A happy Friday

A day Lorraine and I really enjoyed. Although I was up early to take a briefing from a team in France  first thing. I am doing this job next week. The rest of the day free after a smidge or two of business and podcast admin. A nice note from Mark Fiddes, who we featured on the podcast this week. A note from Spooner on Facebook to say they are old University friends.

Lorraine in bed sorting out a last minute MOT, and found a place in Seaford just by the Duke of Wellington, so we dropped the car off and had a mooch about the tiny little town together, and even had a cup of coffee in a cafe called Pomegranate and stopped off in Gallery Uno and had a nice chat with he guy who runs it.  Being free to do this made us feel happy. The car's MOT done and dusted by this afternoon too.

Then home and a spot of gardening, doing some sterling work -- digging holes in the island where Lorraine and I planted two acer trees -- also lots of other bits and pieces in the garden. Lorraine lurking in the glasshouse planting things too -- but being a bit careful of her pulled groin. 

Last thing Lorraine and I had a Microsoft teams meeting with a financial advisor -- long and detailed conversation lasting an hour and a half or more. His suggestions made lots of sense to us.

From there to The Old Boot Inn, where Lorraine and I met Steve. The place was crowded and had no tables, but we ended up sharing one with two friendly old brothers Brian and Michael, who talked to us all the time. Both born and bred Seafordians and proud of it. Both pronouncing it SeaFORD too. Brian it turns out had been Brighton's goalkeeper -- and I found out later even has his own wikipedia page.  He dropped names like confetti but was greatly entertaining. He had a successful business to do with vending machines when he left the game. His older brother Michael was ninety one I think, and was highly independent and clearly liked chatting with Lorraine. I liked how they talked about old Seaford, and getting gulls eggs to eat when they were kids by scrambling dangerously on the cliffs. Michael has clear memories of the war, and the Canadians who were stationed here.

Fond farewells with the brothers, who seemed to know or be related to lots of people in the pub, and a fond farewell with Steve, and Lorraine and I went to the Bengal Palace together. Perfectly decent curry there, although the prices have rocketed in restaurants lately, and I enjoyed the Cobra beer and poppadoms. Lorraine liked her choice a little more I think. But it was fun to be out on a Friday night together, even though we were both happy to zoom home to be on the gold sofa. 

Below a hellebore in our garden. According to my online dictionary, hellebore comes from the Old English elleborum (denoting various plants supposed to cure madness). So now you know. I like them, they look alien.