Tiger On A Motorcycle

[lupestripe]

I'm trying to see my family more regularly these days - I'm aiming for once every three months rather than once a year. We have never been particularly close but they only live about 80 miles away and with grandparents getting older, now is the time to make more of an effort.

My second visit in 2014 was last weekend. I headed up in Friday evening when my dad picked me up at the station and we went to the Beeswing in East Cowton, a country pub in the heart of the North Yorkshire countryside and one I had struggled to find here for my American friends. I only wanted something light but the smallest thing on the menu was a burger so I opted for that, with home cut chips of course. The plate was massive but it was exceptionally tasty - you can't beat good pub food for value for money I find - and we left before open mic night got serious and the pub started to fill with locals who looked at us a little strangely.

On Saturday, I went to visit my mother who as usual cooked a huge three-course meal (well I say cooked, the final course was a cheeseboard, featuring nutty Italian cheeses). We also shared two bottles of wine and chatted about stuff, watching the Grand National in the process, where my horses in the office sweepstake failed to finish let alone challenge. After this, I went to my grandparents' place as it was my grandfather's 85th birthday. My uncle and aunt were there, whose recent holiday to Australia tended to dominate proceedings, but as I hadn't seen them since 2009 and only talked at Christmas on the phone since then, I let them talk (I said we are not a close family). My grandfather didn't speak much, which was a shame as it was his birthday, but it was great seeing everyone and yet more wine was had. The sly alcoholic digs from my uncle were not unnoticed.

Sunday we went to Newcastle for the furmeet as already described, with my father needing to meet me at Northallerton station on the way home to deliver my work laptop which I had to bring on Friday night due to unfinished business. Sunday was a great day - Wolfie and my anniversary too - and I've already recounted this. I'm hoping my next trip to my parents will be around July time, it depends how busy I get.

Comments

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

Definitely, it's always worth making time for family, at least for those you get along with. =:) I recently invited my mother up to the city for a weekend, which didn't exactly go to plan, but worked out very happily regardless. And I'm a big fan of good pub food - the combination of a great selection of beers (and ideally, ciders too) and great food can make for such a mellow, happy way to spend an evening. ^_^ It can be complex and novel, or just classics done really well - it's all good. Sometimes very good. =:9 (Ah, I still miss the triple-cooked chips at the Salamander.. but I'm thankful I've got a semi-local establishment that can serve some especially good food, with a nice variety of beers and ciders, in a place brimming with old, old atmosphere. It's a bit out in the countryside, but that's fine by me, even if it means the roomie never comes along, as he's quite averse to walking. Pity, really, as the walk's quite a nice one, especially once you hit the edge of town, and into the woodland, then out across the fields along the footpath)

Australia! Mmm, I'd love to get back. Really enjoyed Sydney - reminded me somewhat of a blend of London and San Francisco, with more of the former, including a genuinely extensive tube network. Brisbane was good as well, but I didn't really get to see as much of the locality as I might've liked - on the other paw, it was where I enjoyed the best meal of my life, a ten course tasting menu by a chef with a beautiful fusion of Australian excellent ingredients and Japanese simplicity, like an oyster in a perfectly clear, colorless tomato consomme, and belly pork and squid in a sweet soy sauce. Absolutely heavenly, all masterfully cooked and presented.

Cheese! Reminds me, I might go along to a little cheese fest in the next town over tomorrow, which would leave me reasonably conveniently close to the abovementioned pub. =:9 Stinking Bishop's a real joy, but there's plenty to be said for a classic Cheddar, like the Lake District Co's extra mature. Sainsbury's Brie de Meaux is rather nice as well, but supermarkets tend not to have much of a selection of unpasteurised cheeses, and the market scene in the UK's still struggling to rediscover the wonders of food, I feel. That said, when I've accidentally wandered through the local one (I just can never remember when it's on), there has started to be some quite interesting stuff around - some good-looking veg, of course, and a real baker with some very nice looking wares.