The landline rang this morning and it was John, a friend whom she visited in hospital on Wednesday. He had been released yesterday and would she join him for tea today to thank her for the fruit, books and hotties that she had taken in to him? They agreed to meet at 3.00pm at the Jaffa Teahouse on the North End Road.
She finished getting dressed and went out to catch an overland train from Victoria Station to Streatham Hill, for the bottom of her industrial sized pot of IshPol is visible and we cannot live without this slurpy stuff.
Only to get there to find that the IshPol makers in Poland have not sent any to Bartek for TWO weeks! Ugh, she chatted to her friend, the butcher, and he was also moaning about it being out of stock, oh dear, we only have about two mouthfuls left and there is nowhere else that she knows in London that stocks this most glorious of foods.
She helped herself to some fresh Sauerkraut but it ain't the same.. no sirree. She raided Lidl for some nuts and caught a bus back to the King's Road and checked three books back into the library.. more about an author in another post.
Then hopped a bus to Fulham Broadway and walked down the North End Road pillaging as she went. Her favourite vegetable seller was there with Grapefruits and Pomegranates! She was amazed at seeing fruit on his stall and told him so, his response was that they had been such a bargain price in the wholesale market that he could afford to get a few crates, he was selling them at five to a £1.00!
Ten grapefruit plopped into dear trusty WW and he gave her the rest of the pomegranates, how sweet of him, she'll make him some beetroot pickle, they are both crazy-daisy about roasted beetroot but she knows he won't ever have had her recipe, that's for sure!
Then into Jaffa to find John. Oh, who was looking so much better! "Tell me all" she said but he responded "only over a tea or coffee, which would you prefer." and to be daring, she had coffee for a huge treat. Chat chat.. why they hardly drew breath the two of them.
Then it got suspiciously dark and as it was by now a quarter to five, they slipped out into the street, her having given him a couple of pomegranates, he refused any grapefruit. They arranged to meet next week for a visit to the British Library and a Chinese meal in Soho.
After a quick hug, he walked one way and she walked the other up to the Broadway to catch a 211 bus up to the library to get books for the weekend. Grr, the traffic was so slow and she got there too late, it closes at 5.00pm and it was after then by the time she pulled a very heavy WW up the steps.
'Drat, never mind, it'll open tomorrow at noon' she thought and crossed the King's Road, walked through St.Luke's Garden and into Cale Street, across Sloane Avenue and into Cadogan Street and came to screeching halt! For whom should she see coming towards her? Why, it was none other than 'Darling Beril', Miss Betty's much beloved housekeeper of twenty five years ago!
Beril wasn't looking up and so nearly walked into her, mama said quietly "and where have you been for the past couple of years, there hasn't been a sight or sound of you!" That made her look up! And squeak with joy and exclaim "How amazing, I was just thinking about calling you just this morning, how are you, my darling girl?"
Darling Beril, she is truly an extraordinry person! Her beloved husband Patrick, sadly no longer with us, was a professor of 17th century French literature and she is one of the world's foremost experts on African Tribal Art, how she ended up being Miss Betty's housekeeper is a tale in itself, but not for this tale!
They have arranged to have lunch next week at New Horizons in Cadogan Street and catch up on all their news (and gossip) then. Well, coincidence or meant to be? Who knows? The bus was late, the library was shut, she walked down Cadogan Street at the precise time that Beril walked up it, three minutes either way in time and they would missed each other.
How very nice next week will be. Now, if old Mr. Sun would put his torch onto full beam, it would be more 'Spring like' and she could go to the allotments to prune her fruit trees, that won't be happening tomorrow.. for we are due heavy rain which has already started. But, we have delicious food to eat and tomorrow, she'll have a new stash of books!
Chirps to you all..
GeeGee Parrot.
March 4th, 2017.
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