Wednesday, February 17, 2016

How to make the perfect cup of tea

These notes are for my American grandson, Harry. Harry, this is how Grandpa makes a cup of tea.

1 Switch kettle switch to ON.
2 Switch kettle switch to OFF. Fill with water.
3 Repeat Action 1.
4 Wipe spilled water from round the kettle and the teapot.
5 Forget to warm the teapot. Say bad word.
6 Take down tea caddy and put 1.5 teaspoons of tea into the teapot.
7 Put tea caddy back, and wipe up spilled tealeaves from round the pot.
8 When water boils, pour too much over the tealeaves and close lid.
9 Open lid and stir tea. Close lid.
10 Repeat Action 4.
11 Pick up dishcloth from the floor and put it in the sink.
12 Set timer for four minutes.
13 Go to study, check email. Remember tea after 15-20 minutes.
14 Say bad word. Repeat as necessary.
14 Go back to kitchen, pour tea into cup. Forget the strainer. Say bad word.
15 Add milk to taste and stir.
16 Look at tea, then pour it in the sink.
17 Go back to Action 1 and repeat sequence ad lib.


Monday, February 08, 2016

Serenity it is, then






With all the gloom that pervades the media these days, I was beginning to become despondent.

And then my daughter sent me this photograph of my Californian grandchildren, the twins Kiki and Harry, dressed up for some formal occasion.

When I saw it,   "my heart soared like a hawk", as Chief Dan George exclaimed when his grandson reappeared after a long absence.

So, much as I want to be a Grumpy Old Man these days, I realise that there are forces conspiring against me, causing - as in the case of this photograph -  a big smile on my face and a warm glow in my chest.

I know when I am beaten: I will just have to put up with being serene for a while.