Squandering 2p’s in Southsea And The Perfect Job

No staycation en Angleterre, would be a staycation en Angleterre without a cheeky visit to the pier arcade ……..

……. so Darrell and Lu have naturally given themselves up to the pleasures of the chink, chink, chink of 2p’s falling over the precipice of the pusher machines ……. it’s a time honoured family holiday tradition ……..

…….. even though Darrell says he gets the loudest and most bountiful  “chinks” when he puts his pound coins in the change machines!

It was just wonderful to feel “almost normal again” he exclaimed.

Then he spotted what he thought could possibly be one of the best seaside jobs in the world, something he could see Nigel and himself carrying out with great aplomb, to wit taking a magical bucket round containing tantalising trinkets (keyrings, lollipops and small toys etc.) to put, oh so close, to the edge of the pusher machine drops  …….

……… just having the key to open each section of the machines, he said,  was almost too romantic for words!

Darrell says as soon as he gets home he’s going to prepare Nigel and his CV,  just in case such an opportunity should ever arise.  What is he like?

Port Solent Premier Inn–Thank You Sir Lord Lenny, That’ll Do Very Nicely.

Darrell and Lu say that they are very happily ensconced in their select Port Solent Premier Inn……..

…… as endorsed by Sir Lord Lenny of Henry on both TV and radio …..

……. with it’s Receptionist-less DIY check-in and create you own room key facilities, which Darrell left to Lu as he isn’t the most technical of people.

As the aforementioned and well knighted Sir Lord Lenny of Henry says you know exactly what you are getting with a Premier Inn …….

……. however, on this occassion Darrell has begged to differ, as he wasn’t expecting their wash basin to be outside of the shower room but in the bedroom instead ………

……. which seems a little odd and off putting as he said brushing your teeth can occassionally be quite a private and personal matter, especially when trying to dislodge, for example, a piece of popcorn husk/shell from between your molars or back of throat!

However, the seat in the shower cubicle was a very welcome  novelty, something he can’t ever remember having before. He says his toes have never been so pampered, being a lot easier to reach in a sitting position, bless him.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a sea view from the room ……. however, in the eyes of the staycation beholder a Pizza Hut can be the most wonderful vista, with its promise of free salad, Bottomless Bluffet and Big Sharers!  Happy Days

Darrell Ventures To Portsmouth

This week finds Darrell embracing the pleasures and sea air of Portsmouth/Southsea. He didn’t need asking twice, his suitcase was packed before you could even say Lenny Henry/Premier Inn, after Lu invited him for a few days away. To be honest he’s been moping around The Towers, desperate for the unfettered feeling of sand between his toes that it was even beginning to get to me.

He text me as soon as they had landed, saying that it had been an emotional “reunion”  ……….

…….. but as soon as he had recovered, he instantly felt his spirits rise, after so many months in meltdown, the air had cleared his passages and he was feeling like a new monkey already.

He’d rolled his trousers up and been for a paddle ………

…… and then he and Lu found a bench on which to sit in companionable silence, taking it all the wonders of the seaside whilst partaking in a lovely cup of seaside tea, all be it in a Styrofoam cup.

What is he like ……….  if not a very happy and contented little bunny right now?

England Expects ………

Yesterday Nigel received a text message of great import from school that had him in floods of tears of an emotional type nature ……….

……. after three years of school running and always being affable and presentable at the classroom door (give or take a meltdown or two) they’ve finally asked him, if he’s able to help out ……… at Sports Day!

Believe me, there was absolutely no doing with him, he was just about able to manage to text back “I would be sooooooo honoured” before the dam burst.

He’d filled his DBS (Criminal Record Check) form in last September and was found totally unblemished and incorrupt and so was accepted, but then Covid 19 had sadly put paid to any of his “helping” ambitions …….. until now that is.

To be trusted with scoring the Reception and Year 1 javelin, it was beyond his wildest dreams.  How he’ll get through the next week I don’t know, but he’s already ordered his copy of UKA Rule Book – Rules of Athletic Competition to ensure that he is in no way found wanting in any of his considered (and final) judgements.  Heaven help them!

Broken Silence ……..

It has to be said that the silence of riverside life has been slightly shattered by the demolition work currently being carried out behind the marina.

We can only hear the rumblings and bangs  from The Towers,  however Nigel has a grandstand view on the opposite side of the river while he waits in line, along the school drive when he’s on the school run.

The old Evesham Sanatorium building ……

……….. plus other outbuildings and storage units on the site are no more, making way for new housing.

http://www.greengablesbusinesscentre.co.uk/about-us

We visited the old building, looking for storage  when we first moved to Evesham, still with all it’s original internal architectural features which had Darrell in an interior designer swoon …….

………. all now rubble, to be replaced by 76 “modular” homes, that’s progress I suppose.

Naturally, it’s all very interesting and romantic to the little fella, who is champing at the bit to don his hi viz jacket and hard hat, despite being quite a distance from the action.  However it’s a pleasant enough diversion …….  as sometimes, waiting in line for Iris to come out can be a tad monotonous and dare I say, boring!

Food Of The Gods and Mums Monkey ……..

We’ve been a long two years without a Greek Odyssey, in fact, we should have been in Crete last week, so I can’t tell you how our hearts and stomachs yearn for a proper, real life, Greek Gyros …….

…… however, developments appear to be a foot in Evesham and just perhaps the taste of Greece could be within our grasp and palates, without the need of enduring rigorous and copious Covid testing every five minutes or going into quarantine for weeks on end ……..

…….. because according to Darrell, Evesham is about to get a new restaurant of a Mediterranean type nature, in what used to be the old Edinburgh Woollen Mill Shop.

Now, we know there are an awful lot of Mediterranean countries  to cover, but we pride ourselves on being pretty cosmopolitan, so if gyros isn’t on the menu we’ll go Turkish or Persian etc. at the drop of a kolokythokeftede.

We’re just need a bit of exotic so much. It goes without saying that we’ll keep you up to speed on all developments, such as the opening date and, more importantly, the choice of Mediterranean fayre that will be up for our considered delectation ………… with fingers and toes firmly double crossed that it will be Greek!

‘Tis The Season To Be Fishing …….

It’s umbrellas at dawn as the fisherman have finally returned to “our” part of the river.

The banks have been cleared, new platforms erected ………..

…….. and various matches arranged until at least next February ……

…… and at £3 a day, what more fun can you have for less than a cup of coffee?

There’s also a few signs gone up in places to warn the “illegal” fishers, those without a licence. They are easy to spot as they turn up with just a rod and, usually, a plastic bag, whereas the “real” fisherman arrive with a trolley, numerous boxes, an umbrella, trays of wiggling maggots and ground bait,  plus at least five rods, buzzers and three nets, then stay rooted to the same spot for the rest of the day, rather than move up and down the bank every five minutes.

It’s totally blissful, happy days!