut or two.
No, we didn't post the noodles recipe today. We'll give you that when noodley-doodles are on the menu and she's bought herself a small but good piece of beef.
Now what do I want to eat first, an almond, a walnut or a mandarin slice, oh, decisions, decisions.
GeeGee Parrot.
January 16th, 2016.
