Forty-Two
"Mum," said Emily in tones of utter pathos, "I have no socks. And Gareth has no socks. Please may we borrow some of yours?"
I have mentioned the important topic of socks on this blog before, though not for some considerable time. So just in case you live in a different sock universe from the one I have the misfortune to inhabit, I'll just tell you briefly that, in our world, socks begin life with us in neat pairs but after a very short time half of them have faded from black to either a reddish-brown or a greenish-brown. The other half have vanished completely. We think that there may be destructive Sock Demons living in our house.
But hey! I'm on holiday, so I wasn't going to get stressed about it. Even though Emily was doing an expression guaranteed to melt any mother's heart. And this expression, practised daily since the age of three, should really fail to work when done by someone aged nearly nineteen.
Being on holiday gives you time. In my usual life, I am always planning ahead, rushing to get things done, rushing to fit things in. I know I'm lucky in that I love my work, but sometimes I just wish I could sloooooooow down a bit.
But here, in Tenby, I've slowed down. I have enjoyed just looking at the views of cliffs, and seabirds, and sea (oh yes, and taking photographs of them too). I have enjoyed watching swallows skimming over the beach, catching insects. I've enjoyed exploring Manorbier Castle, and Tenby Museum. And, especially, I've enjoyed swimming in the sea, and splashing over the waves.
Also, I've had time to buy things in Tenby that I'd never think to buy in Leeds. I haven't owned a watch for about two years, because I've never happened to think to buy one at a time when I've been near a watch shop. But here, it was easy, and I bought one. And at the crafts centre in mid-Wales on the journey down, I bought a lovely leather belt to keep my jeans up (and if you think that this is a very subtle way of boasting that I've lost weight - - - yes, you're right).
Now, I know that The Great Sock Problem cannot be easily solved. I know that Douglas Adams may not have been entirely correct when he stated, in that seminal scientific work "The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" that the secret of Life, the Universe and Everything is Forty-Two.
But I'm ON HOLIDAY and my normally thoughtful, careful attitude to everything has been replaced by one of devil-may-care flippancy.
I went to a shop with a sale on and bought forty-two pairs of identical black socks. That should set the Sock Demons a challenge.
I have mentioned the important topic of socks on this blog before, though not for some considerable time. So just in case you live in a different sock universe from the one I have the misfortune to inhabit, I'll just tell you briefly that, in our world, socks begin life with us in neat pairs but after a very short time half of them have faded from black to either a reddish-brown or a greenish-brown. The other half have vanished completely. We think that there may be destructive Sock Demons living in our house.
But hey! I'm on holiday, so I wasn't going to get stressed about it. Even though Emily was doing an expression guaranteed to melt any mother's heart. And this expression, practised daily since the age of three, should really fail to work when done by someone aged nearly nineteen.
Being on holiday gives you time. In my usual life, I am always planning ahead, rushing to get things done, rushing to fit things in. I know I'm lucky in that I love my work, but sometimes I just wish I could sloooooooow down a bit.
But here, in Tenby, I've slowed down. I have enjoyed just looking at the views of cliffs, and seabirds, and sea (oh yes, and taking photographs of them too). I have enjoyed watching swallows skimming over the beach, catching insects. I've enjoyed exploring Manorbier Castle, and Tenby Museum. And, especially, I've enjoyed swimming in the sea, and splashing over the waves.
Also, I've had time to buy things in Tenby that I'd never think to buy in Leeds. I haven't owned a watch for about two years, because I've never happened to think to buy one at a time when I've been near a watch shop. But here, it was easy, and I bought one. And at the crafts centre in mid-Wales on the journey down, I bought a lovely leather belt to keep my jeans up (and if you think that this is a very subtle way of boasting that I've lost weight - - - yes, you're right).
Now, I know that The Great Sock Problem cannot be easily solved. I know that Douglas Adams may not have been entirely correct when he stated, in that seminal scientific work "The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" that the secret of Life, the Universe and Everything is Forty-Two.
But I'm ON HOLIDAY and my normally thoughtful, careful attitude to everything has been replaced by one of devil-may-care flippancy.
I went to a shop with a sale on and bought forty-two pairs of identical black socks. That should set the Sock Demons a challenge.
posted by Daphne at 6:04 pm
7 Comments:
42 pairs of socks !! Are you mad, woman ?
Actually I have photographic evidence that you are, as I saw you leaping up and down, waving your arms above your head on the Tenby webcam an hour ago.
I've rung the local police who are on the lookout for a thin, camera wieldling sockophile.
Oh dear! What will the rest of the villagers do for socks as you've acquired them all? Your lovely daughter apparently has the look that mine gives her father when she wants or needs something ;)At least there are enough socks for a week.
"I bought a lovely leather belt to keep my jeans up (and if you think that this is a very subtle way of boasting that I've lost weight - - - yes, you're right)."
Lovely writing Daphne - gentle self-deprecating humour which - now checking my handy syllabus - entitles you to a Grade A for your original writing. Please see me in my room after school for extra coaching.
What you have to do *now* is have two drawers for keeping them in. Take them to wear out of drawer A and put them back after washing in drawer B. Then when A is empty of socks, swap over.
This way you may hope to avoid the otherwise inevitable scenario in which you glance down and realise you're wearing a sock that's been washed once and a sock that's been washed twenty times ;-)
Julie
Can you not train them to wear the same ones for a week at a time, Daphne? ;) (Joking!)
Someone's Mother once asked him to collect dirty laundry from his room, and he did so. Someone's Mother then searched the room, finding twenty nine socks hiding under the bed.
Someone's Sister also seems to harbour a Sock Demon, as Someone's Sister also seems to suffer frequent socklessness.
Nature or nurture - discuss.
We have underpants gnomes here....don't even ask!
Post a Comment
<< Home