Straight Away

                                                                                   The Common shrew                                                                           

                                                                   

 Dear Reader,

I sometimes wonder whether the Powers that Be in the form of local Councillors and the like, have taken leave of their senses. Here is this week's absurdity.  Parkin is a cake that has been enjoyed as a Yorkshire delicacy since the 18th century.  It is made of ginger and treacle, but will it be allowed to be made in future for afternoon tea? Its international origins are being examined in a review of local cuisine launched to investigate links with the slave trade.  Labour runs Leeds City Council which will be doing the research. 

I must say I did laugh out loud, but what next I wonder?  The slave trade and Spotted Dick perhaps.

                                                                             *

Shrews are about at this time of year, their breeding season is from April to September, but peaks during the summer months.  The staple diet of a shrew is earthworms, spiders, woodlice, snails, slugs, small rodents, worms and a large array of insects including beetles.  The common shrew is always hungry, it needs to eat 80/90% of its body weight every day to survive.

In comparison to mice, shrews have a very short life span.  It is uncommon for a shrew to live more than a year.  If you are lucky enough to see a shrew you will see that they twitch and are full of busy, jerky movements.

                                                                            *

Straight Away

The cafe was painted pink,
sea shells decorated the door,
and rainbows adorned the windows.
It looked inviting.

They stepped in and sat
at a scrubbed wooden table,
ordered tea and toast,
scrambled eggs and bacon.
They were hungry.

The waitress, pretty,
dark-haired and pony-tailed
said 'straight away, no problem'.
She ran through to the kitchen.

The couple gazed for a long time
at the crabs on the walls,
the fishing nets looped on the ceiling,
the photographs of the sea, of the gulls.

But the toast, tea and scrambled eggs
didn't appear. 'Its coming straight
away', said the girl.  Later, later,
much later it was served.

As they left the cafe they agreed
that picturesque cafes are not
always as beguiling as they
appear to be.

                                                                                        *

Best wishes - Patricia.