Party Mode.

Yesterday was party day.
Small Grandson will be 5 on Monday. His paternal grandparents don't live close, so they don't often get to see him. They came to visit for his party yesterday, & brought his little cousin, who is 5 months younger. They are great mates & play together in harmony, with similar tastes in games etc.

I think the hit of SG's gifts, was a cowboy hat, & some guns, with spurs handcuffs, a Sherriff badge & some gun holsters. Both boys just loved them. They capered around playing all sorts of games, & generally had a really great time. Our daughter does not really approve of 'guns'. But you can't stop little boys from liking them. They will make them out of fingers, or sticks, if there are no 'real' ones.

It was a warm fine day, but the flies were vicious, & swarming. When a breeze came up that chilled aging bones, it was decided we would go indoors. Which had mixed blessings. There was music playing. Paternal Grandfather said to his son, "Your taste in music has mellowed!" Son replied, "It is not my music!! It is J's" DJ then said she chose it because it was about our era, so she knew we would like it. Which was very considerate.

The level was a tad too loud for me, & I fiercely resisted the urge to get up & reduce the volume! I find conversing against a competeing noise is very tiring. A sign of getting old I suppose.

I was utterly disgusted with myself for forgetting my camera, so dont have one photo to show! I am hoping the other grandparents, who took quite a few, will send me some copies.

Paternal Grandfather is a computer fan. He told us he has now got a laptop, & can sit out in their lounge with Paternal Grandmother, his wife, & play on the computer. PM doesn't like the computer at all, & doesn't understand how he can be so besotted.

The situation is somewhat similar here, but I don't have a laptop. Gom declares I have chairs growing from certain regions of my body! He fails to understand the fascination. When I wake him early in the morning with gales of laughter, he just shrugs, rolls over, & goes back to sleep. I have tried to interest him, but he gets impatient.

I suspect it must be quite common in marriages now. One partner is completely hooked, while the other is not a bit interested?

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Gom has taken quite an interest in food for gatherings, & if we have friends around, will organise some nibbles. It used to fall to me to do all the foodie type things, & I am quite happy for him to display his flair, now.

He is an excellent Asparagus Roll maker, & these seem to have been a hit with our Aussie friends, who had previously never had them. Sorry, I don't have a photo, I should have taken one yesterday, before we went off to the party, as they were a great hit again, & PG & PM had not had them before, or even seen them.

We used to go out for dinner a lot with friends when we were younger, & I loved to try new foods. I would come home & try to recreate the dish, then inivte friends around to see what they thought. DJ does that too, & she is really good at nailing the sauces.

We dont get out so much these days, & eating in food courts can be quite fraught. Having to watch young children who seem to regard their nose as a snack box can be very off-putting to a dining experience. Also watching blubber being added to lard, can be disconcerting.

Just as distressing to me, is watching the skeletal, &/or chubby, young things who 'delicately' pick at morsels of their food with their fingers, poking small bits into their mouths. What is that? Are they not taught it is rude to eat with your fingers? Do they imagine they are being 'dainty'?

It is as if the thin, are afraid they might put on a few kilos by using a fork. The chubby pretend they are really only small eaters, their size belying their actions. A fork would be gobbling??

I think I prefer to watch the giant lad wolfing his food as if he is never going to encounter another meal! The elderly who eat with gentle steady pace, carefully holding their knife & fork correctly, until their plate is quite clean.

When you grow up being told not to waste, & not to 'be greedy' you tend to develop a slower pace. I suspect now that so many people eat off their knees in front of the TV, table manners are becoming a thing of the past? We, too, are guilty of snacking off a tray. But for family gatherings, the table with the full cultery, plus china & trimmings are nice.

Do manners still count? I feel sorry for the kids who don't have the chance to learn table manners.

Rod Stewart, Fool for You.