Monday 8 August 2011

Making yoghurt in secret

You will have to forgive me. I have been awake since 3 o'clock this morning, and up and dressed since 5.

Just before dawn this morning, I heard what sounded like a load of Rumanian Gypsies shouting, arguing and swearing at each other, right under my bedroom window of our compact but adorable city apartment.

Then, at about 5.00 a.m., I was awoken again after about 3 minutes sleep by every wing of the emergency services, parked outside with flashing lights on, and generally acting professionally.

I looked out to see that they had cordoned off the street by the river with yards of police tape, and so I got up to see if I could work out what was going on.

Asking the police is about just as informative as asking a passing dog, so I did not bother. I later found out that - somehow - a 23 year old girl had been trapped under the wheels of a delivery lorry at 5 this morning, sustaining what the police later described as 'life-threatening or life-changing injuries' and is now in Frenchay Hospital. I hope she recovers, and I hope her family are bearing up.

I cannot be as tired as them, even though I have been wandering around sleepless for many hours now. I bet they will wander around sleepless for quite a few years to come.

Some utter bastard wrote to our local newspaper to enquire as to why the road had to be closed for 9 hours, implying that it was due to police incompetence in their forensic inquiries as to the cause of the accident, also suggesting that his life had been made unnecessarily difficult due to the 900 yard detour he was forced to make today.

He is ( as I implied in a letter to the newspaper website) what we in the trade describe as a 'complete and utter shit'.


11 comments:

  1. ive been up since 7am sunday morning!

    lightweight!

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  2. Maybe, but you were getting paid for it - probably looking after the sort of person that gets trapped under lorries outside my house, John. Money well spent, I say. Give you a rise, I say.

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  3. I was looking after a little old man with sepsis
    who is the uncle of an old friend.... very weird!
    and yes more money!! NOW

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  4. I'm out of the loop. I thought that you were going to share a famous recipe or something. Now I'm all confused and wondering if rings of red bell pepper really make a good fashion accessory (see pic). On a serious note, though, life can change in an instant, and I hope for the best for that young woman.

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  5. I see what you mean, Cro. It looks a bit like Freddie Mercury with No. 21. I typed in 'Rumanian Gypsies', and this is what came up. They know how to enjoy themselves, eh?

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  6. Re the title, Iris, it's a private joke which got a bit public - sorry...

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  7. Actually they look like a line up of my local Allotment Association (more's the pity).

    I wonder if the shouting Gypsies and the life threatening injury girl incident were connected?

    No more money for John. He only works part time as it is and wanders around the sunny countryside whilst we all graft! x

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  8. And all I do is sit up here in the Dales leading a sheltered life!

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  9. What an interesting post. I have really enjoyed reading it, despite the really disturbing situations that it brings up.
    Strange as it may seem, I have found the title post in another blog:
    http://prettyfarwest.blogspot.com/2011/08/making-yogurt-in-secret.html

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  10. My God, Olga - you're right! How spooky is that. I am going to follow prettyfarwest from now on - it looks good.

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