11th January 2014

With Christmas and New Year celebrations now all done and dusted, the normal routine at Willow Bank has settled back in.

Following a twist on Family Curry Night, where Jamie and Charlotte treated us to a couple of impressive Mexican dishes, Sue and I visited the Cinnamon Lounge the next evening with six friends for an authentic Indian meal. Earlier that afternoon, I was at the Angel watching the Tigers on TV when Jim Crawford suggested we join him and Kate for a curry. The idea quickly snowballed, with Jim and Brigitte, Sean, and Paul also coming along. A great time was had by all.

Lucas and Ellis have returned to school, and Jamie has sold his yellow car to someone from Weston-super-Mare (best of luck to them!). Until he buys a new one, I’ve lent him mine for commuting to and from work.

As part of Nan’s Christmas present, I had booked an afternoon tea at Sedgebrooke Hall with Charlotte. This happened to fall on the same day Ellis started swimming classes, and I played a round of golf at a course near Rugby to celebrate a friend’s 60th birthday. The previous day had been horrendously wet and miserable, but the clouds cleared, and we all enjoyed a lovely day. Nan thoroughly loved her tea (with the usual reservations), Ellis did brilliantly in the water (like a natural), and I managed all 18 holes without embarrassing myself on any of them.

I visited the doctor to check on a spasmodic, short-lived pain in my arm that was becoming rather uncomfortable (though thankfully, it hasn’t affected my golf). To my surprise, the doctor prescribed some painkillers, and they were free! At last, there’s a benefit to being 60. Both Sue and I also had dental appointments. I received a clean bill of health and an appointment for another check-up in six months. Sue, however, was advised to replace a crown, which, I gather, is going to cost as much as a very nice set of quality golf clubs!

On Thursday, Sue and I caught the 12:13 pm train to Southampton. I drove us to the station with Sarah, who then took the car back home. We had a direct train to London and soon arrived at St. Pancras, where we caught the Underground to Waterloo for our connection to Southampton. Aside from a couple of mishaps where Sue managed to get her case stuck in the barriers (her reactions aren’t quite as quick as they used to be), the journey was smooth. The Ibis hotel in Southampton I’d booked was just a five-minute walk from the station, and we were soon checked in and exploring the area. We were close to the city centre and West Quay, and we were quite impressed by the shops and historic city walls.

That evening, we went to the cinema and watched All is Lost, perhaps not the best choice right before a cruise! The plot revolves around a yacht sinking in the middle of the Indian Ocean, followed by some harrowing ordeals. I couldn’t help but think, “Oops, lesson learned: I won’t be straying far from my life jacket.” After recovering from the film, we strolled into town and enjoyed a nice meal at the ‘Slug and Lettuce’. Back in the hotel, we settled in for a comfortable night’s sleep.