2 December 2024

Precious

Sunday dinner is ahead and I am busy in the kitchen. The menu will consist of roasted chicken, homemade gravy, Yorkshire puddings, spring cabbage, roast potatoes, sage and onion stuffing, cranberry sauce, roasted parsnips and carrots.

For dessert there will be apple crumble and custard using apples from our garden. Shirley prepared it in the morning before heading out somewhere but neglected to pop said crumble in the oven and now the pressure is on to bake it along with everything else. Radio Five is playing live commentary of the Liverpool v Manchester City match in the background and the kitchen window is steaming up. Everything is under control. Yes it is.

Meantime a smiling dumpling of a baby - Little Margot is crawling proudly towards me. Where are the other three adults in the house? Phoebe is circling the downstairs doing "her work". In other words she is marching around with my desk calculator pressing all the buttons and as happy as Larry - whoever he might have been.

Then she overhears me muttering to myself, "You could have put the bloody crumble in!" 

After her next circuit, Phoebe stops and innocently looks up at me, "Grandpa! Grandpa! What's a bloody crumble?"

A precious moment.

44 comments:

  1. Another day in the life of Mr. Pudding! You wouldn't change a thing. Your meal sounds wonderful and I would love to be there.

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    1. We can shuffle up Deb and there's a spare chair upstairs.

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  2. Kids can think way out of the box sometimes. It may not be right but it's beyond us and sometimes gives us a good laugh.

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    Replies
    1. They don't follow the same old rules.

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  3. Did you voluntarily take on the job of head chef in your household?

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    Replies
    1. No. I was forced to do it by my own SWMBO!

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  4. The kids will get you every time!!!
    PS Your meal sounds fantastic!

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    Replies
    1. Yes they will. You have to be careful about expletives.

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  5. A bloody crumble, ha! The menu sounds scrumptious, like a Thanksgiving feast here. I would honestly prefer your dishes, especially the apple crumble. Hope it got cooked!

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    Replies
    1. The bloody crumble did get cooked along with the bloody custard.

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  6. Yes indeed, what IS a bloody crumble? It doesn't sound like something I would want to eat.
    Seriously: What is spring cabbage?

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    1. Spring cabbage is very bouncy.... Spring cabbage is also known as spring greens or collards. Spring greens are young, tender cabbage plants that are sold as loose heads of thick green leaves. They are conical in shape and lack the hard core found in fully-grown cabbages

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  7. Just as well you didn't use the eff word.

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  8. Isn't it amazing how quickly they pick up on the one thing you don't want them to hear?
    What time is dinner? I'll bring my own plate and fork.

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    Replies
    1. Oh my dear, you will need a table knife and dessert spoon too.

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  9. I take my hat off to you for doing such a sophisticated meal. About all I want to bother with is one pot dishes.
    You remind me of the time my 3 year old told my mother "thats bullshit, ma"
    I blamed childcare.
    What a great memory Phoebe made for you :)

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  10. Replies
    1. In the header cartoon, Phoebe looks like a young JayCee if your AI images are anything to go by.

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  11. Out of the mouths of babes.....

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    Replies
    1. I can swear like a trooper so I must get better at self-censorship.

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  12. Addy beat me to the biblical quote.

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    Replies
    1. Addy is like the bloody Mother Superior.

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  13. Little children are like mobile recording machines and they always hear what you hope they haven't and repeat it gleefully.

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  14. Too funny. It's always the things you don't want them to repeat, that they repeat.

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    Replies
    1. Of course you would never be heard swearing in front of Jack!

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  15. Somebody has to teach these kids how to swear correctly.
    Sometimes I look at the grandkids and think, "Where are your parents?" Not very often but it has happened.

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    Replies
    1. Do you do private tutoring in cussing Mary? Is there an online course?

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  16. They say the essence of comedy, is the unexpected turn. Well done, the best laugh I have had in a couple of days.

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  17. Isn't it amazing how those little ears hear everything?

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  18. What a fun story! You had better watch your mouth, Neil! Kids hear everything!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for you wise guidance Auntie Ellen.

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  19. Good job it wasn't any stronger.

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  20. This did make me laugh! You really have to think before you speak with little ones around.
    My grandson, Alby told his mummy that "Me and Nana were driving along and Nana said there was a bloody Donkey in front of us"
    You are a good grandad, making a lovely sunday lunch. Well done!

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  21. Oh grandpa! Wait until she asks her mummy what a bloody crumble is!

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    Replies
    1. I have to admit that I am Bad Grandpa!

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  22. Sounds like it's high time you start to watch your words around the little ones... ;-)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your kind advice Auntie Monica.

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