Sunday 8 May 2011

Z is Sunday Lunched

A bit of a whoops today.  I locked my friend John in church.

You see, what happened is this - we all had coffee and then Brenda, Jo and I washed up and cleared away and Jo and I were the last to leave.  The church itself isn't locked, but the kitchen/meeting rooms are, and Jo and I were deep in conversation as we turned the keys and went out.  We were still talking in the road when Brenda drove back.  John had nipped into the loo, and emerged to find that there was no way back into the church or to the outside.  He had my mobile number, but my phone was on 'silent' so I didn't know.  Fortunately, Brenda's home number was written up on a notice, she being a churchwarden.

I apologised profusely, of course, and John, being really an extremely sweet-natured person, not only forgave me but took me out to lunch as well.  And, when he brought me home, pleased me by admiring The Wall, which he had seen during construction but not since we cleared the grass and spare bricks from around it.

The forecast rain did not arrive.  There were a few random tiny dots on a couple of occasions, but not enough to reach the ground, let alone wet it.  It was warm and sunny again this afternoon and that seems to be what's set to stay.  Just as well I didn't get around to planting vegetables, I'm not even going to grow the squashes.  It occurs to me that I'm saving a couple of hours a day at present - much as I love home-grown veggies and enjoy the growing of them, it would be a headache now, just trying to keep them alive.

There should be some asparagus, though.  I'll pick it tomorrow.

9 comments:

Dave said...

I've been locked in a church once - as I was disrobing in the vestry, the steward went home and locked up, despite my car being parked by the door. It wasn't one of my churches, and I didn't have a key. This was in the days before I owned a mobile.

I managed to force a window open eventually, and attract attention.

Jane and Lance Hattatt said...

Hello:
A possible disaster, for John, averted. On such occasions we should be grateful for mobile phones! Not a matter of, 'I'm on the bus', more, 'I'm in the church'!

For years we talked of establishing an asparagus bed and never did. We cannot think of anything nicer to grow in the way of vegetables.

Anonymous said...

Asparagus season has started here. A noble vegetable.

Blue Witch said...

I can see that becoming one of those jokey things that are never forgotten within a small community...

We're wondering how long it will be before the hosepipe ban is announced.

Sarah said...

LOL !

Still no rain !

Z said...

I have suggested that a key is kept in the cloakroom so that, if it happens again, the person locked in can get out!

There was a shower in the night, in fact. It freshened the air if not much more.

Rate My Sausage said...

Guantamo Bay.


You imprisoned him, then made him serve you.


I hope you made him wear an orange boiler suit.

PixieMum said...

Although too late for this year, is asparagus easy to grow?

Z said...

He was a willing prisoner, Simon, he invited me out. Since he took me out for lunch only a week or two ago, I wanted to pay this time, but he wouldn't let me - so I owe him!

It's a long-term thing, Madeleine, so it's easy but you need patience and spare space. You prepare the ground well because it can't be deep-dug again, then you plant the crowns, which have splayed-out fleshy roots. Best way is to dig a trench with a mound down the middle so the roots can spread out and the crown is above. Then you have to leave it a year or two to establish before you cut any to eat - but then it just needs weeding and the occasional top-dressing and the bed lasts many years. Mine is over 20 years old, but needs replacing, the crop has lessened considerably. But there were 5 of us living her 20 years ago, now only 2 so it doesn't really matter.