She feels that his mother's generation - who were teenagers during the war - just seem to be into play. Although she can't be sure if it's the whole generation that's like that, or just the people her mother-in-law knows.
He says he can't see what his mother is going to do in a ski resort for several months. She's going in December and coming back in February.
She says: "It's such a contrast to a normal life" adding that she too has flirted with going to live in a foreign country, but now they have babies and it isn't an option.
He says he wouldn't ask her to go. He thinks he would be bored after 2 weeks and it would get monotonous.
They debate what they (his mother and another) will do there. She suggests that they will come back in the evening, cook fish, and be alone together for the rest of the night. He speculates whether they'll be able to get fish. She says they might buy it in the village or it could be frozen. If it's frozen, he asks, why can't it be chicken. She points out it was just a metaphor and they move on.
He despairingly says his mother has never really stuck to anything.
She says: "It's such a contrast to a normal life" adding that she too has flirted with going to live in a foreign country, but now they have babies and it isn't an option.
He says he wouldn't ask her to go. He thinks he would be bored after 2 weeks and it would get monotonous.
They debate what they (his mother and another) will do there. She suggests that they will come back in the evening, cook fish, and be alone together for the rest of the night. He speculates whether they'll be able to get fish. She says they might buy it in the village or it could be frozen. If it's frozen, he asks, why can't it be chicken. She points out it was just a metaphor and they move on.
He despairingly says his mother has never really stuck to anything.
She notes his mother has had a number of jobs but didn't stay at anything for very long. She says it must be sad not to have found something in life.
They agree it's good to have friends who also have grandchildren. She says she doesn't think people without them can understand how to engage with life.
She says "I'm very fond of the RGS" (Royal Geographic Society) as they open a bag of books and leaflets. They have been to see 'Magnificent Maps' at the British Library.
They fall into silence...
[In case you were wondering... his mum is 84!].