The unsevered finger

All up early and yawny this morning, as Lorraine and I had stayed up all hours (watching the film Bend it like Beckham) ready for the great 'house-poo' purging the house of clutter that might interfere with a house sale. Breakfast with Betty and Mum all sitting about chatting, then Lorraine, Betty and I loaded up the van, and Mum made off to Janet's house to do Open House business. A nice drive off to Kent, with no van aberrations this time, followed by unloading at the other end, speeded by Pete and Pat.

Lorraine, Pat and I were just mooching about looking at flowers in the garden when Maureen shouted for everyone. Lorraine's cousin Kay, who l've not met but lives not too far away had cut her finger off. Beth, Maureen and I were left behind as everyone else drove off to her house and to take her to the hospital. Maureen, who'd taken the call, needing a glass of wine afterwards to calm down. Beth, Maureen and I had quite a good chat afterwards about various dark family matters, punctuated by descriptions of the food she was cooking at the time such as a nice piece of haddock, in one recent crisis and we began the salad and drumsticks lunch Maureen had prepared.

Happily, everyone else returned, quite soon as Kay's finger had not actually been cut off, only cut nastily. Pleasantly sitting about for a bit, before Lorraine drove us back home again, returning the van on time by the skin of our teeth. The house improved and freer now.

After showering and regrouping, Beth, Lorraine and I popped into the Hare and Hounds for a refreshing beer, followed by slipping back to The Shahi for an enjoyable evening meal, chatting with Sabir and Dr Rahman. The slim, and twinkly eyed Sabir said he used to be 14 stone due to excessive consumption of kebabs and junk food. It's all about portion size he said, as we tucked guiltily into our  huge platefuls.

Home and sitting on sofa and found myself at a mere 9:30 barely able to keep my eyes open, as Lorraine shepherded me off to bed.