Have a Cuppa with Shirley (or Martin)

Hello, come in! Vera's been up for a visit and left me a nice jar of raspberry jam and some clotted cream.  I could fix you a cream tea if you like. Have a seat then, I won't be a minute.

Well, you're probably thinking that I'm a bloody fool, aren't you? You
know what they say about the best laid plans...It's not my fault, really.
Who would have known that Emma had twisted John so tightly around
her finger that he'd lie for her? Because that's what he's doing, you know. John's a nice boy, he is, not one to get mixed up with drugs. If it wasn't for her, he'd not even know how to spell cannabis.  But she's got him perjuring himself, she has, just like that Clinton. So now she's living free and easy, and he's facing the law.  It isn't fair.

Well, at least he's thinking of coming here to live. Wants to work with Martin, helping with the garden. Once he's back with us, we'll soon sort him out.  He just needs some time to think through what's important.  Not all the lies that she's been feeding him. And it will do Martin some good to have some help around. He's not getting any younger you know. Truth is, neither am I, but I'm not one to complain, am I?

At least that fool friend of Mr. Tinsley's has gone home.  Got tired of a cold bed, I guess, and decided to come clean with his wife. She's a fool for having him back, if you ask me, but as he's out of my kitchen, I shan't complain.   Martin took quite a liking to him--sent him off with a basket of asparagus and another of strawberries, he did. Silly sausage.

These young people and their drugs.  Silly really. All we ever had was tea and the odd drop of gin. Still young people today, you can't tell them anything, can you?