Saturday, September 22, 2012

Knickers and strikes

My uncle (the 86-year-old one) and his companion were due to catch the overnight ferry from Santander on Thursday night. Friday morning we received a phone call from him: Brittany Ferries had cancelled sailings because of a strike.

I called him today and they're on their way north to St. Malo where they're booked onto a ferry on Monday - all being well. I spoke to Companion who sounded in good humour and said they'd found some nice places to stay en route and they hadn't argued yet!

I was tempted to ask if she had enough clean knickers. Husband laughs at me when I pack as I take a clean pair for every day plus a spare pair for every day (no, I don't know what I imagine is going to happen either). Still this only proves my point: better to be prepared.

I hope nothing else delays them now. Every year Uncle organises a 'bit of a do', a weekend of family, friends, food and fun. He plans it to coincide with the annual patrons' concert by Dunvant Male Voice Choir - of which he is a patron - and it's next weekend. The 'do' begins with a restaurant meal on the Friday night, followed by the concert on the Saturday after which guests are invited back to Companion's house for a champagne and shepherd's pie supper, rounded off with a catered Sunday lunch party at Uncle's house. (Just had a phone call from him: they've managed to get on a ferry this afternoon so that's good news.)

Yesterday I called in to see my 92-year-old great-aunt to show her some wedding photos. She wasn't at home but I found her coming up the hill with her shopping. I took the bag from her and it was flipping heavy! She does all her own cooking, cleaning, gardening and gets down to the shops every day. Then wonders why she's tired.

I hope I have the constitution of my relatives!

And, talking of knickers, I bought several new pairs to take on holiday with me. Then I kept saving them 'for best', with the result that I brought them all home unused ... except my very expensive matching wedding pair, of course.

I can't help thinking a psychiatrist would have a field day with me and my obsession with knickers ...

3 comments:

Katney said...

I always take one or two more pair than days. If we get stuck somewhere, I have the one and can wash out some for the subsequent stuck days.

Or go shopping.

Liz Hinds said...

The way I pack you'd think there were no shops anywhere in the world except here, katney.

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

I always used to save for best, not anymore, I have bras and knickers to match .. and if the knickers are patterned to match bra then I buy a plain pair to match the bra too. .. so I buy 2 bras that means four pairs of knickers :-)