PGA Golf after Bridge

So it’s finally Thursday and the day we would all sample a PGA Professional Golf Course for the first time.  Much checking of golf clubs and pressing of trousers preceded a run to Sports Direct for shoes for this old man to go with newly acquired polo shirt yellow and blue sleeveless jumper from the day before.

Cold drinks (Check), Pork Pies (Check), Granola Bars (Check).  Wet weather gear also bagged and ready to go.

We left with plenty of time to spare and crossed the old Severn Bridge into Wales; took first left and then as if by magic the gold course was pretty much there.  St Pierre was approached with some trepidation, particularly the fact that we would be announced on the tee and watched getting away.

We booted up and greased trolley wheels and headed to the putting practice green where the first thing immediately apparent to us all was the quality of the putting surface.  No hiding places of easy excuse when the ball actually travels where directed by the putter.

Cherie nailed a fine drive off the first and received thumbs up from the announcer; Marcus sent his ball off in the right direction and we escaped further scrutiny.  We were able to relax more in consequence.  The role of honour at the first included Tony Jacklin, Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam and others as shown in the image below.

 

It was four rounds of mixed bag to be fair.  Cherie, Reece and Marcus undoubtedly had the edge over Michael, who had some blinding shots from time to time.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed the round which took some 15 minutes over four hours.  The views from the course were awesome across the Severn and the old Severn Bridge and the Welsh Countryside.

 

The boys were two up with two to play and after a disastrous 16^th Michael and Cherie looked on the ropes.  They recovered to take the last two holes and square the match.  The finish at the 18^th worthy of the watching gallery of three mice and a rat!!

Sausage Casserole for dinner, some television followed by Monty Pythons Life of Brian, and then more chatter left all wasted and again ready for bed.  Must be the sea air?

 

  

'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside'

Wednesday and a trip to a seaside haven not previously visited by this Brit.  Clevedon is not the classic swimming location and in keeping with sister seaside location at Weston Super Mare; more a mud bath.  It was a very traditional seaside report but its more hidden nature has meant the trappings of commercialism are not so prevalent.  There is a history here connected with the slave trading on this stretch of coast.  Indeed in most of the places where land meets sea here on the Bristol Channel there is a reminder of that trade.

Prior to our jaunt we had to drop Debbie off at the University of the West of England in Bristol to catch the return bus home. 

The promenade and seafront in Clevedon were delightfully quaint and for a change we were the young folk on the block.  It was the Eastbourne of the West with gray hair and flags flapping in the wind everywhere.

 

 The pier was simple but again fun.  No fuss and bother; just thousands of commemorative brass plates; the required silly photo opportunity and Victoriana seats for comfort; a bye-gone age.

 

 

I’m not going to mention food; I’ll let the pictures do that.

 

 

 

For those interested in the style of water closet in times past, here is Marcus emerging from the walkthrough street urinal.

 

I also need to give a mention to a moment forgotten from Tuesday and a memorable episode from Blackadder II.  Cherie had deliberately ordered the DVD and from the six episodes on offer we watched Lord Flashheart…

Back to Wednesday and another evening at home in Pilning with much cleaning of golf clubs in preparation for the game on Thursday at St Pierre Chepstow a top drawer PGA Course.  Once shining clubs were returned to bags, the assembled throng retired knackered from exposure to sea air from earlier in the day.

 

The Boar, The Fox, Skittles and Piratical Putts

Not so early to rise on the Tuesday but a lovely breakfast as a pre-cursor to a different walk in Easter Compton.  The Zoo fields refers to rolling fields the safe side of the zoo fence for Bristol Zoo’s animals out of the public eye.  A solid fence I’m pleased to report.

 

The walk was damp after a downpour in the night but it was in bright sunshine with blue skies.  Cherie had previously explained that she would often be accosted for an impromptu consultation when out and about and on this day by the churchyard, exactly that happened.  I smile while typing because I swear that the person involved only started limping once they had spotted Cherie.  Cherie, literally in this case, demonstrated expertise in the field.

We returned home and a plan soon emerged which involved lunch at the Boars Head in Aust and then the serious matter of top class crazy golf in Bristol. 

The  pub was fantastic; as traditional as you can get and the food delicious. more waist widening occurring and more pledges to behave once trip done. 

 

 

The age of the pub is reflected by the door message for customers and the sign in the porch. 

 

 

On the way out of the village of Aust the smallest community hall on the planet hove into view.  Standing room only!

 

The pictures tell the story of the golf; lots of fun and little flashes of skullduggery quite in keeping with the pirate theme.

 

 

 

Debbie fresh from Redhill arrived by coach at around 6pm and the whole team prepared for an evening of pub skittles at the Fox in Easter Compton.  Family and a clutch of Cherie and Di’s friends gathered, grabbed refreshments and commenced cheerful, loud, enthusiastic competition.  Nicky and Hannah travelled down from Stroud to take part and it was lovely to see them both after almost three years; the final sibling connection now made.

 

 

 

Team names included the Uglies, Mounties, Grizzlies, and the Shears.  The winners at the end of the evening were the Uglies and team made up of Reece, Marcus and Debbie.  They celebrated like Olympic athletes and overdid the lap of honour totally.  The presentation was made by local dignitary Shirley.

The night done the assembled drifted to their respective homes and well earned kip.

The Magnificent Severn

7.30 rise and on the road by 8.30 with the Sat Nav set for Bristol.  Thanks Manda for the loan.  Saves me having to focus on road signs!  Fantastic weeks in Northampton and Lincoln now behind us we grabbed the West Country Phrase book and Sandford accent tutorial and headed off in two parties.

Reece, Emma and Marcus south to Northampton to drop Emma off before joining us later in Pilning South Gloucestershire.  Kim and I headed South and then South West via the M6, M42 and then M5.  Easy run and accustomed to the long miles that are Canadian trips, no aggravation.

We arrived at Cherie and Di’s by 11.55 and to a royal welcome from Cherie, Betty and Daisy. 

 

Di was working the Monday and Tuesday but taking Wednesday through to the weekend off.  We unpacked and then took a walk at Severn Beach under the new Severn Bridge across the River Severn right and Bristol Channel left.  It is a massive structure larger in size than the bridges across the Fraser River in the lower mainland of British Columbia.  There are two spans here about two miles apart.

 

 

 

It was an interesting walk and a large house influential in the slave trade to the USA still stands and is being renovated.

Reece and Marcus arrived quite late and a fretful Dad breathed a sigh of relief.  Funny how in Canada I had learned to leave the boys to their own devices for the most part and yet here a strong sense of personal responsibility for their safety surfaced.  Perhaps this is a natural response when in close proximity with close family.

Di’s working day ended by 5.30 and we enjoyed a delicious Beouf Bourguignon with mash and green beans preceded by a nice bottle of Champagne and welcoming toasts.  Kim and Di wagged each other’s chins off in the kitchen and drank far too much wine while I the boys and Cherie kept ourselves entertained in the lounge.  The wine took its toll on Kim and Di so they retired before the lounge crew.  The lounge crew then embarked on two hours of madness playing cards on the kitchen table.  It was a riotous affair with every global and national dialect being visited to hysterical laughter during spite and malice.   We rolled back the years with tears.  We all parted with cash except Cherie the card sharp for the evening.  A noteworthy comment during the mafia accent round was my Marlon Brando inflected  “15 p because I’m a player” comment which hit all funny bones for some odd reason.  You had to be there I guess.  It was a Franklin Night, with Franklins to the left of you and Franklins to the right.

Exhausted we found bed after midnight and sleep found us within seconds.

Bassingham to Gressingham with Dip

So to the last full day at the Rings and a trip out to Bassingham for Marcus, Thea and I for more supplies.  Some dessert was sourced for lunch, extra vegetables and the Sunday papers.  The papers, an institution in the UK.

Bassingham is a very English Village and I am reminded despite urban growth just how village centric large parts of rural England are.  The Five Bells with its dovecote a lovely sight.  We shopped in the local  Spar and Marcus cleverly located a bacon butty kitchen in the back end of the shop.  Thea at this time was sitting in the car in her Jim Jams so somewhat confined.  Three bacon butties later and shopping done we were on our way back to Haddington and the Rings.

Walking and swimming featured as was by now the norm and the arrival of pups was still awaited.

Northampton Saints on the TV beating Glasgow in the Heineken Cup was a feature for a change live for me instead of after the event on Sport World in Canada.

Right on cue and before the curtain closed on Rings time Desmond and Deirdre turned up for a photo.

 

Lunch was a team effort and a fantastic leg of Lamb was joined by a large Gressingham Duck.  Onion sauce, carrot and swede mash, and ……..but stop! This whole holiday seems to revolve around food….Oh, well, plenty of time to diet once back in Canada…

 

 

It was a day with some departures and we bad farewell to Dimi and Thea.  Dimi headed back to Leeds and Thea from there by train back to Manchester.

More pool time was followed with Hot Tub dipping for men.

 

Our night concluded with another dose of Lee Evans and farewell to George because he would be well on his way back into London before we surfaced.

Pup Quiz, Full Contact Water Polo, Pork and Talk

Wakened by the Rooster on Saturday, I was the first to surface, place the kettle on the Aga and catch up this Blog before the house also rose to meet me.  Remarkably, another beautiful October day presented outside; the crisp dewiness with sunshine promising to burn through later.  Since landing at Gatwick we have only seen three days of inclement weather and one of those was the overnight rain storm all done and dusted by morning. 

 

The house was in full swing by midday as the last risers emerged.

By this time the ladies had swum avoiding the hooligan element that is male testosterone, and full contact water polo and handball with synchronised drowning.  It was a good call by the ladies, and definitely swimming with decorum.  Marcus and I followed them before pulling over the covers and putting the pool and steam room to bed for a siesta.

The conversation in the lounge was enlightened and enlightening, light and heavy as between us we dismembered all right and wrong in the world as we saw it.  Brunch was sensational and just another prompt for diet once back in Canada.  I had forgotten how good plum tomatoes tasted and leaving back bacon behind is going to be tough.

The family then broke off into a range of different activities.  I to the computer to help construct a small animal boarding business website for Sal, The ladies and Stef took up dog walking; George his traditional weekend activity garden maintenance.

Kim and Stef had some face time together to catch up and cook.  More reconnecting and recharging of spirits going on, so good.  We know we need this to sustain us in Canada until the next time.

 

The last members of the weekend gathering Reece and Emma were expected mid afternoon and eventually arrived around 5pm apparently after heading towards a place called Graham.  Cause a smile as Grantham was the actual place.  Think I like the new name better.

Reece was unable to get his car in the drive at the Rings and initially parked on the road until strategically placed planks allowed him to raise his low skirts above the flat lying rising bollard. So hugs all round and conversations picked up from where they were left a few years before.  Emma introduced to family settled into the banter quickly.

 

Another manic male swimming session washed the walls and ceiling in the pool room and a very patient George waited out the tsunami and the frantic exchanges including wholesale violence that accompanied the ‘tread water’ handball.  Dimi very kindly dumped Thea into the pool fully clothed.  That might have had something to do with her hiding his Rum earlier after an ASDA shop.  The ASDA shop another foray for supplies.

More chatter and natter preceded a wonderful family supper of Roast Pork and all the trimmings, hysterical laughter accompanied the eating and it did degenerate slightly in the nicest possible way.  We did all laugh.  George slected his best garb for dining and was directed back to the bedroom to change; so funny.

 

 

Leading up to this evening we had a competition designed to achieve four things:  first we needed a posh name for Ozzie to go on his Pedigree Lineage, second one for Coco for the same reason.  Third we decided it would be healthy to have a sweepstake to determine litter size, gender and colours of the pups once they finally agreed to join us.  Fourth, we needed a small business title with a bit more zing than The Rings Small Animal Boarding.

 

It was fun and entered into with the right spirit by all 10 house guests.

The small business winner although totally un-usable in real world was from Reece.  If Carlsberg did Pet Holidays the Rings would be the best holiday in the world.  Second from Emma, All things Bright and Beautiful all Creatures Great and Small, has great strap line potential.  Sal’s Brilliant Boarding House, Stef’s offering came in third.  I think the actual name will emerge from combined research into the ten entries so a worthwhile exercise.

The entries for Ozzie’s nom d’aristocratique were outstanding.  Proved to be really tough for the voters to choose.  Three entries tied third and these were: The Prince of Darkness II, Shot of Ouzo; and Oswald Rotherham Dimitriou.  In second a wonderful play on words, Master Ozzi-One Kenobi.  The winner and a right regal offering was Oswald Etienne of Haddington.

Coco’s nom de plume also prompted some fine entries.  In third place, Coco Doodle Doo raised a laugh.  In second, the Countess of Monte Coco but the winner Lady Coco Chanel just edged it.  Interestingly two entries were very close here.  We had a Queen Coco Chanel as well.

The Pup Quiz awaits birthing and news here soon…..

Our night ended in the lounge with a coal fire blazing, liqueurs and Lee Evans and more hysterical laughter before in dribs and drabs the lightweights ahead of the heavyweights sought slumber.

 

Five Gold Rings

The thing about the Rings in Haddington is that since 2004 it has been a home from home for us.  It is a large house in the Lincolnshire countryside that has extended family welcome written all over it.  George and Sal Dimitriou are outstanding hosts and we always relax even when busy

We arrived at about 1130 on Monday morning to find the home uninhabited but even that is not unusual as Sal would no doubt be going about business and to be fair we had probably arrived slightly ahead of schedule (if there is such a thing). 

 

A short time later we were in and settling into a routine that was to stand us in good stead through the week until Friday.

 

 

We lunched on Pate, Cheeses, Pies and Ploughman’s Fayre in general.  We walked the dogs in the surrounding fields and woodland.  We swam in the pool, and then leaked profusely in the steam room before taking another dip in the cold pool water.  We showered, dressed and again settled in the Kitchen to chatter and natter.  This on each day was to be the order of things and very relaxing it was.  I quite liked the look of the pantry shelves on the left.....

Breakfast did not get a mention but toast and crumpets did the trick all week. 

Monday to Friday was just Kim, Sal and I with mass arrival over the weekend expected with Dimi, Stef, Thea, George, Marcus, Reece and Emma expected.  Friday morning I travelled down to Northampton and the Wharf to collect Marcus; so much simpler than Marcus having to train down to London and then back up to Newark and so much cheaper.

 

I’ve cheated on the Blog for the weekdays here at the Rings because the ‘day to day’ save some small variations were much the same.  No less enjoyable but to repeat here would be to try the reader.  The Five Gold Rings refers to Monday to Friday in this extended version.

The Rings is an experience.  Reece, Marcus and Samantha have been here.  My Sister Debbie and Nathan have been here.  For my family Burnt House Farm in Sussex and the home of Grandad Frank was Boxing Day for over a decade.  The Rings took on that mantle from 2004 until we immigrated to Canada in 2009.  This is Hunt Country, Shoot Country, Horse Country, Chicken Country, the land of Hedgerows and a wonderful array of birds and wildlife in general.  It is also the home of Desmond and Deirdre a pair of Mallard Ducks who fly circuits and bumps morning and night.  I have yet to catch them in the camera lens but will persevere.

Tuesday and ASDA took a hit as Sal and Kim filled a trolley; the same occurred on Friday in preparation for the onslaught.  I made a Cottage Pie for the evening meal and this lasted Wednesday night as well.  This is my only opportunity to cook using an Aga, love it; every cook should have a go; ovens everywhere and permanent heat ready for pans.

 

Wednesday we drove to what was once RAF Swinderby so that I could take a trip down memory lane.  It was nostalgic but also sad.  The only relics of a bygone age the two large Hangars on the periphery of the airfield.  Where I spent time being barked at and marching up and down there now sat new housing and business development.  I got a real sense of graveyard and spirits; being part of another time in this space.  The derelict buildings now demolished and cleared are in this you tube video.  The floors could do with bulling methinks! Check out this video on You Tube which tours the buildings before destruction  I had no idea until I researched, that RAF Swinderby provided the set for large chunks of the movie Full Metal Jacket.

Thursday night and we dined at the Royal Oak in Aubourn.  We had two Lamb Shanks for the girls and a Royal Oak Grill for me.  A dustbin lid sized plate barely enough to contain the monstrosity. Weston’s Old Rosie Scrumpy Cider @ 7.3% for me and a bottle of white for the ladies with coffee to finish completed the night.   

 

 

So back to Friday.  Marcus and I arrived back at the Rings by 1130 after stopping off at the Forest Gump Services in Leicester by the A46 turn off.  Traditional English AGAIN and fine Starbucks Coffee.

An empty house greeted us but using extreme cunning we were able to affect an entry.  Marcus marvelled at the pool and we naturally swam quickly.  We then raided the fridge for a beer and sat in the conservatory waiting for ASDA’s finest to return fully laden.  They did in due course.

So with fully stocked fridges, freezers, and wine cellar it was time for another walk for the dogs.  Not mentioned to this point in time has been the impending arrival of Coco’s Pups.  Due any day we have watched her get progressively slower and slower.  It can only be a matter of hours now before a litter of toy poodles arrives.  I’ll keep you posted.  Dad is Ozzie, Mum Coco and I have been researching fair price ranges for pups in the breed.  I have also copied the pedigree lineage for both sides gobsmacked at the names people conjure up for their pooches.  We are actually running a competition during the weekend to find aristocratic names to add to the lineage charts for both Coco and Ozzie.  T’will be fun.  We are also running another competition alongside to find a business name more appealing than The Rings Small Animal Boarding for Sal’s new business doing exactly what it says on the tin.  I thought Lords of the Rings briefly but to be fair that’s a bit crass.  Results coming soon.

 

Family arrived in stages; Dimi and Thea at around 6pm and George and Stef at about 8.30.  Dimi, Marcus and I squeezed in a good swim and general muck about plus steam room in between arrivals and the tenor was set for the weekend.  I’ll report on progress before Sunday closes out.

So Friday night, an evening meal with a giant sized Macaroni Cheese, family huddled around the kitchen table and chatter and chunter until eyelids were falling and fatigue taking over.  Then in unison we rose to head off to the land of Nod.  Tomorrow another day with Reece and Emma arriving; roast pork and crackling and an evening of fun and family.  I have fantastic family on both sides; so lucky.