With Christmas barely a month away a garish cardboard grotto makes an appearance in the local supermarket . A festive touch sandwiched in between the baguette stand and the sausage counter. Underneath a large ' Grotte de Noel ' sign a white plastic deckchair with a red velour cushion. Santa's royal throne. The magic of the season.
'The font ' heads back to London to do the Christmas shopping. '' Are you sure you don't want to come ? " . Angus is quite sure.
Madame Bay pops in for half an hour to try out the new hoover. '' M'Ongoose .C'est magnifique. It makes me feel like a princess ". For a moment Angus thinks this comment might be ironic but there is nothing whatsoever ironic about the sight of our saintly sepatguenarian waltzing contentedly down the hallway with a cordless hoover as a partner. My cords are gone at last I'm free !
Five in the afternoon a delivery van arrives. '' I've driven a long way to get here " says the driver . Angus thinks that's what delivery men are supposed to do but keeps this thought to himself. '' Sign here, here and here. Print your name there ". ' Four signatures ? ' I ask . '' No. Three signatures and print your name there like I said " comes the brisque response.
Amid much muttering a cardboard box is unloaded from the back of the van . Indian spices . A delayed aftershock from ' the fonts ' cooking course in Delhi. Alien sounding ingredients.
Madame Bay's capacity for happiness is a lesson to us all. I don't think of myself as a gloomy person, but have not yet learned to find such pleasure in a vacuum cleaner.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Gail.
The driver came all the way from Delhi?
ReplyDeleteLoL. You'd think so from his attitude !
DeleteActually, Madame Bay's reaction is just like Bertie's last post describing running free without his cords.
ReplyDeleteXXXOOO Daisy, Bella & roxy
Wilf is somewhere salivating in anticipation.
ReplyDeleteChiffon and electrical cord forever free of entanglement. Freedom!
xx
I've heard ground cardamom described as the 'Queen of Spices,' so Madame Bay could be the 'Princess of Hoovers,' couldn't she?
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for Madame Bay....freedom in the truest sense. Maybe I'll get one of those cordless models too.
ReplyDeleteHope you didn't tip the delivery guy who had come from so far....I just can't tolerate rudeness.
The Font is in for a welcome surprise when she returns from her shopping in London. I see Indian dishes on the menu for you Angus....are your chops licking yet??
Will some of the Christmas dishes have an Indian flair this year?
ReplyDeleteHope the font's shopping trip is successful. Nice to be done early.
Miam miam! Indian food is one thing I've missed since coming to France. I can cook it, but somehow it's never as good as a good old British Indian takeaway!!!
ReplyDeleteIt could be that the Font will be baking some Scandinavian cookies or breads for the holidays. Cardamom is called for in a lot of recipes.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to make of a man who'd refuse a Christmas shopping trip to London!
ReplyDeleteIndian food I love it!!!! Started to listen into Radio Nostalgie imagining Mde Bay waltzing around - she is fantastic - could be in a Louis de Funes film... take care - are you looking for puppies yet??????? Love from the Southern Italian Team Susanne, Daisy, Foxiie and Kiri
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of cardamon! Hope you like it!!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!!
I love Madame Bay's joie de vivre! I think you need to go back and take a picture of Santa's plastic throne for us. I'm sure the cooking results will be a delight!
ReplyDeleteI am betting he will love all the Scandinavian Christmas breads and goodies with the cardamom in it! But that really is a lot! Perhaps store some excess in the freezer until its needed?
ReplyDeleteJo
Like most any English woman I like a good cheap curry from the take away now and then. You can't find such a thing in Arizona though. Not many Indian restaurants around but it's the combination of the good and the cheap that seems to be the real problem. I resort to making a curry now and then but it isn't the same when I have to make it myself.
ReplyDeleteMadame Bay is a real gem. I'd love to know how you found her, or how she found you.
A pinch of that ground cardamon in your rice pudding makes the world a better place! So glad Madame Bay is happy happy with her cord free hoover. If
ReplyDelete'the font' ever needs shopping partner, give me a ring! I'd be happy to go to London. ;)