spirals; repetitions

[kaberett]

Today, my mother posted me a package containing some onion sets and some seed Charlotte potatoes and -- probably -- some other bits and bobs.

Today, I put together a package for my mother containing caraway seeds, and poppy seeds, and sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds, and a wee tub of sourdough starter. (It needs taking to a parcel post box; that trip is probably going to be combined with picking up my latest prescription from the pharmacy and is almost certainly not going to be made by me.)

Back in the 70s and 80s, my Großmutti was living in Cornwall and her mother, Grausi, was living, still, in Austria. At that point it wasn't really possible to get, in the UK or at least that part of it, poppy seed or vanilla sugar or any of a number of other small comforts that make your connections and your continuities feel a bit less tenuous.

Which is how it came to pass that Grausi would post, across the Iron Curtain, packages containing anonymous (but highly scented) white powder, and poppy seeds that probably weren't a drug precursor, and--

-- and here I am, posting my mother food, and having her post food to me.

Comments

[kaberett]

apologies! I was being more figurative than strictly accurate -- my mother also spent some time studying the violin in Vienna and getting kicked out of lodgings on 0 notice for being Obviously A Spy, so...!

[steorra]

Ah!

Thanks for the explanation.