First stop was lunch at Bill's - a must when visiting Brighton. Mom and dad said it was the best restaurant meal they had during their trip.
Desserts at Bill's are always a delicious work of art.
The Browns at Chalk Farm.L-R: Henry, Margaret, Richard, Mom, Dad, Me.
My parents wanted to meet the family who welcomed me both for Christmas and lambing and I wanted to share this part of the country with them - the awe-inspiring chalk cliffs, the farm where I love to tramp around in my wellies, and the friends I have made here. I love being at the farm - I can relax when I'm there and I know the Browns will leave me to my own devices if they're busy and I won't feel like I'm being an inconvenience. I always stay in Esther's old bedroom and Richard has taken to calling it my room - "So, I assumed you'll be staying in your room again?" They are the complete opposite of any definition of "high maintenance". We planned to take them out for dinner one evening but when dad mentioned that he would love to try some lamb from their flock, they told us they were happy to just stay at home for supper. Richard took off to his butcher shop with dad to pick up some meat and Margaret whipped up a complete dinner in less than an hour and we had a lovely evening at home. (The lamb was delicious!)
A moment I found quite amusing was when the three of us were visiting with Richard and Margaret in the kitchen and for some reason national anthems came up as a topic of conversation. Richard asked me to sing O Canada and when I laughed and asked him if he was serious he confirmed that he truly expected me to sing for him. He said, "To make it easier, I won't look at you," and he ducked his head and looked at his hands. I laughed but he didn't budge. I decided since he was being such a gentleman about it, I should give in to his request. I started singing and partway through he glanced up at me and I just smiled and kept singing. I think that's the third time I've sung our national anthem for people in England!
During the few days we spent on the farm we went for a late evening walk across the farm with Richard and Margaret in the mist and rain, we visited a market where Richard has a table to sell meat from the butcher shop, Henry gave mom and dad a tour of the farm in the jeep, we enjoyed a late-evening visit with Robyn and Madelein (the girls I travelled with in Poland), and we visited the flock of twins and even managed to spot my name-sake lamb (who seems to be doing quite well!).
I didn't carry my camera around when we wandered around the farm, but I did take it along for our walk along part of the chalk cliffs one afternoon.
Dad got so close to the edge of the cliff at Beachy Head that a police officer rushed over and yelled at him. It's a popular suicide spot and they recently had a double-suicide so everyone was on high alert. (The spot is so popular that local churches have organized chaplains who do regular checks of the cliff and a suicide help line is posted nearby.) I had warned my parents to stay away from the edge and also told them about the recent incident. I hadn't seen dad getting so close to the edge as mom and I had been chatting and he was blocked from my line of vision. I glanced over and saw what he was doing ("What? I just wanted to pick up a piece of flintstone!") and yelled for him to move back just as the police officer approached from behind me. This was a hot topic of conversation for most of the afternoon as I was furious (and embarrassed) that dad had ignored my cautions and he couldn't see anything wrong in what he'd done ("I wasn't that close").
Now you know what I'm referring to if you ask me how my vacation went with my parents and I say, "It was fabulous! There were 'moments', but we had a great time!" Definitely memorable - my dad and Beachy Head will forever be connected in my mind.
A moment I found quite amusing was when the three of us were visiting with Richard and Margaret in the kitchen and for some reason national anthems came up as a topic of conversation. Richard asked me to sing O Canada and when I laughed and asked him if he was serious he confirmed that he truly expected me to sing for him. He said, "To make it easier, I won't look at you," and he ducked his head and looked at his hands. I laughed but he didn't budge. I decided since he was being such a gentleman about it, I should give in to his request. I started singing and partway through he glanced up at me and I just smiled and kept singing. I think that's the third time I've sung our national anthem for people in England!
During the few days we spent on the farm we went for a late evening walk across the farm with Richard and Margaret in the mist and rain, we visited a market where Richard has a table to sell meat from the butcher shop, Henry gave mom and dad a tour of the farm in the jeep, we enjoyed a late-evening visit with Robyn and Madelein (the girls I travelled with in Poland), and we visited the flock of twins and even managed to spot my name-sake lamb (who seems to be doing quite well!).
I didn't carry my camera around when we wandered around the farm, but I did take it along for our walk along part of the chalk cliffs one afternoon.
Dad got so close to the edge of the cliff at Beachy Head that a police officer rushed over and yelled at him. It's a popular suicide spot and they recently had a double-suicide so everyone was on high alert. (The spot is so popular that local churches have organized chaplains who do regular checks of the cliff and a suicide help line is posted nearby.) I had warned my parents to stay away from the edge and also told them about the recent incident. I hadn't seen dad getting so close to the edge as mom and I had been chatting and he was blocked from my line of vision. I glanced over and saw what he was doing ("What? I just wanted to pick up a piece of flintstone!") and yelled for him to move back just as the police officer approached from behind me. This was a hot topic of conversation for most of the afternoon as I was furious (and embarrassed) that dad had ignored my cautions and he couldn't see anything wrong in what he'd done ("I wasn't that close").
Now you know what I'm referring to if you ask me how my vacation went with my parents and I say, "It was fabulous! There were 'moments', but we had a great time!" Definitely memorable - my dad and Beachy Head will forever be connected in my mind.
Beachy Head.
The Seven Sisters.
Beach pebbles.
Enjoying the beach at Birling Gap as a storm rolls in.Dad was having a long chat with a stranger behind me as they discussed the layers of flintstone in the chalk.
We stopped at the cafe at Birling Gap for lunch. Mom and I ordered chicken and chips and we assumed we would received chicken fingers. We instead received large pieces of fried chicken with an unexpected number of feathers left unplucked.
Don't they pluck chickens in England?
Windblown at the Seven Sisters.
Daddy's girl? Who, me?He may drive me crazy sometimes, but I love the guy.
Mom, Dad, and Me.On the day we left Chalk Farm we stood outside visiting for a little while and Richard started to ask me a question and stopped himself, stepped into the mud room, and returned to say, "Oh good, you left your wellies here. That means you'll be back." That wiped away any question in my mind about whether they find my presence to be an annoying nuisance... apparently not.
1 comment:
Wow! Those cliffs are amazing! I can see why there would be concern. I love the first photo with the lighthouse.
Becky
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