Whitby Fosh and Chirps

Yorkshire Moors in May

Last night, after Kerry's kidnap from York hospital we took J&T for a meal at Westow pub. It was without question the best meal I have had for years. We had three different mains and everyone agreed with this judgement. The soup, main course, and sweets were superb. So good it would be a shame to go too often.

Today John took us for a leisurely drive over the North Yorkshire Moors via Darnholm and Goathland(Adensfield) to Whitby and then back over the Yorkshire Wolds to York.

The first few photos will be immediately recognised by the Martin siblings and the Whitby ones by connoisseurs of fish and chips.

The immaculate conception

The above photographs should be self- evident but I will add some explanation.

On Sunday afternoon straight after Sunday dinner, Kerry went upstairs feeling a little unwell. She had pains across her chest and down towards her tummy. We therefore took her into York Hospital arriving at 3.29. We have just arrived back home this afternoon Tuesday at 3.00pm. The hospital were ultra careful to rule out heart problems and because Monday was a bank holiday everything slowed down. I went in to pick her up three times only to be told she needed to stay longer. However, She has been fit and healthy ever since the pain subsided which was about three minutes into admission. We do not know what caused the pain but believe it was a gastric reaction. She was not worried and has been amazingly patient while in hospital. All we need now is to think of a name for the baby.

EH UP LAD

We have had a busy few days in York. On Thursday we went to Harrogate to see the House we will be looking after. A lovely house and a lovely place. On Friday I went to watch the first day of the second cricket test against the West Indies at Headingly. For some reason I managed to buy a seat in the members and had lunch in the long room among very knowledgable Yorkshire cricket supports.

'Inglands battin'.

'Vorns captn an he's fra Yorksha tha nose'.

'Is just itten anutha fower'

On Saturday we went to Malton for lunch then on to Dave and Janes Farm. It was ther 41st wedding anniversary. We were not able to attend the 40th celebrations last year, and so as his best man, we were treated to a lovely meal at the Fairfax Arms Gilling. Gilling is close to Ampleforth where there is a rather prestigious Catholic private school which is now co-ed. Yesterday was school open day and so the Gilling pub, now a rather fashionable restaurant/pub, was very busy with parent visitors and their expensively educated children. This morning I walked the York racecourse and booted home a few winners. John has been making Sunday dinner with the Archers as backdrop and Tess and Kerry are preparing the table and final touches.

It has rained slowly for most of the day, but hey that is why we came to see the full show.

Lost in the Fens

We managed to pioneer a new route from Ipswich to York which we are loth to reveal in case it becomes too busy. The main advantages are that it allows you to see more of the countryside, takes longer and reduces your food intake. The credit for this discovery must be given equally to Uncle Peter's map which uses the the same transformation as the London underground map, the talking GPS in the passenger seat which kept saying "this can't be right; and the pilot who's instincts over-ruled these inputs on a random basis.

We had a lovely evening with Beth and Simon in Elloughton and at the Welton pub. The final trip to York was a breeze, even though some of the buildings and roads had been moved since we were last here.

Walk from Aldeburgh to Thorpness

On Tuesday 22nd May we went for a walk on the beach at Aldeburgh, famous for the Aldeburgh music festival started in 1975 by Benjamin Britten. the photographs show houses at Thorpness and the beach at Aldeburgh. The beach has a new controversial sculpture, the Scallop by Maggi Hambling . The sculpture is dedicated to Benjamin Britten and the edge of the shell is pierced with the words "I hear those voices that will not be drowned" from the opera Peter Grimes. And who is the mermaid?

Today we head North to York via Lincoln and the Humber Bridge.

Visit to Landan

Covent Garden, Marks and Spencers and the West End to see Blood Brothers at the Pheonix.

Praised by everyone in Ipswich and a must see by Katharine and Warren - we had to see it. What did you think of it? Clearly our generation and because we are back in England on an extended visit very interesting to watch the context. As a musical it was a musical drama with little dancing, lots of dialogue and a narrator. So it was quite different from many musicals I have seen. The kids scenes were exactly the baby boomers -cowboys and indians riding imaginary horses and the mention of Marylyn Monroe of course. Demolition of terraced houses then unemployment was a recognizeable progression, though the narrator's wrap up about the English class system did't hold for me. It was a great show, gripping all the way through, and the mother was brilliant, Kerry cried of course. I might have, but I could not accept that giving your baby away at birth is destined to end in disaster.

A blustery day in Landan, the final day at Lords against the West Indies was abandoned. Pete's shorts, de riguer for the West End theatre, and my sun glasses were clearly mis-judged. The purchase of a Marks and Spencer airtex vest and combat trouser's provided redemption for the men. A de-tour into Selfridges was also mis-judged by these perceptive sensitive males. It didn't raise a flicker of interest from the fe-male cortege. The engraving read "He did his best"

I can't be in Australia can I?

Emily May born today 20th May

John Constable

I have still to master the skill of putting captions on the photographs. So here is the blurb for yesterdays's expedition. the photos( there are an additional 69) were taken at Flaford where John Constable painted his famous Landscapes, including the Haywain. My photo shows Swans in the water but his painting included draught horses and the haywain. The other photos show the lush meadows alongside the river. The day was perfect for photography and today (cup-final day) has also started bright and sunny. Had home-made steak and Stilton pie at Bruce and Nicol's last night. Nicola is the picture of health and extremely pregnant. Today we will be dining on one of Peter's banquets. A lunch time game of badminton is planned which will be essential given the level of food intake.

What a difference a day makes

May 17 London

Blog sites can be terribly boring as you may already have realised, and so to whet the appetite, inspire interest, and maintain concentration, here is the latest development at 22 Margate Street-- our new gate called the Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate was commisioned by Kerry Elizabeth Martin to represent peace and keep the dog in. The gate was based on a design by Karl Gotthard Langhans, the Court Superintendent of Buildings, and the main architectural design of this landmark hasn't changed since it was first constructed in 2007. Ironically the gate was incorporated into the back yard during the years of the Howard government. The Brandenburg gate is probably the most well-known landmark in Beaumaris, it now stands as a symbol of the reunification of the two sides of the garden.