Feb 10
John spent the part of the day/evening writing and uploading a couple of posts to the blog. He was happy to talk to his cousin Anita because he had not been up to a visit the previous day. Anita has a holiday house in Newfoundland and loves Canada. Her daughter has been attending MUN (pronounced MUHN) the Memorial University of Newfoundland. They agreed that they should make a point of seeing each other sometime when she and her family are all in Canada. However, it is a three-hour flight with a connection in Halifax so it will have to be planned. Perhaps John thought, he could see his children and grandchildren on the way to Newfoundland. John was very happy to talk to Anita and to realize that he does have a cousin in Canada...when she is there!
After watching some TV with Linda and Nigel John retired to bed. He also took one more Panadol to ease the fever and drank two huge glasses of Orange Squash to rehyrdate himself. He felt quite good when he turned in. In fact, he knew he would be able to sleep well because Nigel had adjusted the radiator in his room and turned it off. John was able to get under the duvet in a cool (in both senses of the word) room.
His night was perfect and he got a great sleep, waking up not only refreshed but feeling 95% himself again. Ok, maybe 97%! It had snowed the night before and there was still a dusting left on the ground and it made the scene outside really attractive.
He went downstairs and saw Linda who asked him if he would like some toast. Oh Boy! Did he ever! He had two slices of toast with the most delicious strawberry jam washed down with tea. That was the moment John knew he was better. John was happy to help Linda by cutting up some of the veggies for dinner because he knew he would enjoy eating them later.
Linda and John then went over to Auntie Stella's to take her to the hospital to get an Xray taken. Linda drove through the local villages and John was able to see how the design of the buildings differed from Kent to Essex. The three passed by a village where two of his uncles had lived (and of course Linda and Stella) and saw some of the places he remembered as a boy when he had visited them there.
When they arrived at the hospital John felt good that he could help by taking his aunt in while Linda parked her car. His aunt has difficulty walking and John was able to have her on his arm while getting to the XRay department. John thought to himself that being part of two wonderful families (his Mum's and his Dad's) is, indeed, a blessing.
After the XRay was taken they drove to a local big box store area and Linda picked up some groceries while John had a long and enjoyable conversation with Aunt Stella. It turns out that they see the world in similar ways and that felt good to John.
After that Linda took her Mum home and drove John back to their house by a different route so John got to see more of the local countryside and villages.
The chicken was smelling sooo delicious!
Well, the roast chicken dinner tasted so delicious. When Nigel and Linda called John to the table he was astounded by the smells and the look of his dinner. He may have been hungry but this was great: roast chicken, gravy, roast potatoes, all the veggies John had cut up and peeled and more! In fact he cannot remember all that there was but it included cabbage, carrot, swede, green beans, zuchini, and well as I said he was so hungry and it was so delicious he gobbled it down without noting precisely what he was eating but the tastes were incredible. He thought how well he has been fed... first by Alan in Kent and now by Linda!
In the evening he read about the history of the local villages from Roman times to the present. Then he asked me to write this blog entry.
Suffice it to say that John is now 100%
TRB
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Hey TRB,
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely ride. I am trying to see if the building architecture is the same in the various areas of the UK. Unfortunately I cannot say that I remember too much of the building design in Jersey UK. (I wonder how many people in the UK actually visit Jersey/Guernsey - probably just banker types!!)
Although I did think I saw some tudor sytle houses that reminded me of some of the architecture in Toronto!! I thought my sisters 80 year old house was old but sixteen century homes - did I hear that right?? Love Linda's accent!!
Have a great visit!!
Thanks for your comment and good wishes, Gail.
ReplyDeleteThe architecture is very cool. The only difference between the architecture here and, say, Toronto is that here they aren't Tudor style houses. They are real Tudor Houses built in the times of the Tudors (like Henry the Eighth) and yes that was in the 1500's and 1600's. One of my cousins once owned a house that predated Tudor times and was a style called Suffolk Pink. It was built in the 1200's, around the same time as the oldest and greatest cathedrals of Europe such as Canterbury Cathedral.
By the way, Dennis another cousin told me that people from Essex do not have an accent! hahaha He and his family might also visit me in Canada.
You know, although I love Canada dearly, passionately even, I am still very happy to be English born to two loving, strong, and proud parents and my two families of origin.