Today was an absolutely lovely day! The weather cooperated, though the day started a bit cloudy. Jeff and I were both so tired that neither of us were kept awake with each other nosring up a storm. And we slept hard ... right through til 9 AM when I had to get up, perhaps prompted by the tub that we could hear Karina running!
Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, toast and cereal in their gorgeous, huge country kitchen and we were hustled along by Trevor as we needed to get on the road. We drove through beautiful, pastoral, hilly country on narrow, shoulderless roads that wound up and down and around ... more round-abouts than I had ever seen and I was completely disoriented in a matter of about 20 minutes. We stopped twice, once in an area called The Forest where things are being allowed to go back to natural, and once atop a huge escarpment where we could see inland for literally miles and miles and looking outwards, could see the sea. Wind was a bit nippy, but Jeff took some panoramic shots.
Down the other side of the hill through lanes where trees were trimmed out rectangularly from the sides and grew together overhead, making one feel like one was actually in a green, wooded tunnel. We found out we had driven through the town where the author of Winnie the Pooh had taken inspiration (and yes, there was a Pooh Lane, but we didn't see an Eeyore Place!), finally ending up in Brighton. How many Jane Austen movies have we seen where they went to the shore and walked along the promenade? Where they lived in glorious rowhouses or stayed in spectacular Georgian hotels? All we needed were a few folks in period dress to be completely transported! We went down to the marina (no, there is NOTHING to compare to this complex, almost a city unto itself, in the US) and had a bite of lunch. Jeff and I ordered fish and chips and I swear there was a pound of the best pollock and at least 2 pounds of huge fries -- our steak fries are a very poor comparison. We sat outside on the canal in chairs in the sun and enjoyed an after lunch lethargy while pulling in the warmth of the sun -- we were positively cat-like in our smug satisfaction with the meal and the day!
Trevor had promised to take us to a part of Brighton called The Lanes. The closest analogy I can think of were the closes and lanes of Edinburgh when we visited there. Or Barrio Santa Cruz in Sevilla! You would have loved it, Amanda! Shops and eateries in little corners and just anything and everything you could imagine. Very high end shoes to pawn shops to boutiques to housewares to services, and all in the most quaint buildings on cobbled and bricked streets. Very Dickensian -- except for the signage and vehicles! One could have very easily have gotten lost with all of the twists and turns and cut-throughs ... One of the buildings on a corner was an old house of corrections, built in 1815, but even then, a functional building like that had embellishments in the brickwork that were just great.
Parking in Brighton was a trip. Trevor was driving a very high end Jeep (ALL of the toys, Scott, and mahogany wood on the dash, GPS unit built in, beepers whenever you got too close to anything and a gorgeous vehicle!), but the parking garages and ramps here have VERY small spaces. Trevor managed to navigate the ramps up and down to levels, once having to back up and turn the car so he could head straight down, they were so narrow! No wasting space for access! Equally hard to park in the garage under The Lanes ... spaces so narrow that we literally had to squeeze out and around the neighboring car's side mirrors. Trevor opined that spaces were getting smaller and smaller while dealerships were marketing larger and larger vehicles ... does this sound at all familiar? I think he deserves a medal for not receiving so much as a scratch in all of that tight driving.
And, at one point, we were on a lane reminescent of the road to Mallaig in Scotland. One lane -- and people, I really mean ONE lane, no shoulders, no edges, just road and then trees!!! It wasn't one way, just one lane. If you met a car or other vehicle, it was the one closest to the widest pull-off (official or not) who gave ground. Remember that ride Amanda, and Gordon's white knuckles? I couldn't remember the name Mallaig, but when I described the drive to Trevor, he promptly said "Fort William to Mallaig, driven it many times, and it is no less harrowing each time." Told Trevor that Gordon's first thing after parking in Mallaig was to find three fingers, neat, and gulp it down!!!
Back in the car and taking a less meandering (couldn't tell by me!! There is no such thing as a straight road in England, I am convinced!) way home through storybook villages ... sigh ... I could really live here. Love the cosy villages, the close nature of the country, the ease of getting around, people off walking, the gardens ... just probably couldn't afford much more than a shed! No wonder people are prone to writing here ... it is inspiring! Driving on the country lanes is also such a pleasure (except for Jeff and Karina getting somewhat carsick from the up, down, around and then around again --- I LOVED it!) because there is a zone along the roads for privacy. Even busineses are not visible form the road, so there are trees and shrubs and flowers and pastures, but no commercial distractions outside of the villages. I could go for us doing that. Imagine how much more pleasant to drive past the the junkyard outside of Sinclairville on Route 60 if it were planted with thick, tall hedgerows and greenery along to road to you REALLY couldn't see it -- let's start a movement!
Finally home, a cup of coffee and a visit from Trevor's cousin. We will shortly begin grilling a leg of lamb for dinner, though I have to say that the fish and chips are staying by me very well.
I played with the dogs a bit in the backyard before coming in, and they are the most engaging dogs. Kevo is the older and a female who loves stuffed animals and will present you with one, only to get into a tug of war with you. Reminds me of when Addie used to do that -- growling "fiercely" while she worked to win the tug of war and running off the victor when you let go. Kevo has another trick that really cracks me up. When you are playing with her, but you decide to do something else, she gets a little behind you and wraps one of her paws around your ankle, effectively hobbling you so you are walking and dragging the dog! It is all done in play, but funny nonetheless.
Drammie, on the other hand (short for Drambuie), is younger, a male, and a big boy. He is white and a deep ginger-red which is how he got his name. He should be a soccer goalie! He has a small soccer ball that he can just about get his jaws around that he will bring to you so you can kick it for him. He is very effective at blocking the kick and catching the ball and can read pretty well which way you are going to kick it! He'll bring back the ball and drop it, but if it is about 5 feet away, the command "Closer." will prompt him to pick up the ball and move it closer to you. He is a big, lovable dog.
I am going back into yesterday's post to put in some photos -- maybe. I am still new to this blogging stuff, so it takes a bit to dope out what to do. Check it out ... hopefully I am successful so that I can get others loaded tomorrow.
Missing everyone, but having a perfectly delightful time with Trevor and Karina. I have to say that both Jeff and I are having a little jetlag, so I assume and early bed (that means before midnight!) and another good night's sleep and we will be with the program. Karina's birthday celebration tomorrow. She thinks it is just the 4 of us and lunch -- doesn't know of Trevor's surprise of many guests. Will let you know how that plays out in tomorrow's blog.
So, for Thursday, after a perfectly lovely outing on a really beautiful day, I'll sign off.
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