It was one of the best getaways from uni I've had.
Paul's dad, Alan picked us up from the train station. I hopped into the car and said "HI!" and wondered if a proper introduction would follow even though we already knew who the other was. I'm sure you can imagine me awkwardly at the edge of my seat, ready and eager to go through the formalities. I cringe at the image.
Paul and Alan caught up briefly and talked about Alan's plans for retirement (he was officially retired that day). I gradually got involved in the conversations.
We stopped to do some shopping along the way and on our way in, Alan turned to me and said, "It's so nice to finally meet you."
I was much more at ease then.
In the store, Paul perused the whiskeys (he's a self- proclaimed connoisseur) while Alan educated me on the different kinds of sherries.
Paul has the coziest home ever. I met his mum, Cathy, and Phillippa (Pip)...and of course the cats (who have multiple names and nicknames much like Chekhov's characters so I just stick to Paul's titles of Girlface and Boyface). Alan made an amazing chicken casserole for dinner; it was the official beginning of a weekend of grand eating (and drinking). After dinner Alan showed me his pictures from Cornwall last summer. Pip was embarrassed and afraid her dad was boring me with the family photos but he really wasn't; I love pictures too much.
The next day we went out to the market which was so lovely. Paul and I were taking pictures everywhere (I was doing the touristy kind, though, while Paul did the artistic stuff).
mine:
Paul's:
In the afternoon Paul took me into town where we had coffee and went on a quest for a grey summer hoodie for him.
For dinner we went out to a lovely country pub called The Bell for Alan's first retirement dinner.
Alan and Pip
Catherine and Dom
Me and Paul (please forgive the cleave; it was a borrowed dress)
I hadn't been that healthily stuffed in a long long while. When we got back, we caught Fargo on the telly and Paul read Meaning of Liff out loud for laughs.
The next day was Mother's Day (I know; a completely different date from the American one) and I gave Catherine a Happy "Mum for the Weekend" Day card. Paul then took me to meet his mum's parents who live only a couple blocks away from The Coates. Paul's Grandma makes classically handmade teddy bears. She had one waiting for him.
Afterwards, Paul took me on a tour around the village.
Paul with his new teddy who has yet to be named
And this is the darling sight I came home too on my bed.
Paul then showed me the point where one can get a fantastic view of the Cotswolds. There we took pictures like crazy (that is I did until my batteries died out).
Here's a picture Paul took to demonstrate just how windy and cold it was.
And more of Paul's artsy photos:
I adore this one: 'reminds me of Big Fish.
Mind you, I was far from grumpiness in this picture; I was just trying to keep warm...and furrowing the brow helps somehow.
That night we went out for a bigger dinner at a restaurant in the village called HisandHers (which for about a day I thought was some odd British party gathering, like boys in one room and girls in the other) where I sat with Granddad and Grandma and met Catherine's sister and brother-in-law. The restaurant was a waddle away from the Coates' house, conveniently.
A sign of a great weekend is the feeling of immense depression you get when you have to go back to school. And I felt just that.
That weekend was the closest I felt to home since Christmas.
Thank you thank you thank you!
