Bag and baggage.

Yes, last Saturday morning I was put into nursing care.

Matron was at the door, chart in hand, to take delivery of me. She asked more questions than the Leader of the opposition does during Prime Minister’s Question Time, in any house of Government!

She even asked me about my movements. NO! Not those movements, they stopped asking that question in hospitals and places of care, many a long year ago!

I have a room over looking the gardens and the other residents are friendly and very keen to interact and involve me in their activities right throughout the day.

There are regular supervised outings – Someone has to drive as I am still banned by that Nurse Hitler wan in the other place!

The meals are plentiful and nutritious and I am encouraged to play my part in the kitchen…… Some of the ingredients were a little strange to me:

Yesterday, we gathered some tomatoes and Matron decided to set me a task of doing something with them… chutney perhaps?

Now this is where I could have fun and get my own back for all this play acting at nursing homes etc. You see, I am now ensconced with my sister for a few days. Before retirement she had a career in the world of nursing.

Now back to the chutney.

We had tomatoes from the garden, home grown onions and some large cooking apples for a start and what ever was in the store cupboard. Every house I go into, the spice stash is different, so the fun begins in trying to find the right mix to suit the palate of the kitchen owner.

Out came mammy’s old soup pot and with it her spirit seemed to invade the room. We giggled and laughed right through the process of preparing & making the chutney. There were many reminders of mammy as we chided each other to mind our fingers, while chopping the onions and the apples, through tear filled eyes of laughter. The tomatoes were put in the oven to roast.

Then began the fun part….. “Will we add a bit of this?” or “Do you have any of….?” and the occasional “Ah go on, don’t be stingy, put a good dollop of that in!”

Was it nice?

It was so good that last night we ladled it over rice for dinner. I’ll be sneaking some home to put on my sandwiches (instead of butter) and for my salads or cold cuts.

Now when I manage to get a few quiet minutes (if visitors ease off a little), I’ll sit and think of what all we put in the pot, then type up the recipe, hopefully for next week. In the meantime….. here comes lunch.

The Girls:

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