Ethel Street Good Old Girl and Wharf Speed

So picking up from yesterdays entry we moved into first day proper in England.  As I type now on Thursday covering Wednesday we are two sleeps into the trip and definitely turned about without too much fuss and bother.  However, I am getting ahead of myself.  We came down to Wednesday breakfast on the go and Alan cooking up a storm in the kitchen.  Bacon, Sausages, Beans, Scrambled Eggs and Toast washed down, of course by tea.  A thoroughly satisfying breakfast and a good opportunity for me to talk 'proper sausages'.  Certainly in Canada and in the USA they do not have the art of sausage making.  The problem Kim and I have established is that they are under the illusion a sausage is actually made of meat!  You might recall the adage 'having trouble making both ends meat' as a reference to being short of dosh.  Its real meaning however, relates to using bread to pad out the meat in the intestinal tubing.  Somehow with a few herbs we managed to convince ourselves here in the UK that this constituted something special.  So special it deserved to be called farmhouse sausage.  So to cut this long story short, to our friends in North America, don't try so hard.  Find stuff around the kitchen, mince it up, shove it in and tie off the ends.  The meat is an added bonus.  That is a sausage!

 

 

 

After food, showering and organising we headed out to Weston Favell.   The plan was to attack the only ATM in the UK that does not attract a charge from our bank in Canada for cash withdrawal.  Good old Barclays.  Why would I pay $5 a withdrawal?

 

A bit of shopping at Tesco's and then on to meet Ethel Street...Not an old girl with a Blue Rinse but a road and home to son Reece.  We did not go in for a viewing but immediately headed out together to the Plough at Shutlanger, place of work; home for son Marcus and Gastro pub with massive reputation. 

 

The Plough is part of Marcus's journey in the 'cheffing' business.  We know he is extremely talented in the kitchen and pretty much unflappable.  In the past few years he has transitioned from the Wharf in Bugbrooke, to the Horseshoe in Sywell and now finally had this new venture with great mate Jim Kay and partner Jessie King.  Of all the people Marcus could have settled on working with 'Jim' is undoubtedly the 'bees knees'.  Good friend of ours as well from our time living in Little Brington and just a short stumble from the Saracens Head in that village.

 

 

 

The Plough as I recall many years ago was a bit dingy and rarely 'car parking' challenged.  We ended up needing to park on street as the car park was completely full.  Full on a Wednesday lunchtime.  Business booming and all diners, so money and margin.  Great job having only been in the pub a couple of months.  The refurbishment is extremely tasteful and the glass in to entrance doors a really inspired choice.  Light, bright and wonderfully clean we made a nuisance of ourselves at the bar and introduced ourselves to Jess.  Jess then announced that Marcus's daddy was here and we were already at home.  Popped into the kitchen with Kim and huge hugs with Jim.  Marcus, Jim and Jessie extremely busy so talking while working and wow to watch these two chef's operating in the kitchen is like poetry.  In a fairly small kitchen each move is choreographed as well.  Privilege to watch both in action, their moves the product of years operating together and clear understanding.

 

So we imbibed one glass each and then headed back to Reece's apartment in the centre of Northampton via Tesco Mereway, another superstore that was a regular haunt for us.  The building looks like a old wharf house but refurbished has a nice feel.  The electric gates into secure parking and then all inside into a modern apartment, nicely fitted out, and first sight of son's home. 

 

 

 

We have yet to meet Reece's girlfriend, Iwona, but that pleasure comes very soon.  Reece was itching to cook up a storm for us in his own kitchen and a sausage sandwich with mustard followed.  Lovely jubbly.  Samantha's order of bacon, eggs and sausage followed.  After a natter and banter we then headed back to Samantha's.

 

Kim then received a call from great friend Rachel, nursing buddy from our time here together in the UK.  So after a bit of chuntering, Kim with overnight bag packed headed out to Piddington, and Rachel's home with her new husband, Guy.  Interestingly Guy is a key player in the Oakley Brewery which just happens to be a CAMRA brewery here in Northampton.  Will have to get to know this chap methinks...

 

I spent an evening with Samantha and Austin watching some more BRAVE!!

 

 

 

and then Star Trek into Darkness.  Austin quite captivated by the movie so maybe some respite from Brave going forward.  Lovely evening couple of beers and then a more sensible bedtime at 10.45.  Shuteye before another day beckons

 

 

Austin Space and Family

Our flight was pretty decent and although I had planned to sleep and create snoring ructions in the adjoining seats I could only manage a doze.  Long haul flights are a necessity if far flung places are to be reached and well...England from Vancouver is far flung.

 

We disembarked at 11.11 precisely AM Tuesday and then proceeded to walk the last quarter of the journey to the baggage claim area; two miles at least!

 

The next connection to our rental car was easy, the fact that the promised deal was almost doubled by the required cover a little scary but not an insurmountable obstacle.  So frazzled, lagged and dehydrated we loaded our eco Renault Megane and then started on the easiest roads in the UK the M4 and then M25!  Different driving here by some margin when compared to Canada but after a mile of ten I got into the flow and we were bound for Northampton and the home of our daughter Samantha.

 

When we arrived at Grange Park in Northampton we were beat but both knew we must keep the faith and be hosted.  Samantha was over the moon to see us and to say she had 'shopped' in anticipation of our arrival was an understatement.  The whole British Corner Shop laid out before us from Cadbury's to my own pre-ordered Shepherd and Neame Ale, Bishops Finger.  The piece de la resistance a large welcome cookie.  Nice to be so welcome.

 

 

 

The house is 'Austin Space' and our new grandchild now over three months old is an absolute delight. 

 

 

 

He rarely makes a fuss and has a smile to kill.  If he ever gets agitated the animated movie Brave sorts him out quick sharp.  I swear he'll have ginger locks and be paying the pipes when older!  I'm already repeating the words.

 

 

 

Sons, Marcus and Reece both called in and to add to the British Corner Shop; scotch eggs, Melton Mowbray Pork Pie, three more beers.  So good to be home and reconnecting with family.

 

 

 

Kim and I lasted till 7.30 PM before the journey laid us waste and we had to retire....We slept amazingly well in our en-suite having been made so comfortable by Samantha and Alan.  A couple of wakes during the night or day depending on time zone and then 12 hours had passed and we appear to have slipped from one time zone, ever so easily into another. 

 

 

 

We'll see.

Shepherd, Neame and Abbot Dream

So just going through the home office stuff this morning to close off any loose ends.  Don't want to lose that immediate contact with the on line world I live in.  I must remember as I write the blog going forward to actually do something away from the computer to blog about!  It would be insane to write "had a lovely blog yesterday recounting the delightful blog of the previous day".

 

We are packed and running through final checklists.  We went to the Mission Springs yesterday for a late lunch and enjoyed Oktoberfest Fayre; Kim a warm potato salad and Bratwurst Bowl and for me the Munich Wiener Schnitzel.  We are now ready to roll, both in terms of our imminent departure and our rotundness.

 

Its Monday and 08.23 in the morning.  It has rained very heavily here for the past five days and at one point water started dripping slowly from a skylight in the kitchen.  It did so for about three hours before very suddenly, and despite the rain continuing, stopping altogether.  Friend Bob reckons a leaf blocked a run off channel before finally shifting under pressure from the rain.  The pooling water then leaking through a seal that must have deteriorated.  The good news is no panic required and a job for silicon when we return from the UK.

 

So the house is cleaned to viewing standard, and we are cleaned to withstand the rigours of shared air in the confines of an aircraft.  I'm pleased we are flying Air Canada this trip as the seats allow more room than Air Transat and landing at Heathrow rather than Gatwick knocks about 40 minutes off our run to Northampton.

 

I had a beer dream last night so if anyone is thinking of plying this old sod with hoppy beverage here's some labels that emerged from the fug!

 

 



The excitement of travel and the anticipation of getting back together with family and friends never wanes. So signing off now with this last blog 'made in Canada'.  Next entry will be from Grange Park in Northampton.

Ready, Willing and Able

So just two days away from getting airborne at Vancouver Airport.  Flying Air Canada to Heathrow arriving middle of the day Tuesday 28th October.  Both very ready to reconnect with family and friends.  I deliberated on whether I should blog this trip or not and then remembered how we used to complete holiday diaries as children.  Old habits die hard and technology replaces the big fat exercise book stuffed with postcards, shells, etc.

So this is blog one of many, the second effort coming on Tuesday once we arrive in the UK.  We have had some close run things these past few weeks.  I was sweating on getting my renewed Permanent Resident Card having missed the recommended time frame for submission.  Fortunately, the Canadian Immigration Centre in Nova Scotia provides a fast track service for applicants who have proof of travel.  Even then I was only 4 days to the good re the three weeks processing.  I did not hear anything and had no way of contacting the CIC to establish where my application was in the process.  Finally out of the blue the card arrived last Monday.  Had I travelled without I might have been contemplating being stopped from coming back into Canada.

I must quickly dispel a false impression I generated by posting two profile pictures of myself on my Facebook page.  The first in an England Rugby shirt was perhaps flattering but as well as being a trick of the light and breathing in it was taken in 2011 before I grew a much larger protuberance in the belly region.  The second image was taken when Christine and Paul were here in BC and cropping of the image also flatters to deceive.  I have pledged to diet and exercise but obviously not until returning from the UK.  In the meantime I am still just about able to see my feet.  Those planning to feed me up must still do so as there is little point in enjoying the UK on a diet.

As most will know I am between jobs right now and actually very glad at the change .  Fingers crossed, I was targeted by a recruiter for a position with Commissionaires BC a major security company here in Canada.  I interviewed this past Wednesday and received feedback from the recruiter that the interview went extremely well and the company are now checking references.  It looks pretty good that the job is mine so here`s hoping something positive when we come back to Canada mid November.

Zoe has gone for her holidays with Piggy Pig.  She left Friday.  For those not familiar with Piggy Pig check with Reece or my Facebook video.  Reece is using Piggy Pig for a ringtone or soon will be.  We have had five viewings with the house and hope to get a bite soon.  The latest viewing yesterday forced us to get the place in order ahead of our travels.

So stand by to receive very important visitors.  We are at Samantha's Tuesday from about 2.30 in the afternoon UK time all things being equal.  Arrangements are already in place for both Reece and Marcus to be there around 5 pm.

Finally, I have my pumpkin carving kit packed and am ready for battle.