When Mom and Dad were driving Penny and I to the Hanover Inn to catch our coach down to the airport on Monday morning, someone (Mom or Dad – I can’t remember which) asked what the temperature would be when we got home. Facetiously, I replied, “Oh, about 70,” to which we all laughed and I then confessed that I didn’t know, not having seen any weather details for the UK during our visit in New England. Imagine my surprise, then, when we were greeted back in the UK with 70 degree weather! Absolutely glorious following the ice, snow and freezing temperatures of New Hampshire and Lake George. The foliage is sprouting, the early blooming trees and flowers are out and the lawn needs mowing.
Day Two of the Great Restaurant Ramble 2007 saw us bidding Emily a fond farewell as she scuttled off to another class – I don’t remember my college schedule ever being that hectic. No doubt Emily was delighted to see the back of us – she could once again show her face in her favourite eating establishments without the embarrassment of having to be seen in the company of those of us who were incapable of making a decision never mind her second set of grandparents.
The drive from Middletown to Mystic, Connecticut was pleasant enough and just before we reached our destination there was a scenic overview into which we pulled to grab a glance at the Seaport Museum. As we did so another car with two young ladies also pulled into the lay-by and, as they saw me taking photographs of our tour group they kindly volunteered to take one of the four of us. Sadly, they seemed to be digital camera incompetents as neither seemed capable of pointing the camera in our general direction at the same time as pushing the relevant button. After several failed attempts and much expert tuition, we finally secured a photo of the four of us and were able to proceed on our journey.
 |
The Seaport Museum at Mystic is very interesting and very compact – much renovation work going on along with several tall ships to clamber over and a collection of vintage shops. Naturally, Mom engaged one of the staff in discussion and we were treated to a detailed description of the processes of the whaling trade which was fascinating.
Since it had been at least two hours since breakfast, we naturally felt in need of some refreshment. Fortunately, Dad’s itinerary included the extremely well situated S&P Oyster Company in downtown Mystic (http://www.sp-oyster.com/) which overlooks the river and the drawbridge. Unfortunately, the S&P Oyster Company is very well known and somewhat popular – when we arrived we were told it was going to be a twenty minute wait before a table would be available. So, to pass the time, Dad starting telling the delightful young lady who was taking the names the tale of Pete Taylor’s Baseball and Rock and Roll Odyssey (if there are any amongst you who do not know of Pete Taylor’s Baseball and Rock and Roll Odyssey have a look at http://www.heavenoriowa.com where you can glean a bit more information and follow his progress once the site is up and truly running). Amazingly, inside of thirty seconds we had a table at the window overlooking the river. Whether this was because the young lady concerned was bored rigid within thirty seconds or because, indeed, a table had just become available and, in spite of having just walked through the door, our name was miraculously at the top of the list I couldn’t possibly speculate. However, I intend to try this strategy out at every available opportunity in the future. (How much success I will have in this country, however, I wouldn’t like to guess).
Having narrowly avoided starvation, we set off down the motorway toward Norwalk, Connecticut and the home of one of Dad’s old school mates, Seward Slagle and his daughter Leigh. How fortuitous was it that we should arrive on Leigh’s yellow Labrador Molly’s eleventh birthday! Although there wasn’t any evidence of cake and ice cream, there was a selection of gift-wrapped presents which Molly proceeded to retrieve from the shopping bag (on instruction, of course) carefully unwrap and then discard as she went to retrieve another present. When Leigh discovered that we also had a Molly she insisted (with Molly’s approval, no doubt) that we should take home two stuffed toys with us to deliver to our Molly – a pig and a chicken, both of which make appropriate noises when squeezed and both of which have been a great hit with our Molly.
This was the one night of the expedition when Dad had not done the investigations regarding dinner arrangements and we were at the complete mercy of Seward and Leigh for our evening repast. Fortunately, our reputation must have preceded us and reservations had been obtained at the River Cat Grill (http://www.rivercatgrill.com/) in the neighbouring community of Rowayton which provided excellent sustenance. The deep fried spicy calamari was excellent (so excellent that everyone apart from Penny had several helpings from my plate) and the shrimp and saffron risotto was outstanding. (Did I really have some variety of seafood risotto almost everywhere I went?)
After a very pleasantly restful stay we were off the next morning to Hartford, Connecticut and lunch and dinner rendezvous’ with Rob as well as a most informative, enlightening and amusing tour of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. Did you know that Mom was the model for one of the displays in the Pop Art exhibition? But which one is the question.
More next time.
Love to you all,
Greg
Real answers (allegedly) received on exams given by the California Department of Transportation's driving school:
Q: Do you yield when a blind pedestrian is crossing the road?
A: What for? He can't see my license plate.
Q: Who has the right of way when four cars approach a four-way stop at the same time?
A: The pick up truck with the gun rack and the bumper sticker saying, "Guns don't kill people. I do."
Q: When driving through fog, what should you use?
A: Your car.
Q: What changes would occur in your lifestyle if you could no longer drive lawfully?
A: I would be forced to drive unlawfully.
Q: What are some points to remember when passing or being passed?
A: Make eye contact and wave "hello" if he/she is cute.
Q: What is the difference between a flashing red traffic light and a flashing yellow traffic light?
A: The color.
Q: How do you deal with heavy traffic?
A: Heavy psychedelics.
An Irish woman goes to her solicitor to ask about getting a divorce.
The solicitor asks, "Does he beat you?"
"No, sorr."
"Does he keep you short of money?"
"No, sorr."
"Is he a perpetual drunkard?"
"No, sorr."
"Is he unfaithful to you?"
"Ah, we've got him there, sorr. He was not the father of me last child."
Out in space two alien forms are speaking with each other.
The first spaceman says, "The dominant life forms on the earth planet have developed satellite-based weapons."
The second alien, who looks exactly like the first, asks, "Are they an emerging intelligence?"
The first spaceman says, "I don't think so...They have them aimed at themselves."
As a trucker stops for a red light, a blonde catches up. She jumps out of her car, runs up to his truck, and knocks on the door.
The trucker lowers the window, and she says, "Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing
some of your load."
The trucker ignores her and proceeds down the street. When the truck stops for another red light, the girl catches up again. She jumps out of her car, runs up and knocks on the window.
Again, the trucker lowers the window. As if they've never spoken, the blonde says brightly, "Hi my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!"
Shaking his head, the trucker ignores her again and continues down the street.
At the third red light, the same thing happens again. All out of breath, the blonde gets out of her car, runs up, knocks on the truck window.
The trucker lowers the window. Again she says, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!"
When the light turns green the trucker revs up and races to the next light. When he stops this time, he hurriedly gets out of the truck, and runs back to the blonde. He knocks on her window, and as she lowers it, he says...
"Hi, my name is Kevin, it's winter in Minnesota and I'm driving the SALT TRUCK!"
Back to the Befouled Weakly News Index
Back to Greg's Temporary Home Page