Elbow Grease

WEEKEND REFLECTIONS

ELBOW GREASE

The passengers see the shimmer. the passengers see the shine

Of all the different surfaces on this ship of the line.

Maybe, in their homes on land, there's a certain amount of grime;

After all one can't clean every day; it takes up too much time.

But, here, on a cruise liner, everything must gleam.

And so it does, because of the efforts of the Midnight Team.

Creep out of your cabin at night-time, and take a look around.

A positive army of cleaners will certainly be found.

They'll be buffing-up the stair-rail and polishing the floors

And washing little finger-marks from all the much-used doors.

Don't think about the scuff-marks you'll see when you disembark!

Just be thankful that, while you're at sea, there's not one single mark!

*

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REASON ENOUGH!

'Why did you marry Freddy?' I asked my friend, Louise.

'You haven't got much in common, so won't you tell me please?'

'Well, opposites attract' she said 'And my story proves that's true.

As you see, my eyes are brown and Freddy's eyes are blue.'

'That's not a good reason for marrying!' I frowned a bit, but laughed.

'Marrying for that reason seems positively daft!'

Louise said 'Well, we were opposites ; I knew that because

Freddy wasn't pregnant and I most certainly was'.

*

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PS

Yesterday an era ended. The last of our grandsons started school. When Blake and Harry started the weather was summery. But this year is 2012 and so, of course, it rained. We said a very drippy farewell to Max at the school-gates.

Here, Max looks quite cheerful.

But, in this shot, with Big Brother, I can detect a slight quiver round the lips.

(When collected after school he described the experience as 'awesome'!)

Yesterday was also my birthday. What a low-key affair compared with my Big Birthday last year! Then we were in the middle of a heatwave! And we were also in the middle of putting on a concert. So it was all go, go go. This year I revelled in the thoughtful calls and emails (I'm very bad at that sort of thing myself) and in a dinner date with my friend, Vera, who shares the same birthday. And it rained!