Here is a funny excerpt from an email sent to me by Roland (my old boyfriend from years ago in Australia, before Chris, now just friend). By the way, he may be a terrible show off… but he does have a great sense of humour. Ooh arrh, ooh arrh.
Three days to go now till I make that journey to the airport and get on that plane and make my “business class” trip to good old England. I did some last minute shopping today just a couple more tee shirts and a good shirt, I think that should be all I’ll need now.
My suit case seems to have an abundance of tops of some description or other, but I am going to play safe for I’m not sure whether you have electricity down in the depths of rural Devon? I was thinking that if I was to bring enough clothes to last me my stay there it would save me going down to the river and beating them on the washing stone!
(As a matter fact, he’s not that far out because we have a boiler problem at the moment and no hot water! Ooh arrh!)
Frankly, the old oil lamps have done us perfectly well for the last century or so, and, ever since the invention of the duvet, we’re seldom cold. I must admit that, after the weekly clothes-washing sessions down at the communal village laundry area on the riverbank, it can be somewhat tiresome hanging the washing out , since the Arctic winds often freeze them solid rather than dry them! We do however save on starch, and are, in our agrestic and simple way, always thankful for small mercies. Ooh Arrh!
True, true. Love your use of the word ‘agrestic’ – glad you are keeping the word alive. I have a little story about that odd word but I shall have to tell you another time because I’m painting now. Ooh arrh!