A pleasant day today. I had the morning to myself but didn’t have much to do apart from hanging washing out and some writing.
Frank was down at the boat again and Tonya and Yurii had their English class in Settle. There was no housework to do as when we came home yesterday the place was clean and tidy. I’m not used to someone else doing these jobs - I’m rather liking this sharing of work.
When they came home at lunch time they were looking very pleased with themselves and told me a journalist had written an article about them which will be in the Yorkshire Times. I’m not sure when but it maybe this weekend.
The teacher at Craven college is a friend of the journalist and had told him about Tonya and Yurii and he asked if he could do a piece about them. How exciting for them.
We spent a lot of the afternoon chatting to Tonya, comparing life in Ukraine and in Britain. We complain a lot about our country but we are very fortunate compared to their homeland. She is very interested in the history of the UK and knows a lot about their own history.

I switched the telly on today then switched it off again - wall to wall about the Queen’s death. No other news - the Tories will be passing laws we have no say in whilst hiding behind the news reels. Apparently fracking has been passed.
We had a tiny bit of rain and then a lovely sunny afternoon. 

247/365
Polishing for Mum

I find the smell of 
Lavender Furniture Polish 
strangely comforting. 
When I was a school girl
I would feign illness
just to stay at home with Mum.
‘Funny how you feel better by 10o’clock.’
she would say, knowingly.
‘Well, don’t think you can sit around
all day, playing and colouring in.’
Then she would fetch a yellow duster
and the tin of Johnson’s Wax
and I would set to, dusting and polishing.
First the circular dining table,
then the long sleek sideboard,
until the honey brown teak shone.
Then we would have tea and toast.


Goodnight :-) X