We double booked. When Brighton Antique Dealer rang and asked us to hers for a drink and nibbles then dinner across the road at her local Italian restaurant on Friday night, how could we say no. We had forgotten that Bone Doctor was giving a lecture in the city on Saturday and so she and Little Jo were staying Friday night and we were looking after Little Jo on Saturday.
Well, we could combine the two. Bone Doctor and Little Jo have to have dinner too, so they can come to BAD's soiree. I changed in the car at work, in 35 degree heat. My clothes were lovely and warm as if they had just come out of the dryer, but that is not what you want when it is 35 deg. Bone Doctor picked up R and we arrived within ten minutes of each other. BAD had her usual collection of miscreants, but tonight they being her neighbours in her posh Brighton retirement apartment complex, the youngest being about seventy.
Also there was our ex NT politician friend and his Fijian Indian boyfriend. I amazed at how chummy the misogynist old curmudgeon has become with BAD. Maybe he sees her as a fellow political traveller, and I suspect she is.
Little Jo was sooky and shy. After drinks and nibbles we went to the restaurant.
Our food at the restaurant was fine. The service was excellent. I won't name the place though as I consider the food is overpriced. Little Jo grizzled on and whined away and mock tears, until some food arrived at the table.
Little Jo had a raspberry drink, don't tell Mummy. A bowl of shoestring chips and some pizza, don't tell Mummy, and an ice cream sundae, don't tell Mummy. Not BAD, but one of her neighbours illustrated to me how older Brighton women stay slim. They eat a meal of lettuce for dinner.
Back to BAD's for coffee. She had some unusual meringues she had bought at her local bakery. They were cup cake like, but hollow inside, the hollow lined with jam. Very tasty.
Next morning Little Jo wanted to go for brunch. She had in mind the place across the road where R has taken her twice. She still doesn't know the proper name of what we refer to as Nanny's Restaurant, aka Maccas. Mother likes going to her local one when someone will take her, often Sister and Little Jo.
Little Jo was determined to be difficult, she whined and whinged and tried to create some fake tears. I don't want to wait for the bus, as we sat in the shelter. Look out, here comes the tram, we will catch that instead. I don't like trams. R gave her a ride on the merry go round as soon as we arrived and against my advice, gave her a chocolate milkshake, which meant she ate little else but a few chips to top it off. While they waited for me to finish my triple stack of pancakes with mixed berry and sauce, with ice cream, R took her to kids play area but he did concede that she is just too old and too big for such things as crawling tunnels.
Her humour did improve as they day went on. Once back home we took her down for a swim, which was very refreshing on such a hot day. I was pleased to see she can jump into deep water and swim unaided. Sister was like a fish when she was her age and the local pool was very close to Mother's where Sister grew up. In fact Sister was a non local person who helped save the pool from the advances of the cost cutting local council.
After swimming Little Jo reluctantly had a bath and reluctantly had her hair washed. R used to give in to her so often, but I note now he is becoming firmer as she gets more challenging. She pulled the bath plug out before her hair was washed. R just refilled the bath and made her get back in for her hair wash.
There is no doubt she is spoilt and gets too much of her own way, but that seems to be the way children are brought up now. I think some things are negotiable with children, but mostly not and I don't believe in offering them unlimited choices, so a phrase like 'what would you like to eat', is wrong. 'Would you like this or that?' is much preferred if they are to be offered a choice at all.
Some craft was done, some gingerbread men made and Bone Doctor returned. Within fifteen minutes of their departure, the High Rise was back in order.