Friday, October 23, 2009

elderberries, tea, reptile


Posted by Picasa A few months ago these were saucer shaped inflorescences, white and scented.
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We have recently taken to drinking a cup of tea before the BBC 10 0'clock news. Not ordinary tea but, inspired by Mma Ramotswe of The No1 Ladies' Detective Agency, red bush tea. At first we had a cup each, but recently Heidi has owned up to not liking the tea as much as the biscuit which she dunks in it. The solution: she has one or, at most, two dunks of her ginger biscuit in my cup. A solution to a problem of taste and logistics worthy of Mma Ramotswe herself.
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In the grass in The Grove is a creature of reptilian aspect, one foot forward as though in pursuit of some object. Is it a tortoise or a large lizard? On closer inspection it is one of those brown plastic bags with projecting handles, which are designed for owners to clean up after their pets . They tie the two handles together to make a neat package for the refuse bin. It is empty but I walk away wishing it had been a reptile.

3 comments:

Lucy said...

Once we were driving along a country road, and Tom suddenly said 'That was a tortoise in the middle of the road!'

We drove back, concerned for the reptile's well-being, and found it was a large discarded leather glove, the middle finger poking forward like the reptile's head...

Ever since, I have teased him whenever we've seen any discarded glove on the ground by saying 'Look, it's a tortoise!'

Rashmi said...
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Rashmi said...

I love the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency! My father has a couple of paperbacks that he bought when he was in college, and they are in a rather delicate condition now - the pages yellow and cracking. I must dig them out when I next go home... Thanks for bringing back the memory.