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(aka Bike) Part 672 by Angharad |
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Nothing happened for the rest of the week, Petunia, it transpired was ill with a bad attack of greenfly, which meant that Trish and Livvie were able to successfully mount a campaign to make friends in school, and thereby help to prevent further bullying.
In fact the school, after a little suggestion from me, started a campaign which they called GLOBE — Girls Learning (to) Overcome Bullying Everywhere. They had lessons, to instigate and plan how each class would deal with the matter of bullying in school, and as individuals they would learn how to cope with it outside school.
The next day, when I was laying down the law at home after dinner, Trish had the cheek to threaten to report me for bullying, because she wanted to play with her makeup and I wanted her to help me tidy her bedroom.
I tried to explain that being her foster parent gave me the authority to make her do things she may not want to do. It was called life, and life was full of things we didn’t want to do as well as the good things.
Despite her apparent intellect, Trish seemed unable, or more probably, unwilling, to understand this argument. So I explained it once again. “Trish, I am your foster parent. In that capacity, I make the rules, and you, as my foster child, obey them. Right?”
“Mummy, we were told that bullying was being made to do things against our will.”
“I hate to say this, kiddo, but your definition of bullying is a bit vague. The government makes us do things we don’t want to do, like paying taxes and sending children to school. It isn’t usually considered bullying, so cut the lip and help me tidy your bedroom.”
“But I don’t want to, Mummy.”
“Would you prefer to sleep in the garage?” I said, standing with my arms crossed to stop me strangling her.
“I might,” she replied defiantly.
“Okay, you can, just make sure you shake all the spiders out of your hair before you come in in the morning.” I said moving towards her bedroom, “I think we have a sleeping bag you can use.”
She went visibly pale, and I could almost hear the cogs whizzing around in her head. “Are there really lots of spiders in the garage?”
“Yep, some of the female Tegenaria are quite big too.”
“What are they?”
“House and garage spiders, they make messy webs compared to the Orb web spiders, the Araenidae. Why?”
“I don’t want spiders in my hair.”
“I suppose you could sleep in the car, but it would be rather cramped and cold at night, oh, and people would be able to see in.”
“I think, I’d rather sleep in my bedroom with Mima.”
“Um, well that might be a problem.”
“Oh,” she said and went very pale.
“You see, I need someone to help me tidy it or there won’t be room for you to sleep there.”
“I think, I’d better help you then, Mummy.”
“That sounds like a good idea, thank you.” We went up to her room and in half an hour had the chaos under control, including sorting out her wardrobe. “There that wasn’t so bad was it?” I said as we finished.
“No, Mummy.”
“And did I bully you?”
“No, Mummy, you didn’t.”
“So next time you want to argue, perhaps you’d better think a bit more about just what you’re trying to achieve. We all have to do things we don’t want to do. I didn’t want to spend my evening tidying your room either, I’ve been working in the house all day. I’m tired and would like to do something I want to do.”
“What do you want to do, Mummy?” she asked almost reversing our roles–little monkey.
“I’d maybe like to ride my bike now and again.”
“If we promise to behave, maybe Gramps could put us to bed and you could go for a ride.”
“You might have a good idea there. Hmmm, okay, come on downstairs for your milk and biscuit, then bed.”
They were meant to be in bed by eight, Mima, if she looked tired sometimes a bit earlier. It would be light for another hour and a half. I could get in a ride if the others cooperated. I went to see Simon and Tom.
I decided from now on, that once a week someone else should put the kids to bed. In the summer, I could go for a ride or just tinker with my bikes or do something for an hour or two, that I wanted to do.
I took the Specialized out for a ride, it’s tyres were harder than the Scott, and took less pumping to get them up to above a hundred pounds per square inch. Anything much less than that and the tyres don’t work properly. I think the Scott could have a puncture in the back tyre.
The ride was nice, although I’d lost much of my fitness. I did a twenty mile round trip in an hour and a half. I wasn’t rushing and I was getting hot and sweaty enough without trying. The hill climb I did really tormented my legs, my thighs burning and as well I noticed my chest didn’t like it too much, where I was stabbed that time. I think it could be a useful thing to get a check up on that, just in case there’s a problem coming.
While I was riding around, I decided I would take the girls up to Bristol at the weekend, and they could see my parent’s house and possibly Des’ house as well. I began to think, I’d let that one out as it would at least have it occupied and thus help prevent damp and things, as well as bringing in an income, which could help with school fees or saving for them for when Mima started.
The ride helped me to think, it’s really funny, because you’re obviously also alert to dangers on the road and direction and stuff, but while your body is occupied turning the pedals, it gives you time to think. Paradoxical? Could be, but it works for me.
When I’d got back the girls were all asleep, I checked when I went up for a shower. They all looked so innocent and small, like cherubs tucked up in their beds. I kissed each one and spoke quietly to them, telling them they were loved and valued; that they were here because we wanted them to be with us. All three smiled as I spoke to them.
When I went downstairs, Simon made me a nightcap. I didn’t really want alcohol, but as he’d made me a drink, I thought it would be polite to drink it. While I did, I checked my emails, there was one from Tony Richards lawyer.
‘Re: custody of Peaches Olivia Richards.
Owing to the indisposition of our client, he has repeatedly asked that you continue fostering his daughter, Peaches Olivia Richards, until such a time as he is able to provide a home for her. He has asked us to convey his grateful thanks for helping his daughter at this difficult time. He has also authorised us to make monthly payments to contribute towards her upkeep, and we have arranged with the school to cover her education costs.
We shall be in touch if there are any changes to these arrangements or our client is released from a custody which we consider to be wholly inappropriate.
There is as yet, no firm date for the funeral and cremation of Laura Richards, the deceased wife of the above, Tony Richards.
Yours,
Crabtree, McCulloch and Sterling, Attorneys At Law.’
I showed it to Simon and Tom. “Looks like she could be with us some time.”
“So, she fits in quite well most of the time, and let’s face it, she’s having a difficult time,” Simon mused and I put my arm around him.
“Sometimes I think I know why I find you so irresistible.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, but today isn’t one of them, so maybe you’ll just have to work on it when we get to bed.” I said as sexily as I could.
“When are you thinking about going to bed, then?”
“Five minutes ago,” I said throwing back my head and flipping my hair. He grabbed his drink and keeping his eyes on me the whole time swallowed it down in one big gulp.
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Comments
What!!! A whole episode of
What!!! A whole episode of EAFOAB and only one tiny mention of food....What will we all talk about now!!
Now that all our food favorites have been aired, I guess we had all better get back to discussing the latest posting from Angharad.
So with that in mind, Am i alone in thinking that Cathy might just come to regret teaching Trish the power of logic to win an argument?
Hugs Kirri
Oh crap
Now I don't know what I will fix for dinner tonight?
Thanks to Cathy I have put on ten pounds since I started reading this, never in a million years would I have bought a bread machine, now I have one because Cathy is constantly throwing stuff in the bread machine, I couldn't take it any more I had to have some.
Angharad, please wite a long serial story about a bike rider that goes on a low carb diet!
-Christine
Thought about a bread machine too
but was able to resist. Bet that house smells great though.
Diet?
Hope Cathy doesn't turn up anorexic or bulimic, think how many people she influences on here. Could be a disaster! Apparently Cathy has a fast metabolism. :-)
They know they can survive
Diets...
...and perhaps eats lower on the food chain, mostly veg and other food made directly from solar energy. One of the reasons the dormice are in trouble is modern factory farming of monocrops, especially meat crops, which require enormous amounts of land to produce the stuff that cows, sheep, chickens, and pigs eat, and requires the use of massive amounts of poisons to control the insect and other pest population explosions that result from huge expanses of one crop ripening all at once.
Tests in Britain have shown the pesticide (poison -- although the term falsely implies they these poisons only kill the animals we don't like, in fact they kill everything, but some creatures are more vulnerable, either through physiology or dietary habits, than others) residue levels to be highest in meat eaters, lower in lacto-vegetarians, and lowest in total vegetarians. The very worst meat you can eat is that of carnivores at the top of food chains, tuna and shark, for example, and the farther down you eat, the safer and more healthy you are, and the planet besides.
Pigs and chickens used to be an efficient way of turning household waste and rubbish into food, and chickens had the added benefit of eating harmful insects whilst simultaneously fertilising the soil. But now they're fed corn, usually supplemented with various minerals and sources of protein. There's so little money in it that pig farmers can't afford to treat the sewage, which is usually left to ferment in "ponds" which "contain" it until it flows into streams or percolates down to the potable water aquifers.
Cheers,
Puddin'
-
Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
Cathy, beside being a good cook
is a master manipulator. Look how she convinced Trish. I loved the way Trish generalized bullying at school to at least take a try at avoiding cleaning up her room, and the way Cathy convinced her that cleaning might be a good idea. Definitely experienced it a few times myself. Nice to see Cathy get out on her bike. I hope the burning in the chest is nothing worse than being a little out of shape.
Another nice episode!
It's nice to see yet another chapter in which there is no real trauma and where we aren't left with a cliffhanger ending!
Cathy did a great job handling Trish's attempted muntiny to her authority in a way that would allow the child to save face to a certain extend.
Also, it was nice to see Cathy able to finally get out on one of her bikes for a bit!
Jenny
Jenny
Greenfly
Auntie,
You are terrible. ;-) Aphids, indeed! I had to look that 1 up. "Montezuma's Revenge" or some other GI disorder was my expectation. After all, Pentunia is (semi) human. :>))
G/R
I Looked It Up Too
Also, daddy owns garden centers. Another name for aphids is plant lice.
I Just Hope That
The little cherubsdo not barge in while mummy and daddy are having fun. But then again, just thibk about the hilarity of it all!
"LOOK! DADDY IS ATTACKING MUMMY!
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Time to form
the EAFOAB Foodie network !!
Funny, a long time ago British food was considered quaint but uninspired outside of Britain. I wonder what has given the Brit palate a more circumspect view of food beyond the usual and a curry ?
Kim
I've no idea
if it tastes good but somehow the idea of Steak and Kidney Pie...... I know - don't complain till you've tried it but just thinking of what kidneys are for puts me off it.
Steak 'n Kidney
This is an extremely variable dish. All depends on the ingredients chosen, the care of preparation, the recipe, and the skill of the cook.
Lamb kidneys are much milder than beef kidneys. Any kidneys need to be fresh, and need to be soaked in cold water and drained a couple times before cooking. My dear departed mother tried to follow a recipe in some book that didn't include any discussion of preparing the kidneys. Beef kidneys, besides being very strong tasting, have a bunch of gristle and stuff that needs trimming out. Besides her not knowing to soak them, I don't think they were too fresh to start with. The result was not only beyond inedible, but the house stunk for days afterwards! The only other time we had had steak 'n kidney, it had come out of a big flat can, which I think got cooked by the equivalent of double-boiling, resulting in a rather soggy crust. Other than that, it was tasty, and the inspiration for my mother to try to make her own. Although, after the one disastrous attempt, that was the end of it.
On my trip to England, I got enamored of the leaden steak 'n kidney snack pies sold by Brit Rail at the time. Extremely cheap, very filling, and rather tasty in a greasy food kind of way.
Stopping at a small, luxurious hotel in the Cotswolds one day on my bicycle, I noticed steak and kidney pie on the lunch menu. Unlike the BritRail version, which was a pastry hockey puck with a dollop of stuff in the center, this was all filling and very little crust, like a slice of a giant apple pie, except not with apples. It even looked delicious, big chunks of carrots, onions and other veggies clearly visible. Having recently learned of HP Sauce, and being enamored of the stuff, I made the mistake of asking the waitress for some, resulting in a very agitated cook coming out of the kitchen, pleading with me to at least taste the pie first, before drowning it in commercial sauce. He was right. It was tasty!
When I later told my English wife-to-be about my Mom's attempt at steak and kidney, she was very sympathetic, saying it was quite hard to do justice to it with beef kidneys. Her own mum always used lamb's. I'm our cook, and I don't make a lot of complicated slow food, but we tried it a couple times, and it came out pretty well. You just have to know the tricks.
I'll take your word for it
for now. Perhaps some trip I'll be brave enough to try. Had a ?? course Chinese banquet in Taipei once and tried everything. Some courses were definitely an acquired taste, but some were great. Need to remain open minded I suppose.
Cake and Sydney
Cake and Sydney—I mean steak and kidney is not only served as a pie. Some people prefer it as a stew (or ragoût), which is the filling of the pie without the pastry crust, but my personal preference is for Steak and Kidney Pudding, a very traditional dish loved in Britain for centuries. It is cooked in a pudding basin lined with a suet crust made with flour, beef suet and water. The ingredients, sliced onions, cubes of steak and slices of lambs kidney rolled in flour and a pinch of salt and pepper, are put into the suet coffin in layers, then water is added to barely cover the mixture and then it is sealed off with another piece of suet crust. A "pudding cloth" is then tied over the top and then it is stood in a pan of water which is brought to the boil. The heat is reduced and it is allowed to simmer for about 4 or 5 hours, taking care to top up the water so the pan does not boil dry.
The pudding basin is removed from the pan, the pudding cloth untied and the pudding basin is inverted on the serving platter. The crust will be light and fluffy and the filling will be tender and delicious in its own gravy. Mrs Beaton, of celebrated cookbook fame advocated the addition of a single oyster to the mixture before cooking. I have tried it and it gives the finished dish that je ne sais quoi.
Gabi
Gabi.
I hate to correct you...
...but the preferred form is Kate and Sidney, or Snake and Pygmy.
Angharad
Angharad
Snake and Pygmy…
…sounds sooooooo YUMMY!
Gabi
Who admits her mistake and grovels
Gabi.
Yes, but...
Cannibals overwhelmingly prefer Kate and Sidney pie for true satisfaction...
Cheers,
Puddin'
-
Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
See, even without
a discussion of food in the chapter, the comments still went that way.
Oh who would be a Puddin’…
I happened upon this ditty while searching for a suitable Kate & Sydney pic.
A puddin' in a pot,
A puddin' which is stood on
A fire which is hot?
O sad indeed the lot
Of puddin's in a pot ...
(From The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay, 1918)
I hope you don't mind, Puddin’, but knowing you, you've probably seen it before.
Gabi
Gabi.
I'm just glad ...
... I'm a vegetarian :)
Someone demanded a story about a cyclist who went on a low carbo diet. Aint gonna happen! We need those carbs to keep going over those hours of pedalling. I always carry a tiny tin opener in my wallet so if I'm in danger of bonking (aka hunger knock; hitting the wall etc) I can buy a tin of rice pudding to scoff at the roadside cold - lovely :)
Wasn't there a story we're supposed to commenting on? Ah yes, thanks Angharad for adding to my enjoyment of the day.
Geoff
Considering...
...that I chose the name, knowing how many references and double entendres were inherent in it, I could hardly be offended, and that little ditty doesn't touch the half of them.
It's inherently ambiguous, even paradoxical.
First, a pudding is an old, or dialectical, name for a sausage, and has been used, as might easily be imagined, as a metaphor for a man's sexual organ.
Second, the same word was used for a doped sausage once used by criminals to quiet a watchdog when breaking into a house with burglarious intent.
So a pudding by now has both the flavour of the thing that "tames" the savage beast and the "beast" that might be tamed.
Third, the term refers to having a bun or pudding in the oven, to be a member of the pudding club, which is to be pregnant, with pudding itself referring to a foetus, the metaphorical result of the conjugation of the first two meanings.
We start to see an all-encompassing arc of meaning.
And then there's meaning four:
-----------
Hey girlfriend, what's yo name? I've been watchin' you all night long
And the way you move that Puddin Tame has really turned me on
Yo, c'mon c'mon c'mon c'mon, jump, just gimme that thang
Some say it's greed, but I just need that good ol' Puddin Tame
For those of y'all who don't know, just what that Puddin Tame mean,
It's that monkey, that kitty cat, that jumpin' jellybean, baby.
--- 69 Boyz
-----------
...otherwise known as poontang, a dialectical variant of puddin' tamer, with specific reference to the target of cunnilingus, viewed by connoisseurs as an integral part of the desert course. Those with the good luck to be reading this on a Mac may want to look up the term in the Dictionary app. I'll leave the synonyms as instructive exercises for the reader for the sake of modesty and space.
I must say, though, that the poem is sadly dated, as hot puddings are rather more to be admired, perhaps even envied, than pitied.
Norman Lindsay was evidently a sexist pig, as most men were in 1918.
And he obviously didn't know exactly what he was talking about.
Neither, I dare say, did Robert Burns.
I haven't blushed in simply years.
Cheers,
Puddin'
-----------
What are we having for pudding?
-
Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
food
sometimes I wonder bout all you "HEALTHY FOOD" eaters. I eat pretty much now same things as when i was growing up the 50,60,70s. I wasnt really exposed to ''junk food'' till I was out on my own & even then I didnt care much in it's taste ... a nutritionist prob. would go spastic over my diet, but hey I'm 55 now, look alot younger than my peers and eat the same damm things as my grandfather whom lived to 104 and other relatives that generally lasted as long ((smiles))
one bad thing i do is smoke marlboro's, but that pretty much my only vice & I do exercise. not sure i wanna live to 104 specially with all the turmoil going on anyhows :-( we'll see
One big gulp,
and the rest of the night choking. He wasn't actually paying attention then, was he?
The hair flip is deadly
Nice chapter, you must have had the aid of the Whizz, not the other.
Things going well at school. Livies' status seems to be settling in the right way also.
Cefin
What it the world
is greenfly?