journal of a writing man

Oíche chiúin [Silent Night]

 Here’s a treat:

Saturday December 22, 2007

Yesterday was the staff and management lunch for the holiday camp so we took Graham off to the Huntsman in Williton for a couple of hours of seasonal jollity. Spousal units are invited but not expected, which suits me.  I had all the Christmas staff parties I ever wanted back when I was a working man.

So, after a last-minute call at the post office, I had a couple of hours to kill. It was bitterly cold so a long walk was out of the question.

My thoughts, then, turned to food. Well, they do, don’t they.

I considered one of my old delights–an al fresco lunch on Dunkerey Beacon–but rejected the idea with regret. It can get awful chilly on top of Exmoor at the best of times.

So, I went on down to Watchet where I had an exceedingly good lunch at the Harbour Cafe.  Used to be Molly’s in my Watchet days but in a town where nothing changes, Molly’s has moved on.

Thus fortified I set out for a good vigorous stroll around the harbour.  Didn’t get far, past the new statue of the Ancient Mariner, but not all the way to the penny arcade before a chill-bone gale-tuffet caught me and stole my heat.

Back to the car, then, and to Williton where I waited all bundled up and steam windowed cosy for Graham to finish.

On the way home I was persuaded to call in at the German Aldi supermarket in Bridgwater rather than brave the scrummage in Sainsbury’s.  Last time I was in an Aldi was in Mainz, in 1984 or 1985. Leastways, I think it was an Aldi. I remember it so.

Looking at the prices I was moved to consider breaking my fixation with one-stop shopping.  I’d not want to buy much in the way of foodstuff there but household necessaries like bin-bags and detergent are a great deal cheaper.

I shall think on.

So there’s the first interesting, previously unknown thing about me.  I was in an Aldi, in Mainz, in August 1984 or 1985, looking for English pipe tobacco.  They didn’t have any.

Lunch in the Harbour Cafe