Relatives in ancient places
Off by car to Elstree, and the early fifteenth century Waggon and Horses pub on Watling Street where Lorraine and I met Mum and Mas. Really good to sit in the beer garden, at an appropriate social distance and have a bite to eat and my second pub drink with them. Luckily the sky, having been cloudy all the way up, allowed some sunshine. Mum and Mas on good form generally and we sat outside for about three hours, the first time since well before lockdown. Strange not to see them in screens, and good to just be able to spend a good amount of time together. Mum snuck off and paid for the meal, which was kind of her too. Mum and Mas had all day breakfasts, which they have lots there. The woman who looked after us, really pleasant and cheery, and recognised them, and took good care of Mum and Mas. Fond but socially distanced farewells.
Off next to Kingsbury to see Sam and Jade, who are now living with Sian, in a street tucked away behind St Andrew's church. Now they have left Edinburgh. Jade has secured a new half time lecturing, and is also learning to drive, Sam studying a programming language. Lorraine and I went for a quick walk with Sam to the local shops. I snapped the sign to Lavender Avenue, where my old school pal Mark used to live, and sent him a pic, and then took a shot of the George opposite, where Carl and I used to meet once in a while when we were young, it being halfway between our homes, and texted him a pic too. We also drove alongside Roe Green park where the school Toby went to had been.
After we had a bite to eat, Jade cooked a deliciously garlicky pasta sauce, Sian, Lorraine and I went for a walk around St Andrew's church, which I had never been to despite living in Kingsbury between the ages of 12 and 19 years. Tucked behind it was an ancient church, surrounded by tumbledown graves, which was pleasingly Gothic. The new church, Mark texted me to say, was rebuilt brick by brick from its original location in central London. It is also the church where Yes bassist Chris Squire sang in the church choir, and learned how to do the harmonies that graced their albums.
Lorraine and I then drove back home, however part of the motorway to Brighton was closed, so we had to go through country lanes in the dark. Driving towards two bright stars side by side in the sky, which I used my app to discover were Jupiter and Saturn.
Below Mum and Mas at the Waggon and Horses, Old St Andrew's church, and Lorraine and Sian in a gothic background. It would have been far too sensible of me to take a snap of Sam and Jade obviously. And The George, where Carl and I would meet occasionally. It wasn't our favourite pub, but was handy.
Off next to Kingsbury to see Sam and Jade, who are now living with Sian, in a street tucked away behind St Andrew's church. Now they have left Edinburgh. Jade has secured a new half time lecturing, and is also learning to drive, Sam studying a programming language. Lorraine and I went for a quick walk with Sam to the local shops. I snapped the sign to Lavender Avenue, where my old school pal Mark used to live, and sent him a pic, and then took a shot of the George opposite, where Carl and I used to meet once in a while when we were young, it being halfway between our homes, and texted him a pic too. We also drove alongside Roe Green park where the school Toby went to had been.
After we had a bite to eat, Jade cooked a deliciously garlicky pasta sauce, Sian, Lorraine and I went for a walk around St Andrew's church, which I had never been to despite living in Kingsbury between the ages of 12 and 19 years. Tucked behind it was an ancient church, surrounded by tumbledown graves, which was pleasingly Gothic. The new church, Mark texted me to say, was rebuilt brick by brick from its original location in central London. It is also the church where Yes bassist Chris Squire sang in the church choir, and learned how to do the harmonies that graced their albums.
Lorraine and I then drove back home, however part of the motorway to Brighton was closed, so we had to go through country lanes in the dark. Driving towards two bright stars side by side in the sky, which I used my app to discover were Jupiter and Saturn.
Below Mum and Mas at the Waggon and Horses, Old St Andrew's church, and Lorraine and Sian in a gothic background. It would have been far too sensible of me to take a snap of Sam and Jade obviously. And The George, where Carl and I would meet occasionally. It wasn't our favourite pub, but was handy.
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