Monday, May 08, 2006

Patio Pigs

Sorry for the absence. We've had a good friend staying this weekend, a friend of the just-like-family easy-to-be-with wouldn't-mind-if-I-did-blog-all weekend type, with whom - of course - I wanted to spend time. So, not much blogging.

She's just finished 4 years training in Ayurvedic health and medicine (in London and India), and is in the process of setting up her own business in Jersey, Channel Islands. This is a big life-change for her, she's worked so hard at it - I'm sure she will be very successful and wish her every luck. I hope to be adding a link to her website soon. She's a lovely lovely person and it was a joy to have some time with her.

We spent time together eating, (not much drinking, she is mostly teetotal (though thats not an ayurvedic thing) [but she did bring me some duty-free gin, {a double-pack!!!} what a good friend!]) (losing track of my brackets here) shopping , finding bargains at the car-boot sale, gardening a bit, fixing the guinea-pig run {they escaped again on Saturday - no more, they now have a Fort Knox Run}, chatting a lot, doing a jigsaw puzzle. A woman after my own heart. Apart from the not-drinking thing, obviously.

On Sunday we all went into Greenwich for lunch, the weather (contrary to my weather-pixie's information) (she's been lying again today) was gorgeous, so here are some pics.

Greenwich Park is beautiful, very green now Spring is finally here, quiet and restful even when full of people:





A bunch of pigeons (I'm sure thats not the correct collective noun) (a squawk of pigeons?)(a pie of pigeons?) roosting, bizarrely, in a bank of heather:

Wonderful trees:

The building in the foreground (below) is the Queens House and the Maritime museum.
Behind that, with little domes, is the Royal Naval College - where I work! Yes, I do feel privileged to work in such wonderful surroundings.


LG spent much of Sunday morning customizing this T-shirt.

We ate at a favourite and particularly excellent all-you-can-eat Vietnamese restaurant (didn't think to take any pics, sorry, not very blog-mindful) and then wandered around Greenwich market (re which, see this) eating too many pick'n'mix sweets bought from the traditional sweet shop which is located too close for comfort to where we work. They have so many sweets there from my childhood, which I'd forgotten all about. Not the very same sweets, from my childhood, you understand. (i hope you understand). That would be pretty unpalateable.

They have not only Victory V's - but also rosie rosy apples, those necklaces made of sweets, rhuarb and custard sweets - and Sweet Tobacco - do you remember that? I'd forgotten all about it. It tasted of coconut if I remember rightly. The jar was almost empty, so there is clearly still a market for it! They should sell rice-paper Rizlas to go with it. Then Trac and Le Chat could switch from whatever they smoke, to those.
I don't think/supppose you can buy those sweetie cigarettes any more, not at all p.c.

We then returned home and discovered that the guinea pigs had escaped.

Again.
There are a number of gripping, tension-filled stories lurking behind that "Again".

Fortunately they don't usually go far, we've only once or twice had to clamber over neighbours' fences (usually in twilight) in search of the little blighters. These days they seem to stay in our own garden and are fairly easily retrieved. Tho' they can move surprisingly fast when they want to.

So, whilst we fixed their run, LG DC entertained them - actually no, was entertained by them - on the patio. They are such funny, and really quite endearing, little creatures. They make gentle, warbling, burbling little chirrupy noises to each other and do little bunny hops when happy. They spent the first 10 minutes or so darting between pots and finding corners to hide in.

Aren't they a handsome couple?

They then began to explore more widely....

They love this little house, which was bought for us them by a friend who, I think, didn't realise how big they are. There really is not room for both of them inside...

but that doesn't stop them trying.




Silly pigs!

If they manage to escape from their newly-reinforced run, we will have to think about installing searchlights and barbed-wire. Stalag Cavey ? or PigDitz? or BelGuineaMarsh?

18 comments:

Jay said...

I am so envious about everything above and so delighted with everything below. Those guinea pigs are big!

Tanya said...

Awww what a sweet Blog, I felt all gooey inside reading that and seeing greeenwich... and look at LG can't wait to see her... and those sweets, and greenwich...

Molly Bloom said...

How absolutely lovely. Those guinea pigs are so cute trying to fit into that little house. It's really, really lovely.

My anonymous stalker is now following me onto other blogs whilst commenting, so don't be alarmed if you get some nasty anon comments. I won't give up. I am strong as a bull!

Identikit said...

Yes that was so lovely. I feel like a new person after reading that. I love guinea pigs. Ours escape too but the cat hunts them out and rounds them up.

lettuce said...

Sorry Tat.
}:o{

Should have put a link of some kind for ayurveda - its traditional Indian medicine. Its getting a bit more of a profile in the UK recently - the Body Shop and Boots even have some ayurvedic products.

I love the image of Shearer round up the guinea pigs - so s/he (sorry, can't remember) can be trusted not to eat them? how sweet. A guinea-shepherd-Chat.

grumpy old woman said...

Ooooh - what a lovely blog - containing Sweet Tobbacco (which I too had forgotten about) and sweet guinea pigs' bottoms!

I miss Greenwhich - I feel a visit to London coming on. Over the weekend I was asked if I would be "best woman" at my friend's wedding in July - so maybe that's when I could fit it in? There are so many people that I haven't seen in ages.

~(:o})=

ramblingwoman said...

Lovely pigs Lettuce! Great image of them doing their 'happy dance'!

Sounds like you had a great weekend. What was the puzzle?

G.C. PHILO said...

Very cute pigs! Sounds like you had a really adventurous weekend - except for the whole teetotal thing!

lettuce said...

She doesn't drink, but that didn't stop me! (well, she did have one glass of wine to keep me company).

Trying to cut down a bit tho', I did leave half a bottle for the next day (pats herself on the head)

ramblingwoman said...

No, no you have to vicariously drink for me and le chat. Or is Tat doing that?

The fabric of my life said...

Lovely blog Lettuce :-) Who would want to spend all weekend blogging when you have such a lovely friend to stay? Sweet tobacco, yum, I remember it well. Beautiful pictures of Greenwich Park, wasn't the weather divine this weekend? Those funny pigs and their fat bottoms. They did make me laugh :0)

Identikit said...

Shearer is a "she" cat, daughter of Trevor funnily enough. I must tell Shearer's story one day. It is quite funny.

I just love those pigs. Ours are fat too and they jump and squeak and ah . . .

Anonymous said...

Great play by play of the little pets...Didnt go to the park in Greenwich...but stood like a dorky tourist at the meridian line!

joyce said...

Holy pigs! those are the cutest- makes me want to add to the zoo!

Onyx said...

They are too adorable!!!! That's quite a nice setup they have too. I love the pics, very green, not at all like AZ. lol

Glad you had fun. :-)

ramblingwoman said...

looking at your pics again. I spy an escholzia (sp?). sob sob, boo hoo.

I think we will have to lots of garden visits this summer Lettie! Beth Chatto's this half term? What say you?

Gretel said...

What adorable guinea pigs...who could resist them?

Sweet cigarettes are now Pc-ly reclassified as 'candy sticks', as sold in small grocers like Co-op and Spar. And I don't think you get little cards in them anymore. :(

Sweet tobacco is alive and well and can be found on vintage sweetie sites like

http://www.aquarterof.co.uk/acatalog/Sweet_Tobacco.html

http://www.thepinksugarmouse.com/SWHHSWTO

I am drooling at the very thought...

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