Friday, March 09, 2007

the prodigal papa

My husband arrived late yesterday from London. He looked ever so pleased to be up north with his family again. ‘You look ever so pleased to be up north with your family again’ I said, sharing my writer’s intuitive emotional insight with my beloved. ‘You bet!’ he said, ‘you’ll never guess who I was on my train up north with today! Only wife in the north's husband!' ‘Oh golly’ I said. 'I’ll tell you something though Rilly darling,’ he began. ‘I jolly well hope you don’t go getting ideas and telling everyone about us on the internet!’ I smiled reassuringly and lovingly at him. ‘Oh, and hope you don’t mind, brought some work home, you know my secretary, Fabio, don’t you dear?’ ‘Ciao, Signora Super’ smiled Fabio, and in the distance the hooves of an untamed stallion thundered into the northern sunset.

We’re still living in the rented house, which only has one bedroom, and one bed, but it’s so lovely when we’re all together. Last night the girls Milly and Tilly, Natalia the polish au pair, my husband, my husband’s secretary Fabio (my poor dear love, just can’t seem to leave work in London when he comes up north, he’s very important you know ) and myself all sat in the bed and waited for the embers of the fire to finally leave us in darkness so we could all put down our Catherine Cookson novels and go off to sleep. When I’m alone I find it hard to get off, but last night with my devoted husband by my side I can honestly say that I got more zeds than there are in the name of Natalia’s home village.

In the morning Milly gave me a puzzled look as I rubbed my eyes and tried to get the two cafetières that I could see before me to merge into the one that I knew was actually there. ‘Mummy’ she began hesitantly, ‘yes Milly dear’ I said. ‘Tilly and I are a bit worried about daddy.’ ‘Oh gosh girls, why ever might you be worried about him?’ I queried. ‘Well’ said Milly, ’you know how people lose their memories when they get old like you and daddy, well I think daddy’s losing his memory.’ ‘We all forget things’ I said, 'even children!' ‘Yes, but mummy, why else last night did we hear father keep asking Fabio who’s the daddy?’ ‘I expect it’s just because he’s been working late darling’ I reassured her and poured my expresso into an eggcup.

9 comments:

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Back on form! Splendid!

Anonymous said...

Oh wonderful! so much better than the original, but are you one and the same?

Anonymous said...

Soopah !!! This is rapidly becoming the highlight of my day !!! When are you going to start posting pictures of the Northern plains ?

Anonymous said...

Great stuff! Can't wait for the next installment.

Big Chip Dale said...

Wonderful. Simply wonderful. It moved me to tears, such was the faithful representation of how grim it is up north. I'm looking forward to the next part and may God bless the South.

Anonymous said...

Oh Rilly, surely you wouldn't stoop to plagiarism would you . Oh yes I see that you have haven't you. But then you're a cross dressing Pancake aren't you my love? And you never did tell me how your darlings Hilly and Tizzy thought about that one did you pet? I think it is time for you to out yourself pet, isn't it? Or shall I do it for you?
Let me see!

Anonymous said...

Lighten up anonymous for godsake!Most people who come here do so to enjoy Strife in the North for what it is.

Mopsa said...

Rilly Jilly Super Cooper! Laugh? I nearly stuffed a mushroom! Great stuff. Parody is wickedly alive in the North.
http://www.mopsa.blogspot.com/

rilly super said...

Mutterings dear, you are very kind. you say some lovely things

anonymous, the original? whatever do you mean?

anonymous, I'm sure that Simon King can be pursuaded to take me out on the northern plains in that elephant proof jeep of his that tootles around the serengeti in so who knows what fearsome images will result

andy, I'm just glad my grim life up north brings some comfort to you in those long dark northern days

chippy sir, now you've done it! that mention of the south has made me come over all emotional and homesick now, sob


anonymous-who-keeps-calling-me-a-pancake, thanks ever so for dropping by again. I don't like to talk about the children on the blog I'm afraid as I wouldn't want to exploit them in that way, but seeing as you did bring them up, their names are Milly and Tilly. I think that you've spent enough time reading about my grim life to remember that so I hope you're not just being mischievous my dear, you naughty thing!

anonymous,thanks for dropping by too and sticking up for old Rilly!Why don't you come round when my husband goes back to London...

debbie dearest, I can see that you'll appreciate my struggles as Devon is the north of the south, all fog and heather and strange rural customs like asking your neighbours what their names are. poor you,I feel your pain and I hope you find some solace here, you poor soul and thanks for dropping by because it's much appreciated.