Flashes of brilliance

My desk is in front of the window, which faces east so I squint to see the screen on sunny mornings, unless I draw the curtain which always seems a waste. Tonight, however, it’s lightning that makes me blink. It was a fine evening until a couple of hours ago, but since then the rain has varied between steady and torrential, with rolling peals of thunder and sheet lightning.

I was babysitting, as Al and Dilly were on their beekeeping course. Tonight, they were putting together beehives. They are enjoying the course, though I don’t know how ready they might be to take the plunge into apiary. I told them Blue Witch’s suggestion, that they help a beekeeper for a year and learn the ropes that way, which they thought was a very good idea.

At seven o’clock, Pugsley was in his cot, asleep, but Squiffany had had a long sleep this afternoon and was in her pyjamas, washed and ready for bed except that she had not had her nighttime cup of warm milk, nor had she put on her nappy. We chatted and played for half an hour, then I suggested that it was bedtime. She drank the milk, used the potty, fetched the nappy and lay on it while I emptied the potty, I read her a story, took her to bed, read another story, put on Pugsley’s musical box, turned out the light, kissed her and left.

Never heard another sound.

I was up early this morning and will be again tomorrow, as I have to leave the house by 7.30 (yes, I know you commuters are well on your way by then, but I’m not) to catch the 8.17 from D1ss. My daughter assures me that it’s not likely I’ll have the same problem on a Wednesday as I did last Monday. “They kill themselves on a Sunday evening or a Monday morning, depending on whether their problems are at home or at work,” she explained. I felt depressed.

Fortunately, the forecast is pretty good for tomorrow. Warm and mainly dry, although there is the possibility of showers. I have put a brolly in my bag, for I have recently reached the dawn of a sensible age. Time was, I’d have said ‘phooey’ and chanced being rained upon.

4 comments on “Flashes of brilliance

  1. Z

    Al always puts them to bed and gets them up – Dilly takes them into the shop sometime during most days as he wouldn’t see them otherwise!

    Reply

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