Monday 15th October 2012
Small one and Tall one went for a much needed walk, following all
the enormous home cooked meals by Mother Barton. Little Sister Emily
and dog Lilly came along, walked down the farm lane and took a 40
minute walk up the old railway line – turned foot/cycle path into
the village, Forest Row. Halfway down the track a lone tall dog came
trotting towards us, small one and sister started panicking, grabbing
large branches to fend it off, but it was plainly a soppy eared,
friendly brown eyed pooch which just had a sniff and kept walking.
Into the village past Tall one's old Scout hut, past the bus stop he
took to school every day in the 90's, and up to the Swan Pub where we
spent a fortune on 3 drinks and sat outside watching Lilly barking at
Squirrels. Mother picked us up and along with niece Isabelle we went
out to Hartfield to walk down to Winnie Pooh Bridge. Past only a few
Japanese tourists, and we almost missed the bridge entirely as
there's no sign posts. Taught small one how to play Pooh sticks then
wondered back to the car. At the house had our final supper, and dug
out the Canada map to show the Mother. During the map presentation,
the niece started balling her eyes out and screaming with this
bizarre terrified panting. All we'd done was told her to be careful
as she was creasing the map, but she was a right mess for a good half
hour after that. We then got down to packing, and an hour after
Isabelle was in bed we had to silently creep into the attic outside
her bedroom and get the ladder down, then quietly lift all the boxes
tall one had got out to sort through back up there, we managed to
finish the operation like cat burglars, and never woke the girl.
Sunday 14th October 2012
Small one, Tall one and Little Sister's husband Gregg were ushered
out the house and made to go for a 45 minute walk round the farm with
all 5 dogs, this was despite tall one still with a swollen ankle. Had
a good walk round on a good sunny day, saw some ponds, woodland and
fields a plenty, where tall one had grown up. Gregg daintily put
their little westie named Lilly into the pond to go paddling, but
once she was out a foot into the water one of the big Labradors dived
in and landed right on top of her, they both went under the water and
she came up a few seconds later paddling for dear life for the shore.
Headed back to the house and the surprise they had been dreading
turned out to be an early family Christmas Dinner. Complete with
tinsel, christmas tree and old christmas cards, they sat down and
pulled crackers and had this enourmous roast turkey and beef dinenr
cooked by Mother Barton. Also came with Roast potatos, Parsnips,
Swede, Bacon and sausages, brussell sproats, carrots, broccoli,
runner beans, stuffing, and gravy... followed by Christmas Pudding,
Apple Crumble and our attempt at an Irish Coffee... was a splendid
feast.
Saturday 13th October 2012
Family day trip to Hever Castle in Kent with Tall one's mother,
sister and niece Isabelle, and younger sister. Was a fair enough day,
blue skies and rain... Little Isabelle has more energy than a Durcell
battery and wore all of us out with her manic questions. Wondered
round the hedge maze, but tall and small one cheated. Had a look
round the castle itself, nosing behind small doors that weren't for
public viewing. Henry the Eight stayed there a few times and so there
were strange mannequins of him dotted about the place. There was also
cameras a plenty going off, both sisters, mother and tall one were
armed with them and seemed to spend more time taking pictures of each
other taking pictures than of anything else. When we left the grounds
Tall and small one got in the car with the Little Sister driving.
Small one piped up “what's that i'm sitting on?” and jumped out
the seat, Little sister cried “is it a mouse?”, small one did not
respond to which little sister answered her own question frantically
“is it a mouse!” and jumped out the car screaming to the older
sister and mother that there was a mouse! Small one sat in the back
of the car crying with laugther, and tall one was just confused.
Never did find out what small one sat on....
Friday 12th October 2012
Tall one's sister Emily picked up him and small one for their day
trip. First they stopped at Forest Row's village doctors as Small
One's throat was becoming unbearable. The snotty rude woman at
reception was very pushy to know where his previous surgery was,
though he did not have to pay for the consultation in the end. Tall
ones toes had turned black with this ankle swelling from almost a
week ago, so he saw someone too. They both had to wait over an hour
watching various old people get seen before them. Picked up Emily's
dog and husband and drove down to the coast. Walked out along the
large curved river of Cuckmere Haven, under some large white/grey
clouds. Small one brought everyone a 99' Flake icecream along the
way, and they discussed their phobias of Cats, Slugs and Cows... Then
the trail reached the beach and they walked up the Seven Sisters row
of white cliffs. It staretd to rain and they sheltered under them,
Greg had no coat, as Emily had forgot hers and he'd had to give up
his... the dog was the warmest. Though the rain only lastest ten
minutes and we walked back in bright sunshine, past trees that had
grown horizontally from all the wind, which were full of large flocks
of Goldfinches. Back to the sisters house in the rain and they cooked
tall and small one some lovely fajitas. Their two very large house
cats had to be put out as small one refused to be in the same room as
them, though he terrified one by making a mock charge at it, the poor
cat wasn't the same again. We watched Ireland losing to Germany in a
World Cup qualifier, and the little Westie dog, Lilly lay in front of
the fire producing the mostly un-Godly smelling farts we'd ever
encountered. Had a good day though, and some lovely food.
Thursday 11th October 2012
Had a welcome lie on and a good shower. Mummy Barton then took us
both out to meet the grandparents. Met Tall one's Granny and Grandad
Barton first, who thanked him for all the postcards. They had both
aged a lot since last year, and Grandad joked that now he forgets
what happened the day before, but still remembers things from 60
years ago. Tall one said they were heading to Malaysia for a stop
over, which he said he knew very well. He had taken a boat over there
in the army which had taken 4 weeks to get there, stopping at
Columbia and other places, until disembarking at Singapore where he
took the train up to Kuala Lumphur to go fighting in the Malaysian
Jungles.
Had a brief walk around Tunbridge Wells and then stopped in to
see Nanny and Grandad Rudd (the mother's parents). They again had
both aged a lot since last year when Tall one saw them. Grandad could
bareley walk anymore and Nanny was very thin and fragile. They were
both in good spirits, joking and telling stories about how they'd
gone to Australia 7 times in the last ten years (too see Uncle Marin
in Bundaberg), and their first time they went at the 2 hour stop over
in Kuala Lumphur they thought they'd arrived in Aus and went
wondering off, only to hear all these dramatic announcements asking
for “Mr and Mrs Budd”. They finally checked incase they had got
their names wrong and were dashed down to the plane which was already
out on the taxiway, to be greeted by the disgruntled pilot and a
friendly air stewardess. Grandad spoke to small one about being
stationed up in Northern Ireland, in Enniskillen with the Royal Air
Force in the 50's. He said he remembered how friendly he thought
everyone was. They seemed very sad to see Tall one go, Grandad didn't
seem to think he'd have long left, mentioning how he'd cried when his
son Martin had gone back to Australia and he didn't know when he'd
see him again. Tall one said they'd be plenty of postcards to come.
Small one made a good impression by washing up both sets of
Grandparents tea cups, though he was getting annoyed at having to
endlessley undo and redo up his shoelaces to take his boots off at
every house we stopped at....
Back to the farm and Mummy Barton had been slaving away cooking
homemade Shepards Pie, and homemade Apple pie for dessert. Small one
commented that the husband must hve locked her in the kitchen for a
week to get all this baking and cooking done. Were joined for dinner
with sister Emily and husband Gregg, as well as older sister Michelle
with niece Isabelle.
Wednesday 10th October 2012
Said our goodbyes to Lynne and Megan that morning and thanked them
for putting us up. Had spent the last few days trying to convince
Megan to go travelling and hoped we were successful. We then went
round to Joe's house to meet his wife Agate, and walked the two kids
to school around the corner. Said some more goodbyes, was a very sad
occasion. Agate gave small one a bottle of Joe's home brew beer and
one of his old Guinness Paddy's Day t-shirts to take with him.
Back to the train station for a jacket potato, and toilets you
had to pay 30p to use. Then a 4 and a half train journey down to
London leaving at 1.30pm. We were on reserved seating and were sat
next to this English grandmother and mother who sat next to us
chatting or snoring for the whole trip. Small did his best to sleep.
Once in London struggled on the underground with our backpacks
through to Victoria station and then another hour's journey down to
East Grinstead. There we were collected by Tall one's Mother and Tall
One's 3 year old niece, Isabelle. Isabelle had changed a lot since
he'd seen her last June, she was very chatty and confident compared
to the terrified tears she had for him last year. She's not stopped
chatting about 'Uncle Michael and Conor' and how she'd baked them a
cake, and had also learnt to whistle....
Back at the farm, greeted by Daddy Barton and the many dogs of
the house. We then sat down to a home cooked bangers and mash cooked
by Mummy Barton and some home baked cakes. Tall one asked if there
had been any post for him, and Mummy Barton said she'd forwarded on
half a dozen letters to his address in Ireland (Mummy Hegarty) a
couple of months ago. Then we realized what had happened, she'd just
written “please re-driect to:...” and not actually paid extra
postage to send to another country, so can only presume they were
returned to sender. Tall one did at least have one letter, which was
from his student loan company asking why he wasn't earning any money
in the UK and to prove how he was supporting himself now and where,
so they could have a slice.
Tuesday 9th October 2012
Headed out early Tuesday morning, follwing a fry up cooked by
Megan who then drove us up Arthur's Seat (the large mount overlooking
the City). We then climbed to the top for some great views, we'd been
blessed with great clear blue skies for both days in Scotland. A long
trek down and then walked up the Golden Mile and saw the Castle. We
stopped in a tourist shop looking for a new sew on badge for the
backpack, and this little Asian girl running the place kept asking us
if we needed any help. She then started asking quite seriously, “can
you help me?”... We wondered what one earth she wanted, and half
expected her to say she was being held againgst her will, turned out
she needed a hand to carry out the very heavy postcard racks to hang
front he front of the shop. We met Pat for lunch who had visited us
in Melbourne almost 2 years ago and had taken small one to a Chinese
Kareoke night. We then met small one's previously housemate, Arthur
and went for drinks at cousin Joe's old pub, The Cask and Barrell. We
also arranegd to meet some other old friends, including Socttish
girls Jennifer and Louise who previously lived/worked in The Corkman,
Melbourne. After this we walked back with Lynne and had an Indian
Takeaway.
Monday 8th October 2012
Got the bus out to Cork airport that morning. Had only 10 euros
left so budgeted our breakfast out of that, which was a rotten fry up
off a hotplate. Was worried about the carry on bags being too big and
over weight, but Aerlingus never weighed a thing. Boarded the plane
which was a tiny little propeller plane, with very tight, cramped
seating. Made it over to Edinburgh in an hour and a half.
Another bus into Edinburgh City and then (as we were staying at
small one's Aunt Lynne's that night) we had to find some luggage
storage. We asked in the train station about sotring our bags and
they said (for our 2 backpacks and 2 carry ons) it would cost 28
pounds!! That was just for 3 hours we needed, so we kept walking and
made it to the Bus Station were we fit it all into one locker for the
cost of just 6 pounds for 4 hours....
Did a bit of shopping as we'd be seeing Conor's cousin's later.
This would be the first time he'd see Lynne, Megan, and Joe's wife
and two children since Joe past away from Cancer whislt we were up in
the Yukon earlier in the year. Small one was un-sure what to get the
kids so brought them a voucher each, one from Smiths the other from
Game. When he brought the Game voucher, the cashier wanted to know
“is this ia Birthday gift?”... “no”...”is it for
Christmas?”....”no”....”for a Competition?”....
“no”....”oh, do you have a Game membershipcard?”....”No, I
just want to buy a voucher”....”fair enough”.
We did a bit of a tour north of the river round Edinburgh. Paid
the 3 pounds to go up the enourmous monument for writer Sir Walter
Scott. It was worth it, despite the endless spiral staircase which
got smaller and smaller to the top, for some great views. Stopped by
John Rebus' pub, The Oxford Bar, and also Robert Louis Stevenson's
house on Herriot Row. On our way back to the train station to meet
Lynne a rough, young Scottish girl walked past on her mobile phone,
her face full of hairy moles as she was shrieking down the phone “the
fucking bank won't speak to me, the fucking post office won't speak
to me and the fucking job agency won't even let me in the door, i
mean what the fuck!”.... welcome to Edinburgh.
We had arranged to meet Lynne at the back of the train station
and stood by the large arch bridge used in Trainspotting. Twenty
minutes went by until we found out that there were actually two back
entrances and she'd been waiting at the other one. Headed over to her
house and also met with her daughter Megan. We had not seen either
since their visit to Athlone to see us last year when we'd gon for a
boat trip up the River Shannon. Lynne cooked a lovely dinner for us
and Joe's wife and two children came round as well. The two kids were
full of life and good to see them so confident with us.
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