EIGHT DAYS IN ENGLAND

The past eight days in England were just as I had hoped: a calm, slow-paced escape from the norm back in the States.  Not that my regular norm isn’t slow-paced, for it is, I just needed to get away temporarily, to a new setting, to sort through thoughts and feelings.  Mission accomplished.  I feel stronger now, am dealing still with the loss of my son, but am feeling better. 

How could I not improve with the diversion of more than a week in Weymouth, Dorset, one of my favorite places on earth, with my dear friends Martin and Ali?  Of course they must be grateful to be back to their normal everyday routine after my departure, I’m sure of that.  Lol lol   We did do a lot of pubs while I was there.  I was on a quest to see all the old world, most charming pubs in the area.  And that we most certainly did.  Another mission accomplished. 

My favorites were the Springhead in Sutton Poyntz, the Nothe above Weymouth harbor, and The Cove Inn at Chesil Beach.  The Cove, where we had Sunday lunch, used to be my most favorite, but now I have to say the Springhead tops the list.  Plus we went to a restaurant that I will return to, we all three agree it is tops - the Bistro at the harbor.

On Tuesday night I went with Ali and Martin to a Chamber of Commerce get together at Stables near the new George Inn that used to be my favorite, now is not, it’s been modernized.  The George Inn, by the way, isn’t at all like I wrote in my novels, not at all.  New owners changed that totally, so instead of an Old World pub, it’s a trendy restaurant/bar.  Not my kinda place.  Anyway, we went to Stables on Tuesday and had one of the best gourmet pizzas ever!  I met some of the local businessmen and women, great group of people in the Chamber.  One was the owner of the Bistro Restaurant, quite an interesting woman – an attorney, lived in the Middle East at one time, was married there, now divorced, quite pretty and flashy, very outgoing.  Afterwards we all went to a neighboring gay bar with a handsome gay friend of hers that we met at the C of C, his partner is a Marine.  What an evening we had … Karaoke at a downstairs gay bar, a really neat place! Loved it.

On Thursday afternoon Ali and I drove to Dorchester and had lunch at Napper’s Mite, a place where Trish and I lunched last time we were in Weymouth.  It was built in 1615 and was used as an Alms house for ten poor men for a period of time and it even became a workhouse in the early 1800s.  Quite a history and is so quaint with all its heavy beams and nooks and crannies. Just love places like that. I had a cheese and onion Panini and coffee. Dorchester is Thomas Hardy country, of course, one of my favorite authors. There’s a museum there that houses artifacts of his and about him. I’ve done that on previous visits, didn’t go to the museum this trip. We did some shopping after lunch and returned to Weymouth to get ready to go to dinner with Ali’s daughters – Kelley and Amy, Kellie’s husband Sam and their three sons.  It was a lot of fun doing family stuff this time, I really enjoyed the time visiting, and of course the dinner at the Springhead. This trip was a lot about eating and drinking, friends and family, me thinks. 

Friday  morning I took a long walk (walked everyday as a matter of fact), this time to Greenhill park and crossed over to Brewers Fayre for a simple lunch before walking back to town and shopping for a couple hours.  That night, Friday, we had dinner at the Bistro, scallops to die for on my last night in Weymouth.  It was wonderful!  We ate, drank, and conversed with our owner friend till closing. I had also met her friend Alison (another Alison) at Stables on Tuesday and she joined us for dinner on Friday too.  Another story there, Alison was born in Bahrain of British parents, is a nurse.   

On looking back the eight days in England were all about eating, drinking and having camaraderie with Ali and Martin and their family and friends.  I met a few very interesting people along the way, every day brought new insights and conversations on my outings, and even during interaction with the Wellers at their beautiful and inviting guest house on Weymouth Beach.  You must add it to your list of places to stay in England … The Channel View Guest House in Weymouth. 

 

See you in St. Malo, France ... next stop!

 

I'M IN ENGLAND!!!!!!!

At long last I’m in Weymouth, Dorset, UK for 8  days.  It’s been a couple years since I’ve been here and it is just what the doc ordered.  I’ve thought of my son several times a day, missing him, wishing he would have had the chance to come to England with me. It’s still hard to accept that he’s gone forever, just too hard.  But here I am, in the land that I love so much and still want to live here. There has got to be a way.
 

I met a local man Friday night at the pub where we went before dinner on the harbor, he has a home in Portland (where the sailing Olympics were a couple years ago) and has a sea view … nice man, owns a construction company.  This coming Tuesday night I’ll be going with Martin & Ali to a meeting where all the local business people go, sort of like our Chamber of Commerce, I suppose. That should be enlightening, will meet more locals.

Remember, it was my character Honey Ray Howard who met the love of her life in Weymouth Harbour, same as her mother years before … they both fell like a ton of bricks, Honey stayed in England, her mother didn’t unfortunately.  “The Christmas Diary” is the novella, in case you haven’t read it  (available on Amazon as a print book as well as a Kindle, on Smashwords.com too in other digital reader formats).  There is much about Weymouth and the neighboring towns in that book, even my dear friends and B&B owners Martin & Ali Weller … and Chesil Beach, The Cove Inn, Abbotsbury and more.  Some of my gal pals in the States are insisting I be open minded about meeting a man here and possibly cultivate a relationship.  I’m a bit reluctant of course for I believe I’m not meant for intimate relationships, as my history has proven. Lol lol   When I do move here, I want to do it on my own, no strings attached.  But it is nice meeting the locals who might have suggestions on how to do this.  I am open to that.

Speaking of the places in the book … today is Sunday … we’re going to Chesil Beach (near Portland) to have Sunday Lunch at The Cove Inn. It was damaged by the devastating Feb storm that hit the coast of England and Wales and I’ve been reading about the repair to the beach that is being made.  Lot of controversy, most saying the sea will repair the beach itself over time, no need to bring in the bulldozers and place boulders, which is what is being done. Much disagreement going on.  I’ll take photos today while I’m there. Yesterday I was walking along the promenade and was drawn to the drifts of pebbles and seashells piled near the beach wall as a result of the storm.  I need to sift through them and see what I can find for my stash at home, either for making jewelry or just for collecting, either way. 

Tonite we’re going to the Harris’s, Ali’s daughter’s family, who also own a B&B here in Weymouth.  I picked up a few little trinkets for their three sons while I was walking yesterday. I haven’t met them before, so this will be nice.  Kelley is PG with their fourth child, don’t know what it is yet. A girl would be nice, I would imagine. 

Time to take a break, am riding with Martin to the local market to pick up some veggies and fruits for my eating regimen, have been off it since I left the U.S. and I can really feel it.  Oh yes!  So off to the market we go …

COMING IN MARCH!!! TALES OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE

Trip coming up in March ... am counting the days and there aren't many left till then.  Will be leaving on the 13th, my dad's birthday.  If he were alive, I'd take him with me, and it wouldn't take much coaxing, he loved to travel too.

Okay here's my itinerary ...

Leaving for London on March 13 ...

I'll spend several days in Weymouth, Dorset at my dear friends' B&B before going to Newbury and staying at an old coach inn (near Downton Abbey) for a couple days.  Yes, I'm going to Downton Abbey (Highclere Castle) and I'm excited about that. It's closed for the season, but I hope to nose around and learn some neat stuff about the people and places.  Then it's back to Weymouth for a few more days. While I'm in Weymouth I'll be visiting my favorite villages nearby ... Abbotsbury and Dorcester ... and will go to some of my favorite inns and pubs and a few I haven't been to yet - fun fun.

THEN ... I'll take the Condor Ferry across the Channel to St. Malo, France and will stay there for a few days exploring the ancient town before going to Paris for the last week of my trip.  My accommodation in Paris is right smack dab in-between the St. Germain District and the Latin Quarter ... I am thrilled about that ... right near the river Seine across from the Louvre and the Ile de la Cite and Notre Dame.  I am going to do nothing but write and sip coffee and wine in the outdoor cafes and famous gardens and squares in Paris. Well, I might eat some bread and cheese and have some other Parisian delicacies too. Oh yes.    

SO ... watch for the daily journal and photos I'll be posting here starting on March 14 ...

SUMMER TRAVEL

Well, obviously I didn't go to England as planned, or I'd be there right this minute.  Damn!   Next year - 2014.

But I did do California per my last post ... class reunion, two book signings, Dearmore cousin reunion too ... saw my daughter and my sisters ... even brought my youngest sister and her hubby home with me for a visit.  Now that was soooooooo much fun.

Next is Las Vegas ... a month from now.  On August 7 I'll be driving to Las Vegas for a 5-day writers convention - 2013 Romance Novel Convention.  It looks like it's really going to be a hoot. A real good one.  So I'm looking forward to it very much.  Besides I love Vegas.  A chance to hear all the lounge music that I love so much and haven't heard in ages.  I'll be in hog heaven.

More on that later ...

CALIFORNIA, HERE I COME ...

"California here I come, right back where I started from . . . "

Yep, this month I'm going to California to visit for a few days.  First to the Palm Springs area to visit my daughter, then to Bakersfield to visit my sister Martha and for a 55-year class reunion on April 27, then to Russo's Bookstore for a book signing of my books (eight of them) the next day, April 28, then up to Visalia, possibly a booksigning there (more on that later) ... but in Visalia mostly to visit my sister Mary.  Then back home again.

So it'll be a quick trip, but I'll be taking pics and notes, will post them here for you to experience and get a glimpse of those parts of California where I was raised.

We moved to the San Joaquin Valley when I was ten, in the '50s, from where my sisters and I were born in Oxnard.  So at ages 10, 8, and 1 ... we all three began a life in the small farm town of Wasco, a few miles northwest of Bakersfield, southwest of Visalia.  Both my sisters are back in the valley now, after a few years living in Morro Bay on the Central Coast.

So more on the trip at the end of the month ...  

CHANGES IN TRAVEL SCHEDULE

Looks like I won't be taking that trip to China this year.  Am going back to England instead.  Heading for Weymouth again and possibly Port Issac for a couple days, then off to the races!

The Royal Ascot Races! 

I may even wear a hat if I can reserve a spot in the Royal Circle or whatever it's called.  I've sent off a letter asking for the invite.  Fingers crossed.  Something I've always wanted to do since first seeing 'My Fair Lady'. I watch the races every year on TV and almost went a couple of times when I was in England, so it's now or never ... I'm going to try to make this time.  Trip-time will be in June.  I certainly hope it pans out.  A lot of things are hanging in the balance, so we'll just have to wait and see as the weeks roll by.

I'll buy my outfit in Weymouth, at least a hat while I'm there and will leave it with my friends Ali and Martin.  I certainly won't need it in the states.  lol lol   Black and white sounds good for me ... or black and some summery color.  I like pink or green or light blue. Summers are pretty warm in England, that's why I usually go early spring or in the fall/winter seasons.

My hotel reservation for the races is in Bracknell at the Grange Bracknell.  It's almost at the gate of the track, just a short cab ride. Exciting, huh?  I'll stay there a couple nights at the end of my trip and then will return home from London.

So that's the big trip change this year.