The Birds

Stressful day today for D and as there was little I could do to help , I did the next best thing and went to town , booking myself a facial and massage on the spur of the moment . If in doubt , do something special ! And special it was , wrapped up in towels and under a blanket covered in oils and trying not to engage with the therapist about my satisfaction with my current " cleansing products " . All I wanted to do was lie there and doze but she wanted to investigate my cosmetic habits .

What do you like and dislike about your current products ?

Theyre fine . I say in a very definite " no one home " voice . Silence as she presses with her thumbs and she starts to breathe heavily . Later I discover she has some kind of problem with breathing and the session takes place with a heavy breathing in the background motif . It doesnt take long before she gets the message and realises I'm there for the massage and the hard sell is likely wasted on someone like me . Bliss.

Later I go for tea ( I have temporarily given up coffee , argh , in an attempt to cut out anything which might contribute to the migraine problem ) in John lewis , and a woman is feeding a baby sitting up in a high chair . the baby is still quite tiny , and very pink , but old enough to eat solids and indeed I notice how well she is tucking into a pot of something white . After the white pot , she eats a pink pot . I get my ginger tea and a piece of cake and sit down . Baby demolishes a pot of something greenish now . I watch in amazement . Nat was never a big eater and a quarter of a pot was her best effort even when a year old . This baby was nowhere near that age .

Green pot scraped out . There now ! says Mother happily and wipes her hand . Her friend looks on with interest . Baby looks round , as it turns out , looking for the next pot . No more ! says Mother and Baby s mouth opens in disbelief . No More ! the mouth opens and she starts to scream . I'm sorry, says Mother , looking slightly panicked . Youve had three ..... I didnt bring any more . Baby is not impressed .

I am fascinated with all this , remembering how thrilled I used to be when Nat ate anything very much . I can't recall any occasion when she asked for more than we had for her .

This afternoon , we take off to St Mary's island again . Stress cant survive long against the bashing of the waves and the seabirds , and the proppect of spotting a seal in the waves ( we didnt , this time ). A coach trip of German people arrive and it is wonderful to see them all hurrying back across the causeway and noting that the tide is threatening to cut them off . they assume we are part of their crowd and include us in the merry chatter .

L suggests we visit them for sunday tea so I buy poppy seeds and plan a cake which N has been asking for . A picnic is on the cards though the forecast is bad ... oh well a picnic in the house will have to do .