Sunday 3rd April 2011

Sunday afternoon; its Mothering Sunday, I've done the dutiful son thing and visited my mother back in Lowestoft. I wish I could report everything was wonderful there and that we had a great time. The short version is that things don't change, the lies are the same and there is more and more stuff inside her house. She says it's her choice of lifestyle, which is true. Just glad we are two hundred miles away and I don't have to deal with it all the time. Lies are so much easier on the phone.

So, anyway, to much, much better and nicer matters.

we both left work as usual on Friday afternoon; I went to Tescos on the way home, so it would be something less for us to upon our return from deepest, darkest Suffolk. we left Dover at a quarter to seven, thus allowing time for the traffic to die down on the M25, and by the time we got to Dartford, we were able to drive up to the tolls, pay our £1.50 and drive under the river and into Essex.



Traffic got lighter as headed north, and by the time we left Ipswich behind we pretty much had the road to ourselves. Lowestoft looked fine in the dark, I did think of having a drink before the arguing began, but went straight to Mother's right off.

As we had only told her we were coming as we were driving up, she hadn't really had chance to tidy the house or clean the fridge of the 'naughty' food. And most tellingly, hide the smell of the cigarette smoke.

The kitchen is full of junk that it was impossible to clear a space to make a drink; I made do with a glass of water. She took against my (probable) strong words, and went on the defensive. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife, and she tried to change the subject over and over again. Whats the point?

We went to bed at nearly midnight, relieved to do so and leave the nonsense in the living room.

It all began again in the morning when the subject of breakfast was raised. Nothing we liked and so we headed out to a motel in town where we know we could get a continental breakfast with fruit and unlimited coffee for under £6. after breakfast we headed down to Ness Point, the most easterly point of the UK, just because we were there. It was cool and a keen breeze blowing; we walk a short way under the shadow on a wind turbine to the actual most easterly point;and once we look around we head back to the car and then back to my Mother's.



Time with her was running out, the mood lifts and we pack ready to go. Just time to head next door to see Madge and David, as David is recovering from another close encounter with death as his body fights and fights MS. He was sitting up and ready to see Man Utd play west Ham on TV, and looked fine. Not bad for a man who we had been told ten days ago to expect the worse. Again.

We said our goodbyes, and I am sure Mother thinking she had fooled us; wrong there Mother dearest. Anyway, as we pulled away from her house, our mood lifted. we did talk about the events, and it pains me to say that Mother has failed to live up to her low expectations, and everything I have said about her she has proved time and time again. Sometimes being right is not nice.



We parked at Country Hall, and walked in a roundabout way into the city centre. We ended up at the top of Carrow Hill where there is a long length of the old city walls. We walk into a tower; The Black Tower, which now is a den for glue-sniffers judging by the huge number of plastic bags on the floor. But it is well preserved, and I snapped it and the wall from all angles.

we walk along Ber Street and then down Timber Hill and stopped at a pub with two names; The Gardener's arms/The Murderers. It's a fine real ale pub; I got drinks and grabbed a seat outside on the street. But the bouncer made sure I understood the rules; no standing at all, whilst you have a drink. And he barked at me to sit down as I stood up as I thought I could see a friend.



We drunk up and headed down into the medieval heart of the city, down Back of the Inns, past Royal Arcade and onto Swan Lane. we stop for lunch at a fine deli; we go upstairs and order our lunch: I have chorizo pie and Jools has homemade scotch egg. Both were splendid. We have baklava for dessert, and then its time for me to head to the football ground to meet with my friends.

I walked down to the river and then along where Riverside Road used to run to one of the huge bars between the station and the football ground, and there my friends were waiting. we swap news and buy rounds of drinks, and then at two forty-five it was time to head to the game.



I took my seat just as the teams ran out, and the ground looked fine in the warm spring sunshine. It was a glorious game to match the day, City ran out 6-0 winners against Scunthorpe and now are just six games away from a second straight promotion, this time back to the Premier League. That is, if we carry on playing like we have and keep on winning. Six wins from seven games will guarantee it. How great it was to see City playing with tempo and panache; a huge change from games in seasons past.

The full time whistle went, I walked back to the Compleat Angler to meet Jools and then back along Riverside to meet with my friends and give one of them a lift home to Bungay.

after dropping Rambo off, we head south, stopping off at a country pub for dinner. The landlord did a good line in dry humour, but the beer is good and we order our meals and read the papers as we wait.

Time then for the final leg of the trip, back to Bury st Edmunds, then onto the A11, M11, M25, over the Thames and into Kent and then it is just an hour down the motorway to Dover and home.

We had a friend feed the cats, and so it was great to walk into the house and have all four of them greet us demanding food. Once we had fed them, time for a shower and then to bed.

Sunday was spent relaxing; I mowed the lawn, cooked lunch and am about to start dinner. Jools did load of gardening, ironed and cleaned up after our messier cats. Together we got our chores done, and there was even time for me to watch football this afternoon, as one-sided the two games both were.

And so that was the weekend; the upcoming week sees me travelling to Holland with work; so that will be a break from the old routine.