Windy, Wet, Frustrating, with Tinned Tuna!
As four* of the women in the family have birthdays in October, we generally try to get as many of the thirteen of us (plus assorted girlfriends as they feel sufficiently brave) together for at least one Saturday. This is to help us all celebrate. To help keep up with each other, cos boy are we spread wide these days. Also to keep in touch with Mum, who "will be 90 next year!"
We are still based in Portsmouth. The rest of the family have moved, some several times, generally to more and more rural areas. A few years ago Mum moved out to the village near Stroud where Sis had been based for a good few years. Sis, living the nearest to Bristol, had been the one 'on call', though we all called in regularly. I got the train (direct route) once a month. Now it's at least two trains and a bus (if you're very lucky,) taxi or ask Sis or one in her immediate family for a lift. We don't drive. Never needed to. Ain't about to start now.
I may have blogged about this recently, the way that it looks like we've stayed in the same place and they've all moved to places increasingly inaccessible by public transport; like they don't want us to visit!
Anyhew, getting there last Friday was easy, if a tad tedious because FauxGWReliablyunrealiable insists on running two coach Sprinters on routes which are regularly full when they run three coaches (eg: the Portsmouth-Cardiff trains!) Plus they insist on running them late, delaying them further and, often for no apparent rhyme or reason, cancelling what they still laughingly call 'services'.
They're laughing. They have our ticket money. We're all heartily sick of travelling like sardines; being stuck on windy platforms in the middle of nowhere with no connections, no information, no 'refreshments' because they all, being privatised, shut by 6pm, if not earlier; and 'Help Desk' Staff who ask questions like,
"Why would you want to travel from A to B via here?" This happened Sunday evening.
The reply being, "We wouldn't. We don't. But there are engineering works on the direct route this weekend (which you should know about if you're going to be of any help at all!) This is the way we were told to come when we booked our tickets. The fact that it involves four different trains, all 'run' by your incompetent company, the second of which was so late and further delayed that we pulled in just as the train we were supposed to be catching, on which we had seats reserved, pulled out. You could have delayed that one a few minutes longer. Most of your trains are When is the next train, please?"
I said 'please' because a) it (probably) wasn't his fault - for all he appeared he couldn't care less; b) it doesn't pay to antagonise those who are supposed to be helping you; c) he couldn't do anything about it anyway (apart from his less-than-sympathetic attitude); and d) he probably gets enough grief from other fed up would-be-travellers. With that attitude he possibly deserves it!
When I can find some suitably rigid stationery (see previous entry) I shall write FauxGWReliablyunreliable, the Minister for Transport, and possibly the Ombudsman for Public Transport very stiff letters. And I'm applying for refunds for our tickets. Grrrrrrrrrrr!***
Even if I've been demoted from a 'Passenger' to a 'Customer' I still expect better! BR may have been the butt of many jokes, but it was rarely this bad, routinely.
Anyway, we found a very nice boutique hotel; seven bedrooms, excellent restaurant, lovely freshly cooked food, awesome pizza baked in their wood-fired oven, friendly and helpful staff willing to stop and chat with you. The Kings Head House. Definitely recommend the place.
So we unpacked and went and spent the evening with Mum and her little black spaniel. And that was good.
We had a bath, hot water, lots of it, lots of bubbles. Small snag - it was a very clean, slippery bath, even with the bath mat. We've suggested they install some form of handles so people can lever themselves upright safely. We both managed it, but we're still (fairly) fit and mobile. Good ol' pilates! Still, I can see why people use a shower. KHH management are 'looking into it.' And they will.
We had a leisurely and delicious breakfast, then braved the wind (30mph average, much stronger gusts, courtesy of Storm Callum) and went to spend the day with Mum again. We dined at KHH. I recommend the king prawn linguini, H recommends the quattro formaggi pizza and Mum recommends the rib-eye steak. Their coffee is nice too.
Later in the afternoon, back at Mums, I got out the birthday cake, candle holders and candles I'd brought. Alas, I hadn't learned from the previous experience with S, and hadn't also brought a lighter. So we imagined the candles lit, sang 'Happy Birthday', Mum imagined blowing them out and we cut the cake.
It was a very nice cake. There's a woman recently started selling home-made cakes from a stall in Portsmouth market. Knowing I'd be busy last week, I asked her to make me a light fruit cake. She did. From high quality/organic ingredients. About 8"/20cm diameter. For £5.
I told her she was undercharging. She replied other people had called her expensive. Yes, well. Maybe compared with Aldi or Lidl. Not for what she was actually selling. Perhaps she'd do better in Romsey or Winchester markets - they have more affluent customers. Or at least people who aren't automatically comparing the excellent goods on offer with factory-made stuff from cheap supermarkets!
I did offer to take the dog for a walk before it got dark, but he wasn't having it. Lay down on his back with his paws in the air! Even though Mum was having great difficulty in the wind she had to take him. We gave her twenty minutes then got ready to go either way round the usual route just in case something had happened, at which point they turned up safe and sound, if well windblown.
The next morning the wind had dropped but by then it had blown in clouds heavy with moisture, which they were busily dropping 'cats and dogs' style. We'd checked the weather forecast, we'd taken our waterproofs - jackets and trousers. We did wonder whether welly boots might have been an idea too!
As 'twas it was a but a short walk up to the village Methodist chapel for the morning service. This Sunday it was Cafe Church - so we all sat around tables while we sang, prayed, watched a video, listened to a talk and had a go at making a fishing net - to hold tins of tuna. H and I won that particular challenge! We gave the tuna to Mum as her dog really loves tinned tuna (canned in 'spring water') occasionally.
Then back to Sis's home, where Niece produced a delectable roast dinner: chicken or lamb, Yorkshire puddings (yes, I know, but who cares) three veg, roast potatoes and gravy; followed by treacle tart or fresh fruit salad, cream optional.
By the time we'd had a hot drink after that it was time to head for the train and the cross-country trek home. As already written, it was a lovely weekend marred by railway routine mismanglement, with only a little help from Storm Callum.
The rain had ceased over dinner, by the time we left the sun was venturing out again.
By the time we actually got back into Portsmouth Storm Callum had already arrived, still full of water, and was raining heavily and steadily on the city. Thanks to a taxi we managed to get home dry, by bedtime.
That was this year's October Birthday Bash. Next year, being Mum's 90th, will be more splendid, if the Lord leaves her with us that long. But we're hoping to get together at least a couple of times before then.
How was your weekend, Dear Reader?
*It has been up to six** at one time, when H's Mum and BiL's wife were still around. A long time ago there was also Gran - who'd married the Grandad saved by his Sunday School Bible (see earlier entry.) But most of us are genetically related. Hence I don't bother even thinking about Christmas preparations before All Saints' Day.
**Seven (five now), there's a cousin too, but we rarely see her these days. Shame how families can grow apart. S'pose that's one reason we try to have the October Birthday Bash.
***No-one was actually injured during this journey. I got cross, I knitted. (I may have lost the "I knit so I don't kill people" badge, but the sentiment is there. Just hope the other knitter we met arrived before she finished her scarf!) I calmed down. I have most of a sock as a result of this weekend's travelling etc. I also have a sore right elbow, so the sock might take a while to finish!
We are still based in Portsmouth. The rest of the family have moved, some several times, generally to more and more rural areas. A few years ago Mum moved out to the village near Stroud where Sis had been based for a good few years. Sis, living the nearest to Bristol, had been the one 'on call', though we all called in regularly. I got the train (direct route) once a month. Now it's at least two trains and a bus (if you're very lucky,) taxi or ask Sis or one in her immediate family for a lift. We don't drive. Never needed to. Ain't about to start now.
I may have blogged about this recently, the way that it looks like we've stayed in the same place and they've all moved to places increasingly inaccessible by public transport; like they don't want us to visit!
Anyhew, getting there last Friday was easy, if a tad tedious because FauxGWReliablyunrealiable insists on running two coach Sprinters on routes which are regularly full when they run three coaches (eg: the Portsmouth-Cardiff trains!) Plus they insist on running them late, delaying them further and, often for no apparent rhyme or reason, cancelling what they still laughingly call 'services'.
They're laughing. They have our ticket money. We're all heartily sick of travelling like sardines; being stuck on windy platforms in the middle of nowhere with no connections, no information, no 'refreshments' because they all, being privatised, shut by 6pm, if not earlier; and 'Help Desk' Staff who ask questions like,
"Why would you want to travel from A to B via here?" This happened Sunday evening.
The reply being, "We wouldn't. We don't. But there are engineering works on the direct route this weekend (which you should know about if you're going to be of any help at all!) This is the way we were told to come when we booked our tickets. The fact that it involves four different trains, all 'run' by your incompetent company, the second of which was so late and further delayed that we pulled in just as the train we were supposed to be catching, on which we had seats reserved, pulled out. You could have delayed that one a few minutes longer. Most of your trains are When is the next train, please?"
I said 'please' because a) it (probably) wasn't his fault - for all he appeared he couldn't care less; b) it doesn't pay to antagonise those who are supposed to be helping you; c) he couldn't do anything about it anyway (apart from his less-than-sympathetic attitude); and d) he probably gets enough grief from other fed up would-be-travellers. With that attitude he possibly deserves it!
When I can find some suitably rigid stationery (see previous entry) I shall write FauxGWReliablyunreliable, the Minister for Transport, and possibly the Ombudsman for Public Transport very stiff letters. And I'm applying for refunds for our tickets. Grrrrrrrrrrr!***
Even if I've been demoted from a 'Passenger' to a 'Customer' I still expect better! BR may have been the butt of many jokes, but it was rarely this bad, routinely.
Anyway, we found a very nice boutique hotel; seven bedrooms, excellent restaurant, lovely freshly cooked food, awesome pizza baked in their wood-fired oven, friendly and helpful staff willing to stop and chat with you. The Kings Head House. Definitely recommend the place.
So we unpacked and went and spent the evening with Mum and her little black spaniel. And that was good.
We had a bath, hot water, lots of it, lots of bubbles. Small snag - it was a very clean, slippery bath, even with the bath mat. We've suggested they install some form of handles so people can lever themselves upright safely. We both managed it, but we're still (fairly) fit and mobile. Good ol' pilates! Still, I can see why people use a shower. KHH management are 'looking into it.' And they will.
We had a leisurely and delicious breakfast, then braved the wind (30mph average, much stronger gusts, courtesy of Storm Callum) and went to spend the day with Mum again. We dined at KHH. I recommend the king prawn linguini, H recommends the quattro formaggi pizza and Mum recommends the rib-eye steak. Their coffee is nice too.
Later in the afternoon, back at Mums, I got out the birthday cake, candle holders and candles I'd brought. Alas, I hadn't learned from the previous experience with S, and hadn't also brought a lighter. So we imagined the candles lit, sang 'Happy Birthday', Mum imagined blowing them out and we cut the cake.
It was a very nice cake. There's a woman recently started selling home-made cakes from a stall in Portsmouth market. Knowing I'd be busy last week, I asked her to make me a light fruit cake. She did. From high quality/organic ingredients. About 8"/20cm diameter. For £5.
I told her she was undercharging. She replied other people had called her expensive. Yes, well. Maybe compared with Aldi or Lidl. Not for what she was actually selling. Perhaps she'd do better in Romsey or Winchester markets - they have more affluent customers. Or at least people who aren't automatically comparing the excellent goods on offer with factory-made stuff from cheap supermarkets!
I did offer to take the dog for a walk before it got dark, but he wasn't having it. Lay down on his back with his paws in the air! Even though Mum was having great difficulty in the wind she had to take him. We gave her twenty minutes then got ready to go either way round the usual route just in case something had happened, at which point they turned up safe and sound, if well windblown.
The next morning the wind had dropped but by then it had blown in clouds heavy with moisture, which they were busily dropping 'cats and dogs' style. We'd checked the weather forecast, we'd taken our waterproofs - jackets and trousers. We did wonder whether welly boots might have been an idea too!
As 'twas it was a but a short walk up to the village Methodist chapel for the morning service. This Sunday it was Cafe Church - so we all sat around tables while we sang, prayed, watched a video, listened to a talk and had a go at making a fishing net - to hold tins of tuna. H and I won that particular challenge! We gave the tuna to Mum as her dog really loves tinned tuna (canned in 'spring water') occasionally.
Then back to Sis's home, where Niece produced a delectable roast dinner: chicken or lamb, Yorkshire puddings (yes, I know, but who cares) three veg, roast potatoes and gravy; followed by treacle tart or fresh fruit salad, cream optional.
By the time we'd had a hot drink after that it was time to head for the train and the cross-country trek home. As already written, it was a lovely weekend marred by railway routine mismanglement, with only a little help from Storm Callum.
The rain had ceased over dinner, by the time we left the sun was venturing out again.
By the time we actually got back into Portsmouth Storm Callum had already arrived, still full of water, and was raining heavily and steadily on the city. Thanks to a taxi we managed to get home dry, by bedtime.
That was this year's October Birthday Bash. Next year, being Mum's 90th, will be more splendid, if the Lord leaves her with us that long. But we're hoping to get together at least a couple of times before then.
How was your weekend, Dear Reader?
*It has been up to six** at one time, when H's Mum and BiL's wife were still around. A long time ago there was also Gran - who'd married the Grandad saved by his Sunday School Bible (see earlier entry.) But most of us are genetically related. Hence I don't bother even thinking about Christmas preparations before All Saints' Day.
**Seven (five now), there's a cousin too, but we rarely see her these days. Shame how families can grow apart. S'pose that's one reason we try to have the October Birthday Bash.
***No-one was actually injured during this journey. I got cross, I knitted. (I may have lost the "I knit so I don't kill people" badge, but the sentiment is there. Just hope the other knitter we met arrived before she finished her scarf!) I calmed down. I have most of a sock as a result of this weekend's travelling etc. I also have a sore right elbow, so the sock might take a while to finish!