Z drinks a glass of wine and finds more than she’d expected

Little z has put on 5 ounces in the last 5 days, which is very satisfactory. She slept on me for a couple of hours. The child finds me restful.

Before that, I’d been to the New Members’ Coffee Morning and so did a lot of cheery meeting ‘n’ greeting and Addressed the Assembled Multitude (20 new members plus the committee who already knew what I was like), which would have been embarrassing if I were the sort to be embarrassed. I am not any more, and I never cease to be surprised by that, having been at one time the shyest person I’ve ever met – or, I should say, shyer than anyone whom I’ve ever met. If you don’t mind making a total tit of yourself, there’s a good chance that you’ll bluff it out, at least over ten or fifteen minutes.

Afterwards, someone asked me where I did my public speaking; I said nowhere. “But you’ve been trained.” She didn’t say it questioningly. I assured her that I hadn’t, but actually I felt awfully complimented. The trick is to sound confident and friendly and not to say er and um.

Damn. Another fruit fly is drowning in my glass of wine. Fortunate that I’m not vegetarian, since I can’t reach it to fish it out. That reminds me that all the wasps have died in the last few days. Until last Monday they were a real nuisance in the shop; for the next couple of days there were a few dozy ones about – so dozy that I could lift one by a wing from a basket of grapes with impunity – and then there were no more. Cold and wet, I suppose.

By the way, am I the only one to feel embarrassingly voyeuristic if I should happen to catch any of the Paralympic Games? I admire them, genuinely, and I think they embody the spirit of the Games in a way that has become rare in the Olympics over the last few decades, but it still feels as if I’m intruding. I know it shouldn’t. Sorry.

11 comments on “Z drinks a glass of wine and finds more than she’d expected

  1. martina

    Terrible problems with wasps this year. I got one of those pretty glass wasp traps and it enticed 18 of the little darlings in 24 hours. Somehow the remaining free flying ones are stalking me…maybe it is vengeance?

    Reply
  2. The Manic Street Preacher

    Never do public speaking after copious amounts of vodka. I did once and the audience wouldn’t let me stop for over an hour. Someone said I should have been on stage. I was knackered.

    What do wasps do apart from annoy us? Odd things.

    Reply
  3. Z

    Al has a splendidly evil electric fly swat. it packs quite a punch; I accidentally zapped my fingertip and it was numb for hours.

    It’s not the wasps’ fault. They become addicted to sugar because their young secrete, or possibly excrete it. therefore, at the end of the summer when they are no longer raising babies, they have to look for it elsewhere. In early summer, they eat aphids and stuff and don’t bother us.

    Vodka warning noted. I am more circumspect and less talented than you, and usually get pissed after I finish speaking to an audience. I suspect that you, like me, don’t use notes. Where does ‘spontaneous’ turn into ‘unprepared’?

    Reply
  4. Z

    Sorry I’ve been playing silly buggers with the text colours. I will put them back when I find out what doesn’t hurt the eyes. Tomorrow or sometime. You know how it is.

    Reply
  5. Caitlin

    I always feel sorry for bees and wasps. They arrive at the party and everyone (except me of course) starts screaming and waving their arms about wildly. The poor insects must be terribly hurt by that.

    Reply
  6. jAMiE

    I think i know what you mean about the Paralympic games. Watched a bit of the opening ceremonies and when they showed the fellow hoisting himself up on a rope, in his wheelchair, i felt bad for watching but was very impressed that he made it all the way up and lit the torch.

    Well done to all of them…i couldn’t agree with you more, they do embody the spirit of the games.

    Reply
  7. Dave

    Apology in advance. BT have broken my broadband, so I’m back in the library.

    The library isn’t open on Wednesdays. So may I just wish you a very happy birthday in advance?

    Don’t drink too much. ‘Too’ being a subjective measure determined by the drinker.

    Reply
  8. Z

    Glad I’m not the only one, in both respects. Caitlin and Jamie.

    Thank you, Dave. Since I have a 5 o’clock meeting tomorrow, I will restrict my drinking time to later in the evening and the quantity to moderate. I suspect that my grandchildren will throw a tea party for me, though. I don’t think they can make scones, so I expect to eat a colourful birthday cake.

    Reply
  9. Eddie 2-Sox

    I’ve been admitting it to those close to me too…..I feel slightly uncomfortable about the Paralympics.

    I don’t know why.

    Glad there’s at least one other person in the same itchy boat.

    Reply

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