Laura's Parents come for a visit.

Friday 26th September

We did the usual routine this morning but this time we weren’t almost late for Uni. The traffic was horrendous though, for some unknown reason, which probably means there was a crash somewhere which caused chaos elsewhere. I discovered there are some 17th Century embroideries on view at the Ashmolean which, I think, may require a visit – the question is do I wait for Felice to get back or do I go myself (with Loll, of course)? I e-mailed my supervisor, who is also not back yet, and asked for advice. It’s called the ‘Eye of the Needle’ but it ends on October 12th. Being in Australia all summer we have missed quite a few interesting workshops and lectures too.

We were planning on climbing on the Roches this weekend but have decided to cancel that instead as Laura’s Mum & Dad are driving down to deliver Laura’s car. It’s a Nissan Micra that her Mum & Dad have been looking after all summer. It’s 10 years old but has done hardly any miles and is immaculate. They are driving down, in convey today from Tallentire and will be staying until Sunday night. It’s the first time they have been down to see Laura at my little house and, like most West Cumbrians, they haven’t really travelled much anywhere in the country at all for pleasure. I guess this is because or Eric’s job, being a lorry driver, when he gets home he doesn’t want to travel. Brother Stephen is being farmed out to his Auntie Avril’s for the weekend as he wasn’t bothered about coming down to Sheffield, even with the promise of a football match to attend!

We have given them detailed instructions on how to get here and told them where a key is available to let themselves in. I have alerted Muriel and Ken to expect strangers at my door sometime after 1 o’clock, and who they’ll be. In order to satisfy their hunger we left some sandwiches in the fridge and put a chicken casserole in the oven to be ready for when we get in from work / uni.

We arrived to find our drive full of cars already and Eric and Molly sat on our back lawn with Muriel and Ken gossiping away like old pals, and Callie snoozing at their feet as happy as Larry. They had been here since about 2.30 and after a cup of tea had taken me up on my offer to collect the chairs from the shed and soak up the sun in my garden. That is what they did and then M & K joined them, bringing their own cuppas with them. We rolled up at about 5.45 to see that they party was in full swing. I had to apologise to M & K as there probably wouldn’t be enough chicken casserole to feed six, Muriel said it their meal was cooked they could join us if that was OK, so all six of us squashed in round my kitchen table (Ikea special) I needed to fetch a stool form the study and cellar so we could all sit.

After dinner, M & K wandered back next door and I let Laura give her folks the guided tour and show them their room for the next three nights. She explained the power shower, too. (There is a switch you have to flick to turn the power bit on; otherwise the water is just a useless dribble.) They liked the room and the house and were pleased that Laura seemed so happy and settled. They asked if all my neighbours were as nice as M & K and Laura waxed lyrical about how brilliant they all were and how we often had ad hoc parties in each other’s gardens. (We have done this several times this year already.)

We talked about Sheffield and the University and our social life. We asked if they had anything they particularly wanted to do and Molly said she’d always fancied going to Meadow Hall, so we planned on doing that in the morning and then heading for the town centre afterwards. Eric said he would mind going to Bramall Lane to see a football match, he was fine with us all asking to cry off. He would be happy just to go by himself. They are playing Gillingham tomorrow, apparently.

The rest of the evening we gossiped about all sorts and everything. They looked at Laura’s assignments from last year and were delighted by the evidence that she was heading for a first. She has repeatedly told them but I guess seeing for themselves is more reassuring.

After a bit of watching TV, something we hardly ever do. I took Callie for her last walk and then hit the charp after my shower. We did warn Molly and Eric that we both tended to shower before bedtime sothey weren’t surprised. Laura actually had hers while I was out with the dog. I guess showering together while Laura’s Mum and Dad are here could be a step too far.

Saturday 27^th September.

We had explained about the dog walking, and swimming so that M & E weren’t surprised if they woke up to an empty house. As it turned out Molly was up when I got back with Callie at 6am! Both of them were up when we returned from the pool and we had a leisurely breakfast. I said that using the Tram was the best way to get to Meadow Hall, as it avoid the traffic and parking, so at about 8.45 we headed for the Middlewood Park and Ride. By 10 we were wandering around Europe’s largest mall (allegedly).

Laura recounted the tale of Kaybers and I being incarcerated her by the security people when they caught us roller blading inside, (the third time they had caught us to be honest). I looked suitably abashed but Molly just said, “that is so typical of you, Missy.” She has known me since I was a baby, I suppose.  

We had a wander round the whole complex and looked in masses of shops. I could see mission fatigue was setting in by about 12, so we decamped to the food court for lunch. It is quite good, but not a patch on the Australian ones; as Laura was keen to point out. (It used to be me that said that, but now she’s been to Freo she can say it too.) We had our individual choices meeting up at the same table to eat. Laura and I kept guard on it while M & E selected their food as we knew already what we wanted and so could get it in minutes.

After lunch we looked round the artisan bit of the complex (by the food court) and then went back to the shops we were planning on buying from. Laura bought a brilliant top and Molly got herself some earrings. We took the tram into town and I directed Eric to Bramall Lane. I explained that if he caught the Tram back to the Middlewood park and ride after the game I would come and collect him from there.

We had a much more relaxed walk through town without a grumpy bloke around, sniffing at every stop we made to look at things. Molly liked the new Moor Market and fell in love with the Winter Gardens, where we had a mid-shop cuppa. We showed her all the places we frequented in the town centre: the Crucible and Lyceum; the Central Library (of which we are both members); Chapel Walk shopping alley and the Cathedral at the end; the Peace Gardens and finally The City Hall. This is the place we spend the most time visiting.

Molly thought the shopping centre was lovely but a hell of a sprawl and we needed some more refreshment before heading up towards the University buildings. She was surprised at how spread out that was too, and scattered rather higgledy-piggledy around the streets of Sheffield instead of being on one dedicated campus like Lancaster was. My building was open so I took her to see my broom cupboard of an office and we were able to go into the library and stun her with the views across the city. When she saw where my old MA work station was, she could see why I said I found it really distracting as I could spend ages just looking out of the window at the view.

After Uni we had a look round Broomhill and we showed her the XXX & Y building, which is also pretty impressive. She was pleased that Laura had been offered a part time job there and was scathing about the fact she was still going to work at Dominic’s as well. Laura explained how her accounting, I both time and money, made the idea of doing both practical and economically sensible too.

We got back to the car at just about the time the football match finished as Eric phoned Laura to say he was waiting at a Tram stop for the next one to Middlewood. I drove us into Oughtibridge and we piled into Dominic’s to see if we could book a table for tonight. (Something we had planned to do but had forgotten.) He went into raptures about the Bella Laura and how she was the goddess among waitresses he had known. We ended up spending so long there, Eric actually phoned to say he’d arrived at the park and ride, so I zoomed off to fetch him to Dominic’s. 

He was chipper because Sheffield United had won the game, it had been very one sided apparently and they looked like they might lose. At the restaurant Dominic congratulated him on having two angels in his family which pleased Eric no end. We arranged to zoom home, quickly get ready and be back at the restaurant at 6.30. I asked Dom if he had any of Hilmar’s wine left. He shook his head sadly but said if I wanted he would let me do a BYO with some and would charge corkage. (He knows he is getting a proper delivery from Reinhardt when the new vintage is ready.)

Changed and spruced and looking like a million dollars (even Eric scrubbed up nicely) we were back at Dom’s at the appointed time. I had the amazing chicken cacciatore which uses marsala in its recipe, the others had varying items from the menu. Dom sang my praises and that of my family in Germany for producing such bellissima wine, even though he had none left. Molly and Eric were very impressed too. Laura told them (and Dom) all about the wine tasting we had done at Margaret River and how some of the wines we had sampled there were even better than Hilmar’s.

A simple short meal took about three and a half hours, as the patron joined us for our coffee after the most delicious zabaglione (my dessert choice, anyway). He told M & E that if their daughter made as good a career in maths as she was showing as a waitress she would be truly unbelievable. I thought he was spreading it a bit thick, but he is very sincere.

Back home we showed M & E the entirety of our Australian films. We have put them onto a DVD so they can watch them whenever they want to. They were impressed by what they saw and could see just how well Laura had been accepted by everyone over there, especially the girls.

We hit the charp relatively early tonight, for a Saturday, I guess the shopping and sight-seeing had taken its toll. Callie had the long walk to make up for being in her palace for so long during the day and then alone again in the house while we were at Dom’s. I don’t think she bore a grudge. Dogs are good like that.

Sunday September 28^th.

Up a little later this morning owing to there being no swimming. Molly was still up by when I got back from the first walk with Callie. We had a long chat while the others were still zed pushing. She is pleased at how well Laura is doing at Uni and wonders if she really will get a First. I told I thought so. She had already been told she should be thinking of a Masters’ to follow it up, and students don’t get told that if they are heading for a second or third. Molly wondered about how she could finance a second degree and I was able to explain the thinking behind her job at XXX & Y.

Mrs Briggs and I had discussed what Laura might do next and she had hit on the idea that she could possibly do what I did: that is do her Masters’ as a two year part-time degree instead of the usual crammed into one year. If Laura was agreeable they could probably offer her work at XXX & Y to help cover her costs. When they did this for me, my salary for a half week’s work, for the two years, turned out to be £17,000 per annum. Molly was stunned. She wondered why Laura hadn’t said anything to them and I pointed out it had only been agreed with the golden girl herself this week. She was actually still thinking about it, and hadn’t made her mind up yet. I asked Molly not to mention it to Laura yet, just in case.

Once everyone was up and breakfasted we set off to Holmesfield, with Laura driving us in her new little car (squashing Callie in the boot space) for what turned out to be a very happy reunion indeed. Molly and Mum were a bit tearful even though they had seen each other last Christmas, when she came up to Dad’s while he was in the Antipodes! That meeting last year was the first time they had seen each other since Mum & Dad’s divorce. Mum was taking charge today and was also giving us our meal later this afternoon.

She drove us off in her car, and we spent the day doing lots of the usual touristy ‘Peak Districty’ things: Chatsworth House (I hadn’t realised how much it was to get in); Bakewell; Caudwell’s Mill; Matlock Bath. It was a whistle-stop tour of some of the best places in the Peak. We finished up in Hathersage for a brunch and a visit to Little John’s grave. Somewhere I had taken Laura before we even became a couple!

The drive back to Mum’s was a mammoth effort that took us up to Ladybower reservoir, and another stop, and then back along the edge of the Peak through Hollow Meadows and Lodge Moor and Ringinglow etc so that M & E could see how close the Peak and Sheffield actually are.

We had an enormous leg of lamb for dinner and one of my apple cakes for dessert! Eventually we departed at about 8.30 for the hour long drive across the city to my little house on the hillside. Even Callie was whacked and seemed relieved when I sent her out into the paddock behind the house instead of embarking on our usual long evening walk.

Despite the parents being across the landing and only yards away from our bedroom, we decided we just couldn’t hold back any longer and we spent a glorious session making love. This time it was Laura who was on tenterhooks that her parents might hear us, usually when we are in Cumbria, it is me in that position, wondering if we will get a surprise visit from Dad or Louisa.

If they heard us (which I doubt as we were quite careful) I bet they wouldn’t have done anything at all. We are grown women after all!