Hello everyone and welcome back to the blog. I'm so happy to be here! I'll keep this short and sum up our day with a crowd-pleaser, the Top 5 list of the best things that happened to us today on our first day.
5. The flight from YVR was not bad as usual as Air Canada seem to have moved on from pre-ironing their lettuce and serving Pasta Dots in a Blood Sauce to providing something that was actually edible, for the most part. There was still a piece of old sponge masquerading as a bun with the added appeal of a frozen centre, and a slice of chocolate cake (and I use the term 'cake' loosely) that could also have been used as a murder weapon should nothing else be handy, it was that dense. But all in all, it was not unpleasant.
My only suggestion would be to change this sign which could be quite alarming to those who use a wheelchair. What does it even mean? ‘Wheelchair users: press this button to be sucked down a giant toilet’? ‘Tiny wheelchair users will be using the entire toilet, so look out’? And do we really need the graphic of how a toilet works? So many questions. Also, could they please clean their weird signs.
4. Heathrow airport has finally figured out that an arrivals hall with 6ft ceilings and a two hour wait is akin to torture. I was happily surprised when instead, we were virtually the only ones in the new immigration centre and even more surprised not to have to explain my life history to Gordon the Bored Immigration Officer who looks like he could either go to sleep, or on a murderous rampage depending on one's answers to his inane questions. Instead, I had only to scan my passport and we were through. So refreshing!
3. When we arrived at our house, a charming cottage located near Twickenham, on Eel Pie Island (more on this later) in the Thames River, we were all amazed to see a couple of CDs on a table, not because they were CDs and no one knows what they are anymore, but because of the note tucked under the case.
Perhaps you have heard of Mumford and Sons? As it turns out, the Ms. Mumford I had rented the house from is none other than Marcus Mumford’s Aunt. When she arrived at the house to greet us, needless to say we had a few questions, like, could he come by for a cup of tea, what was he like as a child, and could we all have free tickets to their next concert. No I’m just kidding. We weren’t interested in his childhood.
2. Twickenham is a lovely little spot just west of London. W spent the afternoon napping and exploring and came across, as one does in the UK, the burial place of Alexander Pope, who lived (and died) in Twickenham. Pope was a 17th century writer, essayist and satirist who will be well known to those of us who studied English at school as a bit of a pain in the ass when it came to analyzing his works. Still it was interesting to come across his grave and that of his…wetnurse? nanny? mother?
Well alright then.
I would also like to extend a special thank you to June and Tony for being in the Departure Gate for our flight to London yesterday. I always feel a sense of comfort when they show up with their post-wartime dentistry, smart shirts, sensible footwear, and flasks of tea. Bless them! I also saw Lynne and Andy, unmistakeable in his 'I hate Mondays’ tshirt, undoubtedly on their way back to Leeds or Newcastle having just toured Banff, Science World in Vancouver, and the Butchart Gardens. Bless them too. You'll have to take my word for it as I couldn't take a photo but I'm sure I will see them again in London, along with Tom and Barbara, Raj and Viv, and Anne and Rick. The UK does do stereotypes so well!
That’s it for now. More tomorrow!
Thanks for reading,
Jane
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