Dancing in Fog

So I had blogged I was also on holiday, and for once I didn’t feel like a ten-pound bag of shite in a five-pound bag, how did that happen?

So I took a jolly jaunt down to my brothers, my first time out of the house, by myself in a none work kind of deal, it felt freaky like a high wire without a safety net, it was good to see everybody, they usually make the effort, I don’t ……go figure, I didn’t over stay my welcome, I have been having minor gastric problems (potentially tied in with my diabetes)so I didn’t want to be too far from home, I was in pain all the way home, nothing serious just a slight burning sensation in my belly, hopefully the coming hospital visit will set my over worked brain at ease, I have been told it’s nothing sinister, I’m just trying not to dwell on it! I then dozed on the settee with the youngest watching over me, pointless going through my pockets as I have nothing LOL!

The wife finally arrived home from work, it was official we were both on our hollibobs! We had our cunning plan all sorted although something had twisted her melons as she left work, me and the youngest tried to lift her spirits, thankfully whatever we did certainly did the trick! We had a lazy night and a late rise, well for the wife who has been suffering with her back of late, I wasn’t going to hurry her, just as well, as I had found a supply of Pineapple Jam mmmmmmmmmmm. Our carefully laid plans went awry from the off, but I for one was going with the flow (yep you heard me right), it didn’t take us long once we had our game face on, bag packed (hell we are away for less than 24 hours and I had three changes of clothes WTF) and into the car, the youngest was ensconced in the house to look after the hell hound, we decided to take it slow, we filled up on provisions and petrol and off we went, us acting like adults ……… well I never!

The weather (no surprise) was erm…...wet and extremely foggy, we could see where the sun was trying to break through, but it didn’t win, a few clear spots all the way to the border but that was it, we stopped and had our sandwiches in the fog in a layby somewhere over……..there, there we were acting like adults chatting and make more than usual cunning plans, both of us (I think/I hope) enjoying each other’s company, nothing to weigh us down, just enjoying that thing called company, we set off again and once across the border the weather although still damp and foggy was trying its hardest to make a day of it. We arrived at the hotel it felt like an old familiar friend, it was lovely pulling into Haddington like putting on old slippers even though it’s more than ten years since we have been there, I did try and persuade the wife to have a run down to Dunbar beach, she wasn’t having any of it, time for me to behave (well for a short while at least) the hotel was definitely three star chic now (I had seen that it was up for sale) it needed some love and affection, but it was still good enough for what we were after, we still received a warm welcome, we headed straight up to the room, to regroup and press ahead with cunning plans, nothing really changed only the fact that we were here later than planned and found out that the restaurant was closed for Sunday evening (D’oh), thankfully the sun had now made an appearance, so we went for a jaunt to revisit old the town and old haunts, we enjoyed the jaunt past the Corn Exchange and at no point did either of us look out for a certain Mr Dick of the said parish, we were simply enjoying our company for once with no issues!

Actually an issue had arisen, I was starting to have issues about being out in public and I was getting ready to go for the default position, I had initially suggested that we go the Waterside Bistro but the closer we got the more I wanted to use the hotel restaurant (both lovely as we had been to them before) as I have previously mentioned the hotel closes their restaurant on a Sunday night, so  I was forced to being out in public, we wound our way through the village looking at old places, we didn’t go in any of the pubs as it wasn’t that kind of break this was simply for us, we soon wound our way back to the Waterside Bistro, it  hadn’t changed since the last time we were there (where we had enjoyed a Sunday Lunch and the sat through John Wesley’s acoustic gig on the terrace outside) we entered the bar and got a round in the wife a wine (WTF ) and me a pint of the black stuff well actually they didn’t do Guinness, I got the closet thing they did (I didn’t get its name, although I did get a sample and was like a noddy dog straight away it was also rather strong 6.7% ) we grabbed a seat in the bar and settled in to enjoy ourselves.

After our initial drinks we had got ourselves a lovely little table in the first side room of the restaurant, now we don’t go out for a meal very often, so I wanted to push the boat out, it was a have whatever you want night, the wife wanted another wine (WTF) me I opted for lime and soda, I had felt my temperature rise as soon as I had sipped at my pint, I wasn’t going to let my diabetes spoil the night, we both ordered the Garlic mushrooms on bread, they were subtle but oh so nice! Again we both opted for the 9oz ribeye steak with fries, dammit I never eat red meat (well steaks) and it was nice, so much so I even demolished the rather large tomato that came with it, I had decided I wanted a pudding and the wife didn’t take too much of persuading, I so wanted the crumble, I would have liked it with custard but hey ho, ok I would go with ice cream and do as I was told…………………..OMG the best crumble ever and the ice cream was to die for, at this point we had been calculating the bill (and was way off) not wanting to count the pennies but old habits die hard, thankfully not to worry as we were way over so we very nearly skipped back across the bridge (well we would have if we hadn’t been so full of food) once we saw the bill, more than we would normally spend but so much cheaper than we thought it was going to be, but that’s simply because we don’t normally go out for a meal, we only live once allegedly, so what the hell, we walked slowly admiring the swans as they gathered their children in for the night.

We took a short cut back to the hotel through St Mary’s graveyard and as strange as it sounds we enjoyed conversing with the dead as we read aloud the gravestones of the people who had been asleep for so long, it didn’t take long and we were back in the hotel lobby (Pfft Lightweights) we headed upstairs to allow our stomachs to settle, the wife decided on having a bath but not before having a battle with the subtitles on the TV for her luddite husband, as it happens it was here luddite husband who sorted that out (WTF with technology) it was at this point I realised I wasn’t happy with my side of the bed for two reasons one I was on the same side as the bible and the other if I looked just slightly to my right I could spy myself in the mirror and I looked like a fucking beached whale, my eyes kept drifting to the mirror, it wasn’t a happy time, I was so glad the wife agreed to move, I could see me on the battlements next to the bridge we had come across trying to throw myself into the River Tyne as it really did make me unhappy!

The night drifted along and although my neurosis raised its head again when the wife was contemplating going down to the hotel bar, I would have gone, I would have been apprehensive, but it was whatever she wanted, she finally decided against it, truth be told I didn’t really want to share her with anybody, this was some us time and I was being greedy, it may sound boring to everybody else, but it was a lovely night just what we needed, the only fly in the ointment was the bed (this is usually the case as the wife suffers with a bad back) it was quite firm and unforgiving, the wife was going suffer me I could sleep on a clothes line, but the wife was going to go through hell. So consequently we were both awake at silly o’clock I even had a chance to check over my notes and have a nice long bath before heading for the most important meal of the day! A full Scottish breakfast, actually although the breakfast was nice it was a disappointment, my yoke was hard (unforgivable) and the rest was simply……. OK, actually no the black pudding was the redeeming feature as it was simply sensational (the best I have ever eaten) however it made the rest of the breakfast appear to be bland (it wasn’t) maybe it’s just me as I do like a good breakfast!

While we waited for our toast and other sundries we sat and listened (we were the only people up at for the start of breakfast not that I think that the place was over booked!) to the rain on the conservatory roof, enjoying the view of the gardens in the rain, the wife even saw a Robin, I could make it out (Stevie Wonder had a better  chance than me) but it had to be nearly on the window sill before I could confirm that it indeed was a Robin (when did I get this blind) the wife was even considering the spa but decided against it for reasons I promised never ever to divulge (I’m a good boy I am) did I mention that it rained all the way through breakfast I wanted to take a couple of pictures of the wife in the gardens next to the water feature (we should have done it the night before) but it wasn’t to be, oh and did I mention the fact that it rained!

We had decided to head home via the coastal route as we headed out of the car park and the south out of Haddington we knew we were simply going to be chasing rain and fog all the way home, if truth be told we wasted our time (mind you we did miss all the road works on the A1) as we barely caught brief glimpses of the rugged north-sea shoreline with the tide in, when we did it was glorious, once or twice out of the fog towering above us was the white stalk of a modern day windmill (which I just love) with the blades majestically gliding through the air effortlessly, we got to Berwick and discovered the malaise that is destroying our little towns the same shops everywhere or simply overloaded with charity shops (I’m not against them) but Berwick simply seemed empty and devoid of a soul, mind you we did buy the hell hound the biggest raw hide bone in the world it was a happy moment when he realised it was for him, but he didn’t (and still doesn’t) know what to do with the bloody thing! the weather didn’t help but we pressed on although the journey would have been picturesque, though Amble Craster, Warkworth, Beadnell and various other Northumbrian holiday destinations Pfft you need the sun, a good idea hidden by huge shards of fog and the occasional down pour!

The journey home wasn’t helped by various white van men driving like idiots I know you will be on a time table but is killing yourselves and some other poor soul at the same time worth it……. No it’s not thankfully that was the only blimp on the journey to and from Haddington. We missed second breakfast simply because nothing was open (WTF) in the end we went to the American embassy (I wish I had gnawed my foot off it was disgusting) simply because we were home and starving (that’s how they get ya) so the suitcase is in the hall, let’s see how long before it’s taken upstairs (coming dear) I think we need to go out into the big bad world and mix with people as we had a really nice time and for a quick weekend away I can’t recommend Haddington enough, but hey ho here we are home back in the arms of Gimpsville wondering what the rest of the week will bring?

Another blog so soon, it would appear that I’m getting the hang of this blog malarkey I hope this made a welcome change and some light into my usually darkened view of the world, until the next time keep spreading the disease………. Toodles!