The first class ‘Tanna’ coffee arrives, with those bloody silly little cups, you know, can’t get your blasted finger through the hole type of thing. – Heigh ho, thinks I, struggling not to drop, break or damage the wretched thing while inhaling the wondrous brew. An understanding eyebrow is raised, ever so slightly, the hint of a smile and I know my transgressions are forgiven. The mark of a true gentle woman – she understands and accepts my inability to deal with fiddly little cups; no old prune this lady.
“Numbers” she says, “how do we do?”. “Well enough Ma’am”, says I, “early days, but 250,000 hits in six months over both sites is not too shabby ”. “And visitors?” she asks. Well I’m buggered, I can estimate from one site (forum) and have stats on t’uther, so an educated guess is called for. “Well” says I, cautious like; “there are definitely 20,000 from the ‘blog’ there’s a counter and it seems as many again on the forum, but its hard to be completely sure, depends on how you interpret the numbers, but 40,000 all up seems to be a fair reckoning”.
A beat, then “Good, well done all; your friend Lefty will be so pleased I’m sure (wicked smile). “Now be sure to pass my congratulations onto the boys, especially that naughty Gobbledock and the indefatigable P2, they do very well indeed”. “Good lads both” says I “mind you, some of the others do just as well, P7 and Thorny of course”. “Oh, that Thorny one makes me laugh, he’s won my QoM twice now” she says with a smile. “Now, about my elephant”.
From here the conversation drifts off into matters pertaining to elephant maintenance, houseboat bookings and other matters of little interest to wide world; except, for one historic moment. I never, ever expected to hear Aunt Pru ‘cuss’, but she did – I mentioned Skidmore in a passing sally. “That (colourful) (imaginative ) should be tarred, feathered and run out the village on a rail” she said with some venom, before resorting to her usual calm, polite manner. Just goes to show, you never know what lurks just beneath the surface, do you?
Toot toot – now where do you buy those rotten little cups ?– I have to replace one, it was inevitable….
