England part 2
With the cost of internet, I didn't find time to post more while I was there, but I'll fill it in now.
Friday, we woke up and had a nice English Breakfast before a post-breakfast nap and a walk around the shops in Bexleyheath. In the evening, we met up with Nana's nephew Mick and his wife Kim, and drove to her brother Tish's home to pick him up for a birthday drink. We went to a nearby pub (and met with Nana's niece, Patsy, too) and had a few drinks and talked for a couple hours. It was really nice to get acquainted with family I didn't previously know. They're all such nice people, I really enjoyed their company.
After the drink, we took Tish back to his home (it's a beautiful old house!). We weren't there long, but it was quite eventful - a delirious old woman told Nana she "can bugger off for all I care"!!!!! Nana was walking in the hall saying what a nice place it was, and off the woman went! We kept walking, of course Nana knew she didn't really know what she was saying, and as we went out the door she hollered at us that she didn't mean it, really. Crazy! We went back to the hotel and had a lovely club sandwich, salad, and tea in the hotel restaurant and watched TV.
Saturday, we slept through breakfast (silly gals) because we had a tough night sleeping (what with all the naps and tea!). We went into London and went to Covent Gardens (not a garden at all, but an old market (adorable) with musicians and cute shops). We ate some delicious Paella in the open air, then walked around just enough to see it and get tired of the crowds. We went back to the Underground (which is wonderful! It doesn't stink!!) and went to Harrod's. It's beautiful, it's like a museum. There are wonderful food halls and more levels and rooms than you can shake a stick at, and I daresay it's even more confusing than the Louvre to navigate. It was something to see, though. We didn't stay too long (long enough to see the food and gift shop and goodies... and to see just how out-of-the-question a few items were. It's VERY expensive. 269 pounds for a slip! By the time we headed out and got through the PETA crowd out front, we were ready to go back and get a cup of tea. We grabbed some pork pies and went to rest for the evening and watch the Britain's Got Talent finals. Unfortunately, we missed it because of the strange scheduling (or.. fortunately?). After a while, we watched Red Eye on TV, followed by Village of the Damned. Scary and terrible and great.
Sunday, we had an early breakfast, another nap, and did more shopping. In the afternoon, we went to a cookout for Kim's birthday - tons of Battens everywhere, four generations! Lots of fun and tons of great food - good English food, we agreed, proper food that sticks to your ribs. No fussing about with fancy stuff. It was lovely to sit in the sun (with a cool breeze!) and enjoy their company for the afternoon. I know we both had a great time. We ate until we couldn't anymore, then we went back to the hotel. We watched a fairly new but not too well-known Susan Sarandon film, Irresistible, which wasn't bad at all. Suspense! Very much in the vein of Gaslight, if you ask me. Sarandon is always great. We had a good laugh or two after, as we always do.
Every night before bed (and sometimes in the wee hours too) we'd enjoy a custard tart or marshmallow cookie or Bakewell's cake and a cup of tea. Teatime is always fabulous (there ain't no party like my Nana's tea party - hey, ho). We also sat and read and chatted before bed, too. I love Nana's company, we're so alike in so many ways.
Monday we did all our remaining shopping for candies and souvenirs, and she went to see Tish again while I picked up some goodies for dinner. After Nana came back, we talked and sorted our things and I gave her a Clarkson book to take home so we can start a new series of bookswapping together, to say thanks for the trip. We went back to the shops to get some cough medicine, as her cough was coming on strong, then to the Chinese place across from the hotel to find some good hot soup to make her feel better. It was delicious! Very big bowls full of very hot, delicious goodies. I had tofu and veg and Nana, wonton and noodles. We watched a Stonehenge program (VERY interesting, about recent digs and findings) and did some reading (and I used the internet to pay bills and such). Then the usual reading and tea.
Tuesday morning I came back to Lille on the Eurostar. I had a nice M&S BLT and some lemonade and fresh fruit, and it was sad to leave her. It helps to know I'll be home soon, though. I needed that trip - it was rejuvenating to be with her, to be with family, to be in England. It's always been true that when I've been burned out or sad or tired or just need some clarity, her house is my haven where I go to sort my thoughts and recharge my batteries - and I know that's true for all of us. It worked just the same across the pond - further proof that it's not so much the place, but the person and the energy she brings to it. I do adore my spot on her sofa under my big favorite afghan, and the sausage rolls are heavenly, but the most comforting thing about being home is her (and the rest of you, too).
I miss my family, and I knew I would. It's like Ellen Page says in Juno - I never realize how much I like being home until I've been somewhere really different for a while. Thing is, I've always loved being home, always, and I love the people there. I'm happy I'm here and that I've done this, for sure.. but it's made me realize where my place really is, and that it's all wonderful to have stars in your eyes and travel and see new things.. but home is where people understand you, and I don't intend to leave it like this for a while, and I can't imagine leaving it permanently.
It was a gorgeous trip, and I absolutely loved it. I'll look forward to another one with all our girls along, too. How ideal, really. I really did want to go there with her since I was small and she explained she was from another country and she'd take me there when I was old enough. Funny how I thought I'd NEVER be old enough, and the opportunity just snuck up on me and it all worked out.
Photos and videos soon. :)
Friday, we woke up and had a nice English Breakfast before a post-breakfast nap and a walk around the shops in Bexleyheath. In the evening, we met up with Nana's nephew Mick and his wife Kim, and drove to her brother Tish's home to pick him up for a birthday drink. We went to a nearby pub (and met with Nana's niece, Patsy, too) and had a few drinks and talked for a couple hours. It was really nice to get acquainted with family I didn't previously know. They're all such nice people, I really enjoyed their company.
After the drink, we took Tish back to his home (it's a beautiful old house!). We weren't there long, but it was quite eventful - a delirious old woman told Nana she "can bugger off for all I care"!!!!! Nana was walking in the hall saying what a nice place it was, and off the woman went! We kept walking, of course Nana knew she didn't really know what she was saying, and as we went out the door she hollered at us that she didn't mean it, really. Crazy! We went back to the hotel and had a lovely club sandwich, salad, and tea in the hotel restaurant and watched TV.
Saturday, we slept through breakfast (silly gals) because we had a tough night sleeping (what with all the naps and tea!). We went into London and went to Covent Gardens (not a garden at all, but an old market (adorable) with musicians and cute shops). We ate some delicious Paella in the open air, then walked around just enough to see it and get tired of the crowds. We went back to the Underground (which is wonderful! It doesn't stink!!) and went to Harrod's. It's beautiful, it's like a museum. There are wonderful food halls and more levels and rooms than you can shake a stick at, and I daresay it's even more confusing than the Louvre to navigate. It was something to see, though. We didn't stay too long (long enough to see the food and gift shop and goodies... and to see just how out-of-the-question a few items were. It's VERY expensive. 269 pounds for a slip! By the time we headed out and got through the PETA crowd out front, we were ready to go back and get a cup of tea. We grabbed some pork pies and went to rest for the evening and watch the Britain's Got Talent finals. Unfortunately, we missed it because of the strange scheduling (or.. fortunately?). After a while, we watched Red Eye on TV, followed by Village of the Damned. Scary and terrible and great.
Sunday, we had an early breakfast, another nap, and did more shopping. In the afternoon, we went to a cookout for Kim's birthday - tons of Battens everywhere, four generations! Lots of fun and tons of great food - good English food, we agreed, proper food that sticks to your ribs. No fussing about with fancy stuff. It was lovely to sit in the sun (with a cool breeze!) and enjoy their company for the afternoon. I know we both had a great time. We ate until we couldn't anymore, then we went back to the hotel. We watched a fairly new but not too well-known Susan Sarandon film, Irresistible, which wasn't bad at all. Suspense! Very much in the vein of Gaslight, if you ask me. Sarandon is always great. We had a good laugh or two after, as we always do.
Every night before bed (and sometimes in the wee hours too) we'd enjoy a custard tart or marshmallow cookie or Bakewell's cake and a cup of tea. Teatime is always fabulous (there ain't no party like my Nana's tea party - hey, ho). We also sat and read and chatted before bed, too. I love Nana's company, we're so alike in so many ways.
Monday we did all our remaining shopping for candies and souvenirs, and she went to see Tish again while I picked up some goodies for dinner. After Nana came back, we talked and sorted our things and I gave her a Clarkson book to take home so we can start a new series of bookswapping together, to say thanks for the trip. We went back to the shops to get some cough medicine, as her cough was coming on strong, then to the Chinese place across from the hotel to find some good hot soup to make her feel better. It was delicious! Very big bowls full of very hot, delicious goodies. I had tofu and veg and Nana, wonton and noodles. We watched a Stonehenge program (VERY interesting, about recent digs and findings) and did some reading (and I used the internet to pay bills and such). Then the usual reading and tea.
Tuesday morning I came back to Lille on the Eurostar. I had a nice M&S BLT and some lemonade and fresh fruit, and it was sad to leave her. It helps to know I'll be home soon, though. I needed that trip - it was rejuvenating to be with her, to be with family, to be in England. It's always been true that when I've been burned out or sad or tired or just need some clarity, her house is my haven where I go to sort my thoughts and recharge my batteries - and I know that's true for all of us. It worked just the same across the pond - further proof that it's not so much the place, but the person and the energy she brings to it. I do adore my spot on her sofa under my big favorite afghan, and the sausage rolls are heavenly, but the most comforting thing about being home is her (and the rest of you, too).
I miss my family, and I knew I would. It's like Ellen Page says in Juno - I never realize how much I like being home until I've been somewhere really different for a while. Thing is, I've always loved being home, always, and I love the people there. I'm happy I'm here and that I've done this, for sure.. but it's made me realize where my place really is, and that it's all wonderful to have stars in your eyes and travel and see new things.. but home is where people understand you, and I don't intend to leave it like this for a while, and I can't imagine leaving it permanently.
It was a gorgeous trip, and I absolutely loved it. I'll look forward to another one with all our girls along, too. How ideal, really. I really did want to go there with her since I was small and she explained she was from another country and she'd take me there when I was old enough. Funny how I thought I'd NEVER be old enough, and the opportunity just snuck up on me and it all worked out.
Photos and videos soon. :)