Thursday, April 26, 2007

Numbers

Following hard on the heels of 30; lots of numbers this week. J's Dad was 80 at the weekend. We had a surprise lunch on Sunday in Cotherstone village, in Teesdale. J's family are from there. This picture brings back memories of staying at his Aunty Nina's cottage when he was a child.



The plan was for one of J's sisters to pick his Dad up, on the pretext of going for a quiet pub lunch, and bring him to the restaurant for lunch, where 20 of us were waiting. Conversation went thus:
"Dad, are you really going to wear that jumper?"
"Yes, why? We're only going to the Red Lion"
"Yes, but it wouldn't hurt to be smart for a change"
Grumble, grumble, grumble all the way.
"This isn't the Red Lion, this is the Fox and Hounds. I want to go to the Red Lion. This is one of those Gastro Pubs, I've been reading about them."

Eventually they arrived and we had a lovely lunch at the Fox and Houndswith two of J's sisters and their families. I forgot the camera, but someone will email us some soon, I hope.

Another number: 44. I was 44 this week. Where did the years go? I might stay 43...

J and I went for a drive up to Eggleston Hall and had a walk around the grounds. Slowly... I'm suffering a bit with the old fibromalarky and am actually feeling older than J's Dad.

Not a reflection on mortality, but just because I love the little ruined family chapel, dating from early 1600s, in the grounds up there and the fact that even dogs are included.







2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to you, and greetings and give my respects to J's Dad.

I've always enjoyed prowling old tombstones. We no longer seem to put such pithy sayings on - just name and date. ("name, rank, and serial number only, mam").

Hope you feel better soon.

rho said...

catching up after a long weekend away - so sorry this is late but Happy Belated B-day -- I will be celebrating the 33rd anniversary of my 21st bday this month ;) YIKES I automatically did that as 23rd anniversary instead of 33rd -- guess age really doesn't count in my head

The story about J's Dad - reminded me of when we did that to my dad and every year afterwards he said "For my bday we will have bar-b-qued ribs done on my grill at my house" LOL

Can I steal your Fibro awareness button?

Do you have a spring break or anything coming up that you can use to regroup thru the flare?