CE20_p26_p27_Rural Idle_Ads 6/8/2009 11:33 Page 1
Column The Rural Idle
By Charlotte Shepherd
the time comes, but promise her rather a lot of late. He has now had
T
HIS autumn
will see me
that if it is too close to call then his own part of the allotment for one
slush puppies will be the whole growing season and it doesn’t
traipsing deciding factor. pain me at all to say that he has had a
around our local
As daughter looks ahead to good first year – if you like beetroot.
the next chapter in her school He quickly realised that he had a
secondary schools
life, son continues to have his way with beetroot and planted it
with an eye to
head firmly in the stars. again and again and again.
finding the right fit for a
His quest to understand life, the Our freezer is now full of the
universe and everything is relentless and crimson globes and my washing
daughter who has entered her
regular exchanges with him go something basket is full of clothes with red stains
final year of primary school.
like this: “Mum, who would I have been on them.
if I hadn’t been me?” I have scoured the Internet for
Eager to engage her in the decision-
Now there are so many different every recipe on beetroot and feel well
making process, I ask her what we might
philosophical answers that could equipped to produce a book “101
look for in a school.
surround this one question and believe things you can do with beetroot – if
“I want to look really closely at the
me they all flash through my mind. you want to”.
canteen,” daughter says.
But for some reason all I can say is But don’t be fooled into thinking
Okay, so it isn’t quite what I had in
“fish fingers or chicken?” which I realise husband is a one trick pony. To prove
mind but at least she is taking an interest.
is a shameless diversionary tactic. that he is not, he shows me the
I ask what else she might like to see,
He won’t be put off and persists, Brussels sprouts that he has been
hoping that she may be keen to check out
adding “oh and also if God created the protecting and nurturing for months
the gym or science lab.
world, who created God?” in an elaborate enclosure. “We’ll be
But daughter is already one step ahead
My head feels like it’s going to explode. eating these all winter,” he says
of me and has done her research. “I’m
I am trying to serve dinner and I feel like proudly.
going to the school that sells slush
I am being ushered into a Reich lecture. Great. I may pay close attention to
puppies,” she says.
So I do what comes naturally and send the canteens at these secondary
Realise that I will have to steer
son out for a chat with his father, who schools after all and ask daughter if
daughter away from just looking at the
enjoys a good abstract debate. she can bring me home a doggy bag.
food and beverages of the schools when
Husband has been enjoying himself
26 COTSWOLDESSENCE | SEPTEMBER ~ NOVEMBER 2009
www.cotswoldessence.co.uk
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