Ultimate blackjack
Lorraine a little sadder and wiser after enjoying fizzy wine at Beth and John's place last night. I however, was a little brighter, and bought some bread and took her up a breakfast in bed. Then I made off to Preston Park's Rotunda cafe. There I met Andrew, to talk about my accounts. On the next table Jess was having an Italian conversation lesson. I kept thinking it was a bit like a spy movie, bending over a pad, while Andrew did bits of maths, and I signed a piece of paper and took away another sheet carefully folded. Meanwhile their cockapoo scuffed excitedly between the two tables. Andrew and I then took a walk through the park, and shook hands near a parked car. All very suspicious. Enjoyed chatting with Andrew, and felt reassured about accounts and so on. He has a heart operation in Sussex Hospital in the next couple of weeks. He is understandably keen to get it done.
Lorraine still in bed when I got home, but showing signs of life. A few cups of tea and coffee and Lorraine and I walked across town to Anton's house, for a Sunday lunch. He and Anne had cooked poussin and lamb with Persian spices, and couscous. All rather delicious. Although, in the 'where on earth do they put it all' department, Klaudia and Oskar microwaved themselves a curry an hour or so after we had all finished.
Interleaved with the meal came ultimate blackjack, which Anton taught Lorraine, and I was supposed to learn by spousal osmosis, it is a bit like Uno, but with added explanations. Enjoyed playing this, once I learned the rules. Klaudia strangely excellent at ultimate blackjack, which is all about putting cards down in the right sequences. Klaudia boffins her way to victory. Oskar and Klaudia off to Australia shortly for a couple of weeks, which is rather exciting. Enjoyed chatting with the bairns and with Anne.
The day before, Klaudia had made a playlist for me on Spotify, which was all the UK and US number one singles on my birthday since I first yelped out into the world. Starting with Summer Holiday by Cliff Richard, and Mack the Knife by Bobby Darin. We listened to this during the afternoon, and it brought back lots of memories. And it's always the unexpected songs, like The Last Waltz by Englebert Humperdink, which I detested at the time but found it made me think fondly of my grandmother.
Lorraine and I rolled out of Anton's house full to bursting as usual, having had a good time. Reflecting on the hospitality shown by Anton's family to me over the years with Lorraine as we took the short walk down to the station and caught a cab home. Neither of us ready to start the week tomorrow, and so we got sucked into watching the X-Factor for a while before bed.
Lorraine still in bed when I got home, but showing signs of life. A few cups of tea and coffee and Lorraine and I walked across town to Anton's house, for a Sunday lunch. He and Anne had cooked poussin and lamb with Persian spices, and couscous. All rather delicious. Although, in the 'where on earth do they put it all' department, Klaudia and Oskar microwaved themselves a curry an hour or so after we had all finished.
Interleaved with the meal came ultimate blackjack, which Anton taught Lorraine, and I was supposed to learn by spousal osmosis, it is a bit like Uno, but with added explanations. Enjoyed playing this, once I learned the rules. Klaudia strangely excellent at ultimate blackjack, which is all about putting cards down in the right sequences. Klaudia boffins her way to victory. Oskar and Klaudia off to Australia shortly for a couple of weeks, which is rather exciting. Enjoyed chatting with the bairns and with Anne.
The day before, Klaudia had made a playlist for me on Spotify, which was all the UK and US number one singles on my birthday since I first yelped out into the world. Starting with Summer Holiday by Cliff Richard, and Mack the Knife by Bobby Darin. We listened to this during the afternoon, and it brought back lots of memories. And it's always the unexpected songs, like The Last Waltz by Englebert Humperdink, which I detested at the time but found it made me think fondly of my grandmother.
Lorraine and I rolled out of Anton's house full to bursting as usual, having had a good time. Reflecting on the hospitality shown by Anton's family to me over the years with Lorraine as we took the short walk down to the station and caught a cab home. Neither of us ready to start the week tomorrow, and so we got sucked into watching the X-Factor for a while before bed.
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