We were sitting in Tilleys eating potato wedges and there happened to be Darryl Braithwaite doing a soundcheck. He's somewhat grey now but still of golden tonsils.

"Well there you go, Mumsy. You come here for coffee and you get a free concert."

"Yes! I've seen him before. In the Sherbert days. And so have you! In utereo. You were rockin' along in there with a rhythmic kick."

"Well, howzat."

Now that Rhi is teaching classes, she's bonding with the Mothership on a whole new level. She's tough but the students love her, they call her Miss even though she's their age or younger. Mum had proud tears in her eyes when Rhi told her that some of the kids have nicknamed her "No Mercy".

They talked about teaching styles and cirriculums and somethings and something elses. La la la. I sat quietly playing Snake on my phone, watching stray dogs out the window (why are there so many dogs in Lyneham?).

I eventually butted in to say, "I have a staple remover. It is yellow and shiny."

Then it was out to Gold Creek for The Chicken Shop. It has other crafty ye old homewares but for the Mothership it is primarily The Chicken Shop. We hid in the car while she picked up her layby. A patchwork Santa doll, a patchwork Snowman doll and a framed chicken painting. She unwrapped her purchases on the hood of the car, hopping from one foot to the other, shouting through the windscreen, "Look at his cute little carrot nose! Look at that stitching! Don't you wish it was Christmas now so we could hang these up?"

"No."

On the way back we were updated on The Continuing Saga Of The Lack Of Toilets At The School (official title) which she claimed, "would make a great story for your website" however I don't think kindergarten kids with crossed legs and pained expressions queuing up for Port-A-Loos is that interesting.

Finally we heard the sad tale of a friend who is taking care of an ailing mother. The old duck has had an operation for every bit of her body and the daughter has had to drive her to the hospital and nurse her back to health every time, while the other two sibilings haven't lifted a finger.

"Well that's bloody slack. Why aren't the others helping?"

"Oh I don't know. They're good for nothing. She's doing it all!"

"I hope she'll be rewarded for her good deeds!"

"In the next life, you mean?"

"Nooo, in her mother's will!"

"Shauna! She is doing it for the love of her mother!"

"Well, I'm not sure that would be enough incentive for me!"