Today was a lovely day. Weeza and the children came over – Phil started a new job today and set off looking very smart. Weeza said. His new job is a promotion on his last and he clearly wants to set a standard. Zerlina had braces fitted to her teeth the other day and was dismayed at the difficulty she had in eating. I pondered what to cook for lunch and suggested cheese soufflé, which was enthusiastically accepted. We started with watermelon and ended with ginger cake and chocolate brownies, all brace-friendly.
They brought Izzy the dog, who is adorable. She’s small, though not as small as you’d think for a chihuahua/poodle cross and she has the loveliest nature. Gus had been doubtful about getting a dog, but he’s smitten and took her for at least half a dozen walks while they were here. The children came with me to pick cucumbers and, after lunch, we took leftovers for the chickens and he enjoyed feeding them. He was pleased when Mother cat approached and wanted to be stroked, rubbing her face against him. We fetched eggs and did all the relaxed grannyish things.
Zerlina is not yet 13 and is 5 foot 5 inches tall and stick thin. She has become very interested in clothes, fashion and makeup – Alt fashion is her thing, which is not the same as Goth or Indi although, to a laygranny, it’s hard to tell the difference. She was wearing 5″ platform boots, leggings that started with velvet shorts, had sort of mesh criss-crossed with ribbon or tape at the thigh, then returned to velvet at the knee. She had eyeliner ‘wings’ and it was amazing. “She’s living her dream,” said her mother relaxedly. I’ve promised to take her shopping next week, for her birthday later this month.
It’ll also be Gus’s 10th birthday. He can’t think of anything he wants at present and, when offered money, explained that he has plenty of it, £70 he’s saved from pocket money and Christmas. I trust he’ll think of something. His parents aren’t finding it easy to buy his presents either, though they’ve got a duvet cover printed with pictures of Izzy. I’ll look after the two of them on z’s birthday, when she’s out with friends for her birthday treat.
z has already chosen her GCSE options. Her school takes three years over the syllabus – can see pros and cons there, but it’s nothing to do with me. One of them is Food Tech and I talked through the making of the soufflé – why you’re so careful not to get any egg yolk in with the white, for example.
The next week has filled up. Things on every day but Wednesday. We might try again with a visit to the caravan, depending on the weather. Life’s so much more fun when I’m busy.