And Sunday morning...

13th Nov.

11.00 Nashelle is washing clothes.

12.00 Nashelle is washing clothes

1.00 Nashelle is washing dishes. And clothes.

1.30 Nashelle takes bag of dirty duvet covers up the lane. Asks her mother if she will wash them, hide them or bin them. Nashelle's father says the apple tree is ready for planting. He has asked Son1 to dig a hole last week. Nashelle says she will tell Son1 to get digging. Father says, don't 'tell' him to do it - ask him.

1.45 Nashelle asks Son1 if he will dig a hole eighteen inches by two foot. Son1 one has just got out of bed and is searching the house for a ethernet cable. Nashelle gets emotive: Your Grandfather wants you to do it.

2.00 Nashelle is in garden wondering where to dig the hole.

2.15 Nashelle's father plants apple tree. Now there are six trees and a large bush. Much better than a plain lawn that no one ever uses, Nashelle says. We always sit on the patio, she says. In a planter is a tree with red leaves. Nashelle's father takes a leaf. He will identify it from his book. he says not to plant the tree in the garden until spring.


3pm Nashelle is cooking. She wonders if cooking Chicken Tonight is allowed at this time of the day. Cat2 is crying for food. Nashelle is practising ignoring Cat2 by pretending the constant mewling is the trickle of water in a Japanese fountain. Cat2 wonders why, if Nashelle is in the kitchen, it isn't being fed.

4.15 Son2 gets out of bed. Husband comes home from work. Husband notices new tree and says how he prefers to lie on the lawn in summer rather than sit on the patio. This is the last tree, he says. Nashelle looks at tree with red leaves and thinks 'sure...'

5.00 Nash family sit at dining table to eat. Son1 wolfs dinner - it is really his breakfast because it's the first thing he's eaten today. Son2, who is in his dressing gown, complains that the chicken on his plate is 'leftovers' and tastes foul. Nashelle argues that chicken is fresh but Son2's delicate palate knows this is chicken that has been cooked and frozen. Husband says Son2 would be no good in the jungle.

5.10 Nashelle announces that she is not doing the washing up. Husband says he's done eight hours work today so he isn't washing up either. Sons1 darts upstairs. Son2 goes to kitchen for biscuits.

***

8pm Nashelle is watching X Factor and knitting jumper with a duck on front. Husband is providing voice over for each contestant.
8.10 The lights dim and Nashelle knows someone has gone in the shower.

8.30 The light is still dim. Husband goes upstairs to see who is taking so long. Nashelle hears Husband shouting about not being able to afford food. Lights brighten. Husband comes back to the sofa, says Son2 has no sense and was running shower to fill bath.

9.00 The lights dim. Nashelle goes upstairs. She needs a wee and can't wait any longer. She also wants to know why the shower is back on. The bath is empty. Son2 is now having a shower. The bath water went cold so he couldn't wash he says.
The bathroom floor is a swimming pool. Nashelle leaves bathroom door open. Son2 slams door. Husband growls and goes to wash dishes for something to do.

10.30. Nashelle has finished sewing duck cardigan together. She gets a drink of water. Cooker is still covered in pots and pans. Sink drainer is full of food scraps and greasy water. She leaves it there.

That night Nashelle dreams she is walking up a country lane heading back to Caerphilly. She meets Shirley who used to go to the spiritualist church riding a bicycle in the opposite direction. Nashelle says, I wish I had my bike. Shirley rides away and then the next minute she rides back with Nashelle's bike. Nashelle is surprised Shirley is so quick.
Shirley takes Nashelle to someone's house, where they have tea. Nashelle wants to leave but doesn't know how she will manage to ride a bike and carry the small child that has just appeared. She considers catching the ferry but it costs £35 and she thinks that is expensive just to go home. She doesn't fancy riding back up the lane in the dark on her own with a child.