Nell: I see you’re featuring Nigel again.
Me: He’s visiting.
Nell: He’s monopolising Kev. He shouldn’t be doing that.
Me: He and Kev are very close, Nell. He calls him ‘Uncle’.
Nell: Uncle?
Me: Yes.
Nell: Uncle Kev?
Me: No. Just ‘Uncle’.
Nell: I don’t like it.
Me: Well, you’re going to have to lump it because that’s the way it is.
Nell: Lump it?
Me: Put up with it. Charles Dickens used the phrase in ‘Our Mutual Friend’ in 1864 but it was popular before then.
Nell: I don’t need a history lesson.
Me: I thought you might be interested.
Nell: How was Manuel’s Spaghetti Bolognese?
Me: Delicious and the grated Parmesan was amazing.
Nell: Don’t be silly. Parmesan is never amazing.
Me: Malcolm grated it beautifully.
Nell: We had corn dogs.
Me: Corn dogs? I’m afraid I don’t like them very much.
Nell: Neither do I.
Me: May I ask why?
Nell: I don’t like the taste.
Me: No. Why you had corn dogs?
Nell: Poppy was too busy line dancing to bother cooking and she said they were appropriate.
Me: Oh dear.
Nell: Quite. Anyway, I’m not wearing a cowboy hat today.
Me: Good to know.
Nell: What are your plans?
Me: It’s raining which is delightful so I think I’m going to have a mooching around sort of day.
Nell: Sounds good.
Me: I never thought I would be happy to see rain but I really am.
Nell: We all are.
Me: Is it raining up there?
Nell: No, but I know it’s raining down there for you and that’s all that matters to me.
Me: Apart from not having corn dogs again for dinner.
Nell: Obviously.
Me: Or a big bowl of beans.
Nell: Stop.
Me: Or a Son-Of-A-Gun stew.
Nell: That’s enough.
Me: Sorry.
