A new kid in town and a ‘Channel Rat’

I’ve just survived the busiest week ever … except perhaps for the weeks preceding my move in March 2011. Let me give you a quick overview. 

It started on Sunday – a week ago - with lunch at my cousin’s. Next came three hectic days at work, which totally stressed me out due to the very tight deadlines I was given. Moreover, I needed to take Wednesday afternoon off to make the mandatory tour of our cemetery to flower the graves of my father and grandparents on both the maternal and paternal side of the family. We – my mother and I – had initially planned to this on Wednesday evening, after work. But after switching to winter time a week ago, we thought it would be quite dark by the time we had picked up the flowers at the florist.  

I had planned to leave the office at 11 a.m., but there was a last minute emergency and moreover, I had to pack up my professional belongings because our department was moving to another floor and wing over the weekend. It was almost 12.30 p.m. when I came home. Having an hour to spare before the planned meeting with my mother, I decided to pick up the flowers at the florist and take them to the cemetery on my own. Since her recent back problems, my mother finds walking still very difficult – especially on a bumpy soil, like the gravel paths at the cemetery. By half past one I arrived at my mother’s, mission accomplished. I found her relieved that the job had been done and … curious to see the result. So off we went, for another – my fifth - tour taking us to the different tombs. The weather was sunny, with a crisp, yet not unpleasant wind blowing and there were a lot of people taking a similar tour, some of which we knew and chatted with for a while.

The 'new kid in town'.

On Thursday my longtime friend Mati came over. We all had a very nice lunch at our local Italian restaurant. It was pleasant and cheery and Mati brought us a beautiful orchid … a new member to my ever increasing family. I call it ‘the new kid in town’. So far it has settled in beautifully and I hope it’ll thrive in its new home.

We had to end our lunch in a bit of a rush, because my mother’s nieces and nephews were coming over for a ‘coffee and cake’ party. I had bought some delicious lemon and chocolate mini-muffins, lemon curd cakes and shortcakes with white chocolate chips from Stonemanor. The house looked really full with ten adult people squeezed into my mother sitting room, but the atmosphere was very jolly and gay, especially after everybody had had a glass of Sandeman’s ruby port to warm-up after a chilly and wet tour of the cemetery. 

On Friday I had another lunch date, after which my friend and I did some clothes shopping. Another busy, yet successful and pleasant day … 

On Saturday we took time to relax, waiting for the ‘Channel Rat’!!! Which arrived on Sunday … Any idea what a ‘Channel Rat’ is?