Saturday, February 26, 2005

London and Acorn Antiques

Up bright and early to see our No 1 granddaughter who, at 20 months, is a delight and who represents a major motivation for this trip.

Later that morning we take the train to London to meet my No 1 daughter and Jan's No 3 son. By now you will be getting the impression that there are quite a few kids around!

When I was lad, travelling on the tube was spent either reading or trying to catch a good looking woman's eye and always, in typical English fashion, in silence. Now it's different. I must have heard at least 10 different languages, many of them Slovak sounding and all at significant volume.

Talking of the tube, I'm reminded of this true story. In my early days in consumer finance, I worked with a bluff, gruff but very funny Yorkshireman. We were sitting together in the office and he was on the phone talking to our corporate lawyers from the then principal office on New Bond Street, London.

Lawyer - "We're easy to get to from where you are. Just go to the top of the road, take the tube, and two stops later you're there."

Yorkshireman - in pensive mood - "Nay lad, when I were 15, my dad tried to get me down t'pit, he didn't succeed, and neither will you! I'll get a cab."

Back to our visit. Remembering that we live in a small village in rural France and that for any serious shopping we would have to make a 1 hour journey to Montpelier, Jan's head swivels continuously as we pass each shop. If you get close you can hear her whispering oohs and aahs, clothes, spend, and other profanities. It's sad really, but also nice in some strange way. Bless!

With time to kill, we down a couple of Caipirinhas and some nibbles and then head off for the evening entertainment. We have tickets for a musical "Acorn Antiques" which we booked online a few months ago. It's a strange show, if you have not followed the television series, but we enjoy it.

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