Monday, March 3, 2008

Pretty chilly out there..

I did take myself out for a constitutional this morning, but it was a pretty cold one. There was a freezing wind blowing from the west, whipping up the waves to a white-topped frenzy. And the beach was scoured clean of shingle at the water's edge, showing a lovely clean ribbon of sand. Not the weather to hang about though, so I scurried back in to warm up. Now the evening is closing in, dark, grey and wintry. I'm not going to venture out again today.

Yesterday evening was quite good fun after all. I invited Gay Friend to join us for supper, not only to add a little height to the proceedings (he is a good 5' 10") but to give me a hand too. I cooked a roast chicken, with lots of roasted vegetables, and we had a homemade soup first, and blueberry meringues for dessert. It was not the easiest as regards conversation, because my French Lady really doesn't have any English conversation to speak of. We did laugh a lot though, and my little Swiss Hobbit came out of his shell (or should it be his burrow?) and positively shone in the conversation stakes. I was very impressed, and it did mean that we had a very pleasant meal, which was enjoyed by everyone. After we had finished and cleared away, GF and I retired to the Sitting Room to watch the last half hour of "Lark Rise to Candleford". Then, we were lucky enough to happen upon "The Graduate", which, amazingly, GF had not seen before. What an elegant film it is! And I just adore the Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack. Katharine Ross looked as stylish today as she did then, and it was so funny. I could feel the awful discomfort of the 21 year old, just coming to terms with his manhood and having to deal with the desperately inane conversations and behaviour of his parents and their generation. It was 1968 and they could have been on another planet. No wonder it was such a watershed movie. It did stop me in my tracks though - I suppose our grown-up children must feel a bit the same. I know we don't judge them in the same way and, hopefully, we don't push them headfirst into the Rat-Race any more. But we can't really be their friends, can we? They need us to be parents. Anyway, that was the perfect end to a perfect Mother's Day, and I hope all you Mothers had a very good day too.

10 comments:

the mother of this lot said...

Glad it all went well - good old Swiss Hobbit!

By the way, I can probably make it for supper on Friday night - how are you fixed?!

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Hi there mother - so sorry, I've just arranged to go out for supper on Friday, unless you'd like to pop over and cook for my students?
Or let's make it another night? M xx

the mother of this lot said...

A VERY convenient appointment if you ask me.

And no thank you, I do not want to cook for students - I do enough cooking for this lot.

Gone Back South said...

Oh I love the Graduate too. Especially the end. Awesome.

Donna said...

Gads...Just to see the ocean view from your place, I'D cook for your students!!LOL....glad you had a wonderful day...68 was some kind of year...Have a wonderful day!hughugs

Elizabethd said...

Many years since I saw The Graduate, a very thought provoking film.
Re your comment on mine...French have the Galette de roi, but that is earlier in the year. Not sure if they know about Simnel cake.Yet!

Anonymous said...

oooh chicken dinner - you're making me feel very hungry!

I'd like to think that Amy and I are best friends. I know she's only 8 and will find many friends throughout her life whom she will enjoy being with but we have that special bond, more than just parentage.

Crystal xx

aims said...

Hmm - I'm wondering if the Swiss student was all shiny because of BF? Don't know why - it was just the first thing that popped into my head...

I get called Mrs. Robinson all the time..

Dusty Spider said...

Been a bit nippy here too. Bet it's nice to be able to walk by the sea though - whatever the weather. Glad you were spoiled for Mother's Day.
Flick x

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Hi again mother - honest it is a real date - with BBFs. But do come another night, I'll cook! M xx

Hi gonebacksouth - thanks for your visit, and it was great to re-visit The Graduate. The ending is amazing. I love it when they're sitting on the bus and you can almost see them thinking "OK what's next?" M xx

Dear Donna, you would have been freezing! But it is lovely. And thinking back to 1968 - well it was the last century!! M xx
PS Thanks for your offer, pity you're so far away. Hugs xx

elizabethd - I'm sure you're right, getting my cakes mixed up! M xx

Hi Crystal - it was a good dinner, and you would have been welcome.
Yes, I know what you mean, but as they get older, they have to separate themselves, cut the apron strings. Much more painful than it sounds! M xx

HI aims - it's funny, but that did cross my mind - and I'm pretty sure it crossed Gay Friend's too!
It could be the answer to his anti-social ways. I wonder... M xx
PS How wonderful - Mrs Robinson rocks.

Dear Dusty, thank you for visiting (and dusting, I just don't dust often enough),and I hope you had a lovely Mothering Sunday too? M xx