Havant

Friday May 11 Saturday May 12 and Sunday May 13

We had a relaxing morning with Stephen and Camille and after a quick walk with Gemma, Ray and I set off for Jacky and John’s place in Havant, about a 15 minute drive away!! Ray was armed with directions from John, but my trusty Waze app gave us turn by turn instructions and ensured we arrived there in the shortest, most efficient time possible!

Once again, we had not been to their place since 2009, but I have seen Jacky just about every year since as she makes regular visits to Ontario to see her family. So, we had a lot to catch up on. Around 1:15 we set off on our walk to the local pub for lunch: “The Ship” in Langstone. A fun walk through the woods, across a farmer’s field past some ponies, then along the front on the Solent opposite Hayling Island, and finally the pub. Food was delicious!! A small piece of trivia: Nevil Shute the author, lived in the old mill in Langstone in 1939 before moving  to live on Hayling Island.

After lunch we headed back the same way, and spent a wonderful afternoon and evening recalling our times together, the sequence of events back in the 1970s, old tales, and just generally enjoying being together with long time friends.

Saturday May 12

I am so glad our friends are not early birds. Don’t know whether it is the time difference or not, but I find I could sleep forever in the mornings! I managed to drag myself out of bed this and donning my running shoes set out for a short run.  I retraced our steps of last night and headed down the Shipwright’s Way to the The Ship Inn. The Shipwright’s Way is a 50 mile long walking route. It starts from the Alice Holt Forest and finishes on Hayling Island.

Taking a moment to absorb the view over the Solent, Hayling Island on the other side of the bridge beside The Ship Inn beckoned to me…..so…..off I went across the bridge, and around the Northney Marina before heading back to Jacky’s house. A fun easy run of just over 8 k.

John had headed off to his “Shoot” and after eating Jacky, Ray and I headed into Havant. It was market day! We walked down through the market looking at the little stalls selling anything from hand saws to skin tight jeans, had a coffee and a bite of lunch in a little tea room, then took a wander around the old part of town. Our task was to check out the pubs for dinner tonight. We have been really lucky with the weather, but on our way back to the house it started raining. Nothing too much, but just enough to make me put the hood of my “hoodie” up!!

We enjoyed relax time after our outing, Ray and John watching the Spanish Grand Prix race, and me….updating my blog. Not sure where Jacky is! Getting around these old English homes is a task for the memory box!!

It was a fun evening. Since Camille and Stephen live about 15 minutes away, I thought it would be nice to introduce them to Jacky and John, and we arranged dinner together at a local pub. Jacky and John have lived in the area for about 40 years. Camille and Stephen are just moving to the area from Cornwall. They seemed to get along very well.

Sunday May 13

The weather is superb and we had a relaxed day messing around the house and garden with Jacky and John. In the late afternoon David, their oldest son arrived with his wife Jules and two children, Meredith who is about 7 and Wilfred who is about 5 ½. We had met Dave a few times when he was growing up, but we couldn’t remember the last time we saw him. We remembered the “event” but not the date! Turns out it was 2003 when he returned from climbing in South America. Jacky cooked a delicious meal including a pavlova! Mmmmm, it was so good. We had a lovely time chatting with John and Jules, and are hoping that they may come and visit us in Squamish. With John’s love of climbing…and ice climbing, and their love of skiing and hiking, they are slightly worried they may not want to come back to England!!

Jacky's Garden

Jacky's Garden

Jacky's Garden

Jacky's Garden

Dave, Jules, Meredith, and Wilfred

Ray’s neck and cough is improving and I think he is starting to feel a little better. It was a bummer getting hit by both things together and at the beginning of the holiday. Probably the air flight.