I have just spoken with Milady and she is doing well. Unfortunately our call was interrupted by the Physioterorist (I know it's spelt wrongly...it's supposed to be) so I'm sure Milady is having tremendous fun right now...NOT! I am sure that she is speeding her own recovery and wouldn't be at all surprised if she doesn't make a recovery from this ordeal in record time just to prove that medical science and the bodies supposed healing timetable is by no means accurate!

It has been an awful last few days, seeing Milady in pain and being able to do nothing to help her except to be there and let her see our princess for a few short minutes. That's one of the things about Milady, she wouldn't allow anyone to get upset from seeing her pain.

Our little hamlet is situated in a basin on the landscape, surrounded by rolling hills on all sides. The few properties are situated so as to offer a degree of seclusion to each, with trees young and ancient scattered throughout the gardens. It creates the perfect environment to turn and direct the winds, making them spiral and swirl around the gardens and between the homes lifting the myriad of different shaped and coloured leaves from the baring branches and from the earth where some have already fallen.

Today the weather has changed, it has rained incessantly for the past week with a biting cold wind which has blown the recently fallen leaves all over the place. It has been quite pretty though, watching as the leaves blow from their resting place on the tips of the branches, falling towards the earth gently before being sucked into a vortex of the blustery wind. Sit back and watch the leaves dance in the swirling air, joining others from the same and differing families as they join together, dancing and leaping in the air like an aerobatic display before the wind drops and they flutter silently to the ground waiting for the next strong gust to pick them up once more, leading them as if by the hand onto their airy dance floor.

Now the sun is shining brightly, illuminating the grounds and radiating through the trees, forcing short shadows to fall over the leaf covered ground. The wind has dropped off now with a whispery silence falling over the hamlet, disturbed occasionally by the sudden blow of a strong gust which has built up in some far corner before being released to float through the gaps, a gentle reminder that nothing can harness it.

It's a little bit like Milady, gentle yet strong, silent but with the ability to be heard and totally free spirited. A joy to see and hear, exciting yet relaxing and just like mother nature....TOTALLY unpredictable!

Labels: Life, Miladysa

Posted by Miladysa at 10:53 AM 16 Comments

On most Sundays we are family and our numbers range from a minimum of ten to sixteen, sometimes the number is even higher. Sundays are open house for the ritual of Sunday dinner and we usually dine around 4 o’clock with the exact time dependent on whether or not there is a football match or anything else happening.

My sons often allow a friend to tag along with them and for friends who are virgin diners at our house it can be regarded as an initiation into our lively family and they either sink or swim.

The fare is the usual Sunday dinner but instead of meat and two veg it is more like two meats, six veg and Yorkshire puddings. My husband is a Yorkshire man who believes that it is sacrilege not to have Yorkshire puddings on a Sunday - every Sunday! Although there is always plenty of food to go around it is inevitable that someone will comment that someone else has a bigger portion than they do!

Sweet puddings are compulsory too; each week there is a discussion as to which pudding is to be served the following week. I am under strict instructions to make both rhubarb crumble and sticky toffee pudding which are to be served with custard when we dine this coming Sunday. The pudding is my only contribution on the cooking side; the rest of the meal will be prepared and cooked in its entirety by my husband who just loves to cook.

Weather permitting I participate together with my youngest daughter and the grandchildren in an adventure in the dell allowing my husband to cook in peace and my elder daughter, sons, son-in-law and any others who happen to have tagged along to chill. If there is a football or rugby match taking place then their chilling state depends upon the result!

Dinner is served when we return from our excursion to the dell, wellies off, hands washed, sit down and tuck in. Seating arrangements depend on who is in attendance and preferences; some prefer to sit around the dining table, others, particularly the youngest grandson, insist on sitting at the breakfast bar. It is free and easy!

Mother Baiting by my sons and son-in-law commences during the first course, I am not sure if they conspire beforehand and agree who will lead and what the subject will be but it is expertly executed each week. I vow every Sunday evening that I will not fall for it but the following week like clockwork they wind me up and reel me in. This Sunday it was hunting, eldest son led the onslaught,

“Bagged two hares yesterday with the dogs … Got a hare's foot in there for the pup later - he’ll enjoy it!”

And were off! Round One.

(Hunting with dogs is now illegal due to the passing of new laws, which of course I am single-handedly responsible for because I stand firmly against a pack of hounds tearing a fox apart).

The accusations then follow,

“You politically correct people will ruin this country…”

And were off! Round Two.

Sundays are when I make new discoveries about my children and grandchildren,

“Remember when we …”

Out will pop stories of some hilarious escapade that they have previously kept secret and which it is now safe to speak of and I thank the heavens that I was not aware what they were up to at the time because it would have put even more years on me! I learn further who and where they are from the conversations they have with one another.

I am secure in the knowledge that the mother baiting is just a part of the Sunday rituals, the last time I was politically correct and standing up for what I believed in one of my sons stood with me not because he agreed with me but because he agreed in my right to do so.

My wounds are already healed from last Sunday’s escapades and I am already looking forward to this Sunday. Bring it on!

Labels: Dinner, Family Life, Sunday

Posted by Miladysa at 1:41 PM 24 Comments