Jungle Drums

I went out for a few hours with Youngest Daughter and on our return found a card on the doormat, with my name on it, from a local florist stating they'd tried to deliver flowers, received no reply, so had left them with a neighbour. Two thoughts immediately went through my head:

1. Who the hell has sent me flowers? It's not my birthday or any other event
2. Oh shit, I have to talk and be polite to a neighbour

Let me explain something. We moved here ('here' being what's described as a large village) approximately four years ago. Our house is one of only a few in the road and with the exception of one neighbour across the way, the rest are, how can I put it, un-neighbourly. Extremely un-neighbourly in one case.

Were the flowers left with the one neighbour who's decent? Of course not. They were left with a neighbour who's very friendly with the Extremely Unpleasant Neighbour. Sigh.

So, taking a deep breath, off I trotted. As soon as I knocked on the door, their dog immediately went into one, attacking the side gate in it's attempt to get at me to savage my ankles, shoes, jeans or whatever it could get to (small dog, big chip on it's shoulder syndrome). The neighbour eventually opened the door - it took so long I started thinking 'they're my effing flowers and I'm not leaving til I get them'. She greeted me like I was popping in for coffee. Huh? This from a woman who totally blanks us if passing in the street. Whatever.

At this point I decided to have a tiny bit of fun. Seeing as there's only a few other houses, they're all aware of what happened to Significant Other and when. I'd spotted the card amongst the flowers and had a bet with myself that she'd looked to see what it said and find out who they were from. As she passed them to me, I told her I didn't have a clue who or why I'd been sent them and gosh, how exciting and intriguing it was. I thanked her for taking them in for me (see? I can do polite) and went back home.

Reading the card made me laugh. A lot. As soon as I read it I knew they were from Eldest Daughter who lives in Australia. However, all it said on the card was 'Love love love love xxxxx'.

That'll get the jungle drums a-beating the wrong rhythm!