I often wonder just what my poor old Mother did to deserve three children like us! For instance, here I am, messing about, 3000 miles (or so) away from her in "The Land That time Forgot", while my sister and brother (and I mustn't forget my wonderful B-I-Law) have taken on my share of seeing to the things which she just cannot quite manage herself.
But we're a queer crowd! I know that my siblings won't be upset at me saying this, as we published a proper hard-back book a couple of years ago entitled "Far from Normal", and written by the three of us. Not as you might imagine, in collaboration, but in spite of each other. It was a book recalling our personal memories from childhood, and some of the same incidents came out of our memories very differently! I was truly amazed that the other two recollected certain things entirely differently to me, how could that be?
Tonight I was brought up very sharply, when I looked at my feet! It was the beginning of my realising just how these things can come about.
Now then, I don't know whether I've told you about my bunions, Dear Reader, but suffice it to say that they aren't very nice. Neither to look at or to have! When they were first forming, they were very painful, I didn't want my footwear to touch them at all, if possible. After my doctor advised me to see a podiatrist (which I had to pay for) who would offer help and advice and possibly some special shoes (which I would also have to shell out for!) the solution I eventually conjured up was some cheap and nasty, pretend, Crocs! You've seen them, lots of tourists wear them, in particular Japanese tourists here in Luxor. But these are the real cheap and nasty version! The first pair I ever had were put out on the rood terrace to dry (after being in the washing machine) and they shrank about three sizes!!!!
Anyway, I now buy them in a size 10, even though I'm really an 8 and 1/2. They're so much wider, you see, and don't rub against the protruding bone. They're also nice and soft under foot, even though they're a good inch or so too long. I look rather like an Egyptian. (Now don't tell me that you haven't noticed that many Egyptians look as if they've put on someone else's ship-ships [sandals] by mistake, either because their heels are hanging over the back edge or they're slopping about in them like model boats in the bath!)
Well, I've paid as little a £4.99 at Aldi for them, and the last pair were (I think) £9.99 at Tesco. They're all pretty much of a muchness (Colloquialism: much of a muchness = very similar, nothing to choose between them.) but come in a variety of colours. I've currently got two black pairs and a darkish blue pair here with me in Luxor. I've left two pairs at home in Windy Nook as well. They just throw in the washing machine, the shoe-shine boys don't bother me as I roam around the streets here, and I just sling them in the rubbish when I start to feel the gravel through the sole. Great!
Except today, Dear Friend!
After spending a long long time getting to sleep last night, I had a lie-in this morning, but I was determined to get out and about today.
Never mind, we were snoozing on the bed, this afternoon, when a loud bang brought us to our senses! It was an electrical loud bang, I'm sure you know what I mean by that, like the main cables in the nearby electrical junction box had been flashed together......BANG! The power went off.
Now then, it was showing 44,6 degrees of that Centigrade heat, out on the terrace, and we knew that inside would soon be up to that temperature as well! It was obviously time to de-camp to somewhere with good air-conditioning. The Nile Palace beckoned.
I had a quick shave, with minimal water (no electric water pump) and poor lighting (obvious!) while Freda got dressed, and off we toddled.
The Nile Palace was heaving! There was yet another conference sort of thing on, it's maybe just as well that tourist numbers are down!!!!! There were also some very obvious "security" men wandering about; eyes everywhere, looking furtive and, if I'm entirely honest, a bit sinister. As we approached the seating area where we usually plant ourselves, we came across the security men's charges. It was Luxors young Governor and his family, here to dine at the Thai restaurant. We only mix with the best, you know, no hoy-poloy when we're about. Lots of the staff made a point of stopping to speak to us, managers, the head chef, head waiter, as we haven't been frequenting there as much as usual. I don't care what anyone thinks, it's nice to feel that you're important to someone and that you really are welcome!
We had a lovely time there, and then went shopping via our caleche mate and then home. It wasn't till much later that I noticed this:
Yes Dear Reader, I'd been swanning about like Lord Muck, all afternoon, with two odd plastic shoes on!!!!! And there's my Mother sometimes wondering if she's losing her mind when she cannot finish the Daily Mail crossword?
I ask again, what did she do to deserve children like this?
But we're a queer crowd! I know that my siblings won't be upset at me saying this, as we published a proper hard-back book a couple of years ago entitled "Far from Normal", and written by the three of us. Not as you might imagine, in collaboration, but in spite of each other. It was a book recalling our personal memories from childhood, and some of the same incidents came out of our memories very differently! I was truly amazed that the other two recollected certain things entirely differently to me, how could that be?
Tonight I was brought up very sharply, when I looked at my feet! It was the beginning of my realising just how these things can come about.
Now then, I don't know whether I've told you about my bunions, Dear Reader, but suffice it to say that they aren't very nice. Neither to look at or to have! When they were first forming, they were very painful, I didn't want my footwear to touch them at all, if possible. After my doctor advised me to see a podiatrist (which I had to pay for) who would offer help and advice and possibly some special shoes (which I would also have to shell out for!) the solution I eventually conjured up was some cheap and nasty, pretend, Crocs! You've seen them, lots of tourists wear them, in particular Japanese tourists here in Luxor. But these are the real cheap and nasty version! The first pair I ever had were put out on the rood terrace to dry (after being in the washing machine) and they shrank about three sizes!!!!
Anyway, I now buy them in a size 10, even though I'm really an 8 and 1/2. They're so much wider, you see, and don't rub against the protruding bone. They're also nice and soft under foot, even though they're a good inch or so too long. I look rather like an Egyptian. (Now don't tell me that you haven't noticed that many Egyptians look as if they've put on someone else's ship-ships [sandals] by mistake, either because their heels are hanging over the back edge or they're slopping about in them like model boats in the bath!)
Well, I've paid as little a £4.99 at Aldi for them, and the last pair were (I think) £9.99 at Tesco. They're all pretty much of a muchness (Colloquialism: much of a muchness = very similar, nothing to choose between them.) but come in a variety of colours. I've currently got two black pairs and a darkish blue pair here with me in Luxor. I've left two pairs at home in Windy Nook as well. They just throw in the washing machine, the shoe-shine boys don't bother me as I roam around the streets here, and I just sling them in the rubbish when I start to feel the gravel through the sole. Great!
Except today, Dear Friend!
After spending a long long time getting to sleep last night, I had a lie-in this morning, but I was determined to get out and about today.
Never mind, we were snoozing on the bed, this afternoon, when a loud bang brought us to our senses! It was an electrical loud bang, I'm sure you know what I mean by that, like the main cables in the nearby electrical junction box had been flashed together......BANG! The power went off.
Now then, it was showing 44,6 degrees of that Centigrade heat, out on the terrace, and we knew that inside would soon be up to that temperature as well! It was obviously time to de-camp to somewhere with good air-conditioning. The Nile Palace beckoned.
I had a quick shave, with minimal water (no electric water pump) and poor lighting (obvious!) while Freda got dressed, and off we toddled.
The Nile Palace was heaving! There was yet another conference sort of thing on, it's maybe just as well that tourist numbers are down!!!!! There were also some very obvious "security" men wandering about; eyes everywhere, looking furtive and, if I'm entirely honest, a bit sinister. As we approached the seating area where we usually plant ourselves, we came across the security men's charges. It was Luxors young Governor and his family, here to dine at the Thai restaurant. We only mix with the best, you know, no hoy-poloy when we're about. Lots of the staff made a point of stopping to speak to us, managers, the head chef, head waiter, as we haven't been frequenting there as much as usual. I don't care what anyone thinks, it's nice to feel that you're important to someone and that you really are welcome!
We had a lovely time there, and then went shopping via our caleche mate and then home. It wasn't till much later that I noticed this:
I ask again, what did she do to deserve children like this?
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