Susan Tate’s Year – June

Derek texted to say he had been given 2 tickets to a wine tasting, was I interested?  Gave him a quick call in my lunch break and he explained the auction house was having a wine sale and all the staff had been given tickets to a tasting at a local wine merchant.  I don’t know much about wine.  My old friend Rosemary was into wine and if we went out she scoured the wine list.  It usually tasted fine but to be honest I can’t tell the difference between a vintage claret and a basic Rioja.  I never told Rosemary, she’d have been woefully disappointed in my lack of taste and finesse.  Derek confessed wine was not his thing, but he didn’t want to miss an opportunity to find out more.  Rosemary took me to a tasting once.  We were all given a large glass of red, the organisers then passed round different types of food: cheese, chocolate, bread, prawns and cabbage.  I remember being surprised how taking a sip of wine prior to eating the food could change the taste of the food and wine so much.  Cheese seemed creamier, but bread didn’t go at all and nor did prawns, I don’t remember about the cabbage.

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It is my parents’ Golden Wedding Anniversary this month.  A party is planned in the garden for family and friends.  Following our successful wine tasting evening I have invited Derek.  The minute I told Mum I was bringing someone I regretted it.  She pointed out it was a family thing.  But good old Dad said, ‘can’t wait to meet him’.  Who told them about Derek I wonder?  Noticed Hilary made herself scarce at that moment.

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Woke up this morning with toothache.  Dosed myself up with paracetamol.  Spent the day taking more paracetamol but it isn’t working.

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Tooth still hurting, kept me awake last night.  If this keeps up I’ll have to make an appointment with Mr McScary, real name Mr McCarthy.  Beth suggested I tried her dentist.  According to Malcolm he always always has appointments, his name is Christopher Lee but is known by many of his patients as Dracula.  I wonder why he always has appointments?

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Gave in and rang Mr McScary first thing, he can fit me in tomorrow.  Fit me into what I’m not sure.  His chair of torture which tips you back without warning.  Not looking forward to this at all.  Drilling, green mouthwash tasting of rancid mint, repeated requests to open wider and low breath mutterings that sound a lot like ‘tut tut tut’. Left at lunchtime, planned to come back afterwards, but retreated home.  Derek offered to bring round pizza but I can’t manage chewing on all that dough.  I’m dribbling for England.  Soup and chocolate please.

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Hilary rang to say she has spent the last 2 days cooking and baking for the Anniversary Party.  My role is the decorations, ably helped by Hilary’s girls who have been spraying things gold all week.  I never knew spray paint travelled so far.  Even Charles Dickens was not immune.  I found small flakes in his tail last night.  Mum reminded me not to do glitter numbers.  For their Ruby Anniversary, we had red 40s scatter on the tables.  They went all over the place and Mum was finding them around the house for weeks after.  We have paper plates and napkins with gold 50s, a bit tacky but no one is offering to do the washing up.

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Mum, Dad, and I went to the garden centre at the weekend.  There is the bonus of a good tearoom.  Derek regularly works on a Saturday as there are monthly general sales at the auction house.  I bought an Angelica gigas for a corner of the garden, according to the label it can grow to 6 ft and is adored by bees, butterflies and birds.  I also bought some pinks for the two pots by the front door.  Delicious cherry and almond cake.  I was pleased to see in the tearoom they now offer herbal tea as well as the basic English Breakfast.  I think Mum may be going soft, she bought Charles Dickens a clockwork mouse from the pet department.  When I got home I wound it up for him and he just looked at it with distain, jumped onto his preferred chair and went to sleep.  Mouse did 2 more circles before running out of steam and coming to a halt next to a pile of books on the floor.

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Today was the day of the Anniversary Party.  There must have been 100+ people: old friends, Mum’s maid of honour, and the wife of Dad’s best man.  A few old school and college pals and colleagues of Dad.  Their current neighbours on the right came and their old neighbours from the other side, came up from Eastbourne where they have moved to a retirement bungalow.  There is a young family in their old house now, friendly enough but not invited.  Derek came and looked most respectable in an open neck shirt and chinos.  I noticed Mum looking him up and down.  I saw Dad having a good long chat with him.  I tried to butt in so I could overhear but I was waylaid by a guest requesting more food.  Dad gave a speech which made Mum rather tearful.  About how they had met, their wedding and how the car had broken down on the hill up to the church and Mum had walked the last 100 yards in her white wedding dress, veil and all with Grandad carrying her shoes as they were too high for walking.  Mum butted in saying her feet were raw by the time she arrived at the church.  Dad then added with a smile that it had put pay to their rambling honeymoon, so they had to find alternative entertainment.  Mum turned pink and gave him a whack.  Derek was a brick, stayed behind and helped with the clearing up, putting away deckchairs and packing up discarded plates and glasses.  Mum was impressed and has invited him over for supper.  This is moving rather fast for me, but I’m powerless now to stop it.

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1^st cucumber picked and made into lunchtime sandwiches for work, peppers not doing well, still rather small.