Hunt and gather

Went to my first SLAPPERS meeting today. The Retired Person coped well on his own, it is confusing to be a Self Starter after over thirty years working between the tram lines as a Civil Servant. So he got in his car and did some Retail Therapy, traditional solution, trusted and true - as preferred by Her Majesty's workforce.

When I retreated from the chalkface I bounced off the walls quite often at first, which was upsetting for Hattie the dog, so we went for a walk which helped a lot.

This week 's temperature has mostly been below zero, so the RP has been very welcome, manly stand in. I am a feminist, but although I see the sexes as equal they are not the same. Men are the the Hunters and need their dignity as thus maintained. This Gatherer is happy to let RP's testosterone keep him warm in this weather.

The oestrogen level was high at SLAPPERS with six mature ladies showing and telling. Plans were laid, workshops timetabled and encouragement poured in large quantities over all.

I left in a rosy glow as usual, a sceptic humbled by sheer good nature, which is good for me.

Now the RP has left for his end of the week pint at the local hostelry, a nice way to end a week of work and the start of the freedom of he w/e, except- oh yes he hasn't been to work. Some routines will never be changed.

Yesterday we drove thru the beautiful hoare frost to Hunt and Gather some coal. Altho RP was a proud Boy Scout with all the badges I light the evening fire, it's all part of creating beauty perhaps. So I didn't feel too bad to sit in the car while RP humped 10cwt of coal sacks into the back.

The coal yard was like a page of Dickens, concrete bunkers dripping with freezing coal sludge, white fog leering between the skeletal trees and a couple of blokes trudging around i layers of blackened clothes.

We had 5 women murdered in Ipswich last year, [by the same deranged burk] and one of the stripped bodies was found thrown in the river nearby. It was not a cosy feeling and we got out soon as poss with our bounty.

Now the coal is burning brightly in the grate, the cats and Hatty the dog are stretched out and soon RP will skate back, and we will all share the warmth.