Dragon Country

A leisurely breakfast of croissants and tea with Sue and John, a sneaky rematch with Whiskey (a draw) before Lorraine and I got ready to go. In the short time I had been there, I had felt more relaxed than I have felt for many a month. Fond farewells with Sue and John, and then we sped off again.

We drove to Monmouth, into the dragon country of Wales, through some increasingly gorgeous countryside. Found our self catering apartment, which looked like nothing from the front of the house, but was actually extremely pleasant. Katie and Ian were going to stay overnight there too.

Unloading our things, having collected our key, we mooched into Monmouth, over a little bridge guarded by an ancient Monnow Bridge gate built around 1270, over the river Monnow, to buy some provisions and mooch about a little. Lorraine and I did some food shopping in the Waitrose there, and then loading up our little rucksacks and carrying a bag back, crossed over the bridge again (glancing down at the children in the river) and into the part of town known as Overmonnow, where our place is.

Walking past The Green Dragon, there was a familiar voice, and  Kate zoomed out of the pub garden with Ian, having secured a socially distanced table outside.

After dropping off our stuff at our nearby room, we sat in the pub car park, now converted to a socially distanced beer garden and had some drinks and wonderful long chat.  Katie somewhat down lately, and has been diagnosed with depression, and is getting lots of help fortunately. Ian has been an absolute brick too. Lorraine and I like him very much indeed.  A very cheery time.

Then we adjourned across the Monnow where we ordered a curry to be collected (collect only still in Wales were a bit different to England). We had another swift drink in another pub outside, leaving contact details and so on at the door. I then nipped off to collect our curry which we all ate on a bench table outside by the river.

I have never had an alfresco curry before. Very nice it was. Then an absolute bloody final in the Green Dragon, before sloping home, with top hats a-tilting.

Below Katie and Ian in the car park of The Green Dragon, Lorraine with them, children playing in the Monnow, and Katie, Ian and Lorraine standing in the town gate.





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