Breakfast

Breakfast - the quietest time of the day. I love the muslei I make with pumpkin and sunflower seeds. I soak them overnight in fruit juice so that they just start to sprout at breakfast time, crunchy but delicate with extra flavour. I chew them a little bit longer to get all the flavour. mmm. I take a big spoonful.

"Mum!"

I mumble a response. "Is it d-tunnel, that proxy?" "mm-mm", I reply, still savouring but teenage daughter blithely carries on.
"How do you spell it?"
I try to gesticulate at her that my mouth is full, but her back is turned!
"How do you spell it?" she insists as she butters her bread.
"Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mnte" (meaning "I'll tell you in a minute")) I answer hopefully, but she goes "What?"

I'm now stressed and not enjoying what remains of this poorly chewed mouthful. She doesn't get a contentful answer. I think she'll probably ask me another question so there's no point in continuing eating now, so I go and tidy and wipe the kitchen. Neither of us talk for 10 minutes. She takes my newspaper and reads it while I clear up.

Now she's gone to school, I'll go and finish breakfast in solitary peace.