Jack's Back!

Hi everyone, it's me again.  Hope you're all keeping safe and well.

First I must tell you a funny thing which happened to someone we all know.  I won't mention any names because I don't like embarrassing anyone but this person is  a very good friend to me (and I hope she still will be when I've told you this story) and oh, she's also a retired Vicar.  Just lately we've had some very warm weather and it's been very hot at night.  Well one night this person decided to open her bedroom window before she went to bed to let some cool air in.    After leaving the window wide open she went back to the sitting room.  After ten minutes she was startled to see a cat walk into the room.  The air turned blue and so did the language.  I've waited years for the Vicar to swear and I missed it!  But she told me word for word what had happened so yes, I did hear her swear.  I thought it was funny, and Thank You, Lord, for making her so human.  Since then the big window has stayed shut. 

While I'm on the subject of windows, on my last visit I was asked to clean the front windows as the last time they were cleaned was when I did it three and a half years ago.  I felt so sorry for The Vicar she drew the curtains and the track fell down but at least she could see out of the window now.  I haven't been going into people's houses because of Covid 19 but she has a cousin who has PPE so he got suited and booted and fixed the track.  Thank you, Cousin C!

What a nice surprise I got last Sunday - a roast beef Sunday dinner followed by jam roly-poly, all from a local restaurant!  Someone put my name forward so I got a free dinner.  I was nominated because of the care and compassion I showed looking after Mrs Jack for the last two years but I did that out of love. I fell in love with her the first time I met her and I stayed that way for the next 53 years.  It was our fifty second wedding anniversary last Monday. The person who put my name forward is a nurse on the front line taking care of people so N , please stay safe – we don’t want you to be poorly.  We couldn’t manage without you.  Thank you for thinking of me.

I'm not coping so well at the moment but the Vicar and I ring each other every morning.  Much to her delight she's caught me in the bath, on the loo and in a few other interesting places. 

The Vicar likes to know what I'm having for my meals.  The other day I had salad and I didn't have any coleslaw.  She told me to make my own and told me the recipe.  I hadn't got some of the ingredients so I did Jack's way.  I cut a crinkly cabbage into small chunks, grated a couple of carrots, diced a raw onion and (here it comes) I chucked it all into a bowl.  I hadn't got any mayonnaise so instead I used salad cream and two sachets of tomato sauce which Mr Wetherspoon had donated and my was it good!   It went on King Prawns, corned beef, lettuce, more raw onion, beetroot, peppers and celery.  I put Rice Crispies on top just to make it look good.  Hope your mouths are watering.  If any of you come for one of my meals make sure you bring the Gaviscon with you.  I'm taking bookings for Christmas.  What will that turn out like?

Other news.  I'm getting the Vicar's garden into some sort of order.  Just so you all know what a kind person she s, she's offered to sew the hem on my trousers up as that's a skill I haven't acquired yet.

The Vicar is having a rough time this year.  First my brother died then Mrs Jack and last Saturday the Vicar's auntie died and another of her friend's is none too good.  I hope I can help with her problems by being Jack, the man who likes to make people smile and be happy.  That gives me great joy.

Please be careful and look after yourselves.

PS  Margaret.  My friend lives at Fielding, North Island

Note from The Vicar.  When Jack came he brought me these lovely roses.  He went home with a rather more conventional coleslaw, some braised red cabbage, and a loaf of bread. 

And newly hemmed trousers.