When you’re round a table and only two of you have all your original parts. Fortunaty as some one who has never looked after himself I’m glad to report that I was one of the still intact individuals.
Families are an endless source of wonder and this is at it’s best when the extended family is round the Sunday lunch table. Grandmas fulfilling their role as strict stereotypes to children who, having mastered their parents, humour them good naturedly half understanding that Grandma never managed to train their own children so what chance now? The wandering disgruntled ghost of the pointlessly bored teenage girl setting herself up as an easy target for a less that sympathetic younger brother. Round the table the slight mist of unspoken injustices and unsolvable conundrums add a marvellous edge. It was a great meal, it’s one of the few families that make me regret never having married!
The frowning ghost of Ninfield
A rare social night out at the birthday party of the awesomely beautiful Cher Chevalier. I meet what appears to be a new man in her life – the one thing that must be said about Cher, her men are always “lookers” and this one, John, is no exception, brainy as well. Cher is a Medium, animal rights person & vegetarian, in fact you could not find a person I disagree with more on this earth – but still, she’s great company and amusingly tolerates me being “wrong” about everything. My main task of the evening, at the request of the birthday girl I hasten to add, was to make sure she “didn’t pop out” of her little black dress. It was a tough assignment but in the interests of friendship I kept my eye on the situation, after all that’s what pals are for!
The event took place at the Gurkha Palace on the St Leonards sea front, food was good (though I’m not a great judge of that), service slightly chaotic but enthusiastic, atmosphere friendly.
Chers’ nearly finished the book she’s been working on for ages. She won’t tell me what it’s about or the title so I’ll have to make that stuff up; “Voodoo Vixens from Space” must surely be the title and I think you can guess what I’m hoping the content will be. Anyway as long as I get an autographed copy I’ll be a happy bunny.
Cher’s sister protecting family assets from fire damage.
Partner in “crime” John is back for a few days so it’s goodbye to the diet and sobriety. We caught up with each other over a very pleasant sea food platter at Whites in George Street. The big question was should he ask Moritzia (his partner) to marry him. I thought this was a great idea as it supplies another friends wife for me to lust after but he’s afraid she’ll say no, oh well, what will be will be.
On to the Cinque Ports where Sheila’s advice is short on the subject, a resounding no from her meant, in my eyes at least it’s still a great idea: Sheila with her absolutism and insistence in viewing emotional subtlety with a Meccano mind is always a good guide to what not to do.
Ended up in the Hastings arms listening to John Crampton, a cross between Link Wray & Phil Spector; a blues wall of sound. But it was well past my bed time and the world was getting blurry so it was back to the hill with a bag of chocolate Brazils in hand, a perfect end to any evening!
This pictures a bit indistinct, so, an accurate reflection of what I was seeing then.
Over to Ninfield with Patrick to a pleasant summer evening barbecue. There’s always a bit of an edge when Patricks about middle class company, especially when children are present, as he not one to tailor his bawdy Irish delivery. In the event things went fairly well and the hostess didn’t throw anybody out. My diet is taking a bit of a hammering of late and this didn’t help as politeness made me have at least three helpings of everything. The Popes representative in Ninfield, Neville, was there but not quite on top form though in truth as Patrick & I left early we didn’t give him time to get into his stride.
Patrick trying to impress Rosie with his bike.
Proving that Germans have the most sense in Europe they didn’t show, though I did think that Johns only allowing five minutes grace time before we left was a bit harsh. I think this was for the best as all we were trying to do was re-create the previous evening which had been “top fun” and as with all these situations you can never re-gain that spontaneity. The Hastings Arms where we waited was a bit dire; Thursday night, few in and obviously aiming a young clientèle with loud music restricting us “old guys” from being able to converse.
Before this we had a nice meal in the Unwind Café, they have a special three course set meal for only £10. God know how they do this – it included a quarter of a carafe of wine, the portions were generous and the food good. The exception was Johns steak that he said was great! The deals only on a few evenings but worth a visit.
After our previous evening it was a pleasure to get home sober but I have a growing feeling that my life is turning into “Last of the Summer Wine” – oh no!
East Hill Lift that the Local Council can’t be arsed to repair.