The Warming of the Cockles

We were watching tv after supper when we heard a beeping. As the scene changed, we realized that the beeping was occurring in our house and not in the story.

It was the microwave. After more frantic beeping, the poor thing gave up the ghost.

That was on Wednesday, so on Thursday we nosed about online to see what we could see, but it was a bit confusing.

We recalled that Danica has an employee discount from her parttime job at Canadian Tire, which is a good Canadian store with which to deal. That store, by the way, sells much more than tires.

Danica decided that she would pick us up at 1 o'clock or so on Friday and take us where we needed to go. She drove over here but switched to our car where she felt that grampa, with the bad back, would be more comfortable.

First things first, though. We went to the Blue Spoon Atelier for scones and coffee.

Sue and I had scouted the microwaves at Canadian Tire in the morning, so Danica, with a little assist from me as the ladies are very concerned about my back issues, got the appliance loaded onto a cart, and we were soon paid and, on our way.

Danica soon had the microwave set up and working.

Here's the thing. Sue and I could have managed on our own although with some difficulty, but the kid stepped in and willingly took the lead role for the afternoon.

After that, she sat and talked with us for quite some time.

Danica is a really good kid that reminds me of Sue, who has always been the type to reach out and be generous and helpful and an all-round good person who both likes and is liked by people.

She warms my cockles, I tells ya.

The phrase "cockles of the heart" refers to the core of one's being, often used to express feelings of contentment or warmth. It is derived from the resemblance of the closed shell of a cockle to a heart, suggesting a metaphorical connection between the heart and the emotional state. The idiom has been used since at least the 17th century, with the expression "warm the cockles of the heart" meaning to evoke feelings of happiness or joy.