Inert
Funny title for a travel blog entry, admittedly…
I’m sitting on a comfy old couch, nose deep in Harry Potter, having occasional sporadic conversations with my host…who’s doing a bit of work.
(Me a the midnight opening of Harry Potter…unabashedly dorky!)
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I’ve had a small change in plans, in that I didn’t get on a plane to Germany at 6:25 this morning as originally planned. Seems my German host had something come up…so I decided entirely against Germany. This was enabled by the fact that I had booked a flight on ryanair for only 1pound. I’m going to fly directly to Poland later this week.
So, another lazy day in a homey atmosphere…nothing to complain about. Seems the excitment level will escalate shortly, when Liverpool takes the field and my host goes bonkers. I’m looking forward to this. {smirk}
I made a short trip into London on Monday to try to pick up a post restante package from the post office…it’d not yet arrived. We wandered around a little, but were both ridiculously tired from too many nights of late night drinking and conversaton, so we headed off.
(Couldn’t help snapping this first -notice Philip’s eyeing me leerily.)
Sunday (I’m going backwards here…how strange) Philip and I journeyed south to his parents house. We were promptly invited to their neighbors garden party…what we might call a barbeque in the good ol’ US.
What a trip! There I sat, amidst a group of people who were nearly peers of my grandparents, talking up a storm. The location of the house was right near the Battle of Britan site. I was treated to innumerable stories about growing up below fighting war planes…being shot at by machine gunners on the walk home from school, shipped off to unknown locations during the evacuations of Brittish children or spending days and nights in air-raid shelters. My keen interest went over quite famously, and I was well-recieved at the party…especially when we started talking old Big Band and Swing music and I stayed in the conversation.
Now, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I have to say I had an amazing time. It was so interesting to talk to these friendly ladies and gentlemen, especially because my interest made them happier. I learned a lot from them and I’m happy for it. Really a fun night.
After the party I got to speak to Philip’s dad some more…over glasses of too-late-in-the-night whisky. He’s a sweet man, who had nothing but smiles for me. Soon we were watching the backyard like a National Geographic special…as all sorts of fuzzy animals came out to munch on treats Philip’s mom had left out for them. While their cat sat lazily under a chair on the patio some hedgehogs made an appearance…sniffing about and eatting peanuts from the grass. Most exciting though was the badger! Wow! The animal hungrily ate pieces of bread quietly showing enormous teeth and claws as we all (including the cat outside) looked on.
So, it’s been a very quiet, very British couple of days…but relaxing and homey. Philip is an exceedingly good host and I’ve had to tell him to sit and relax hmself…and stop asking if I want anything…because I’m perfectly content. Wow….perfectly content…not bad.
Tags: England
LizG