Water fuss over a gutter

I went to visit my Mother today for one of our periodic family meetings. All three of us boys sat in Mums kitchen while we discussed the news and took care of some family business, signed some papers, talked about tax, that sort of thing.

One item we all had a good laugh about was the Diana Princess of Wales memorial fountain in Hyde Park coming under fire for being poorly managed. It keeps on getting shut down, people keep falling over in it, and it has proved more expensive than envisaged, running £2.2 Million over budget, and that’s just to 2004.

My mother summed up our feelings when she read the following quote from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport; “The memorial is extremely popular. It is a fitting tribute to the Princess of Wales.” Dear Mama arched a patrician like eyebrow and said; “It’s shallow and rather reminiscent of a gutter. How very appropriate.” When I pointed out the note about a new ‘Management Team’ being in place to look after the Memorial she remarked; “William, if they’d wanted to Manage concrete ditches they would be better off working for your council as Street Cleaners.”

I nearly spray painted her kitchen wall with tea when she said it. Well, you had to be there.

Now you know where my sense of humour comes from.