We tried out a new toddler group, Edward and I, on Thursday morning. It wasn't brand new, but just new to us and had the advantage of being in the morning as ones in the afternoon never seem quite to work out.
I was a bit apprehensive as it was at the Bethseda Evangelical church and evangelism is not my cup of tea. My fears, I thought, were realised when it started with a 'happy clappy' singing session: but I told myself that the children love singing anyway (Edward certainly enjoyed it - early brain-washing perhaps) and if you're going to a group which has been organised by and in a church, then it's fair enough to have a bit of bible bashing. And in fact it was very short and as I have had all the children christened and am not a stranger to church services myself, I didn't really mind. Is it perhaps that I'm embarrassed to admit to being at all religious?
It took me right back to when Alex was a toddler and I was pregnant with and then on maternity leave with Isabella, and we used to go to the Methodist church in Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, for a baby and toddler group. It did seem a bit strange that a church hall was being used for a group which appeared to have no association with the church whatsoever. That seems so long ago now: it was, of course, about 6 years ago. So much seems to have happened in that time, the two big things being moving to Cumbria and having Edward. We've already been here 4 years - we were only 4 years in Bristol. It feels like home here whereas we spent a long time trying to get away from Bristol: David would certainly have left sooner if we'd had the opportunity. Even working at NWDA now seems distant, particularly with everyone else leaving and the office gradually emptying, and yet it's only a year I was last there, heavily pregnant, for the Christmas lunch.
To return to the baby and toddler group. It was one of the nicest of such groups I've been to, not that I'm that experienced. Snacks were provided for the children and a cup of coffee and a chocolate biscuit for the Mums, and we had to do no clearing up whatsoever, which I thought was great - especially for the small sum of £1.50. Both other groups I've been to have involved the Mums doing all the clearing up and tidying away, and at the one in Bristol you used to have to take it in turns to man the payment desk, do the coffees, or do the washing up. This one has an army of grandmas and grandpas who organise and run it, even down to opening the gate for you to get in and out! Singing a few religious songs and saying a prayer is indeed a small price to pay.
And tomorrow we're off to the Remembrance Day service at Hayton as I promised Edward the vicar and Alison his wife I'd help with Sunday school.
As a complete contrast - from the religious to the corporeal - today we went to Penrith to do our weekly shop at the new Sainsburys. It was so much nicer than going to smelly old, non-tax paying Tescos, and better than Morrisons which always seems to me somehow a bit yellow, as if it was ageing. Not surprisingly for a new store which hasn't yet built up to its full customer numbers, there appeared to be an excessive number of staff: a man to help us get the car park ticket; a woman to make sure we didn't go wandering off up the travelator instead of into the store (at least, I think that's what she was doing: later the children had a ride up the travelator and down again); and people raising money for a girls' football team packing bags. There was a wide range of quality produce on sale (it will be interesting to see what we think of the fruit and vegetables in a few days' time) and I got very tempted by the children's and baby clothes, especially dungarees for Edward which would be such a good idea as his trousers fall down when he's crawling around but if he has bare knees they get a bit red and sore and also his legs get cold. I did resist but I might go back when I have some money. It's always difficult to resist nice things for the children, especially when you feel that they 'need' them.
We still went to Cranstons to get our meat however. It's a while since I've been in the extended one (extended two years ago now) opposite my old office but it was good to see that it was very busy and - without meaning to sound too snobby - seemed to be full of middle class (and above?) people. There was an air, I felt, of 'recession be damned'. There were lots of samples to try as well so we all had a selection of mince pie, three types of sausage meat stuffing, Cumberland sausage and various pies. Edward particularly seemed to like mince pie and the sausagemeat with apple.
Isabella was her normal embarrassing self by chatting to the check out lady and telling her how much she liked all the samples. She then spoilt it by telling her we'd just been to the new Sainsburys.... It's like being out with my mother, who has frequently over the years embarrassed my sister and myself by chatting to complete strangers - usually shop assistants - about things they are probably not the slightest bit interested in. I remember one time being in a shop in Wedmore, pregnant with Alex, and my mother patting my stomach and saying something to the shop lady about my not being married (we were looking for wedding outfits) but that 'it seemed to be the way of things nowadays'.
I'm sure I'll be just as bad, if I'm not already - I'm quite capable of chatting away to people and telling them all sorts of things about myself and my children. I shall get my own back on Isabella when she's older....
No comments:
Post a Comment