Jackie drove me to New Milton today for me to begin the first stage of my journey to Nottingham to visit Louisa, Errol, Jessica, and Imogen for a couple of days.
The day dawned well, and the rose Compassion flourished aloft.
The next five and a half hours were spent travelling. The first leg was from New Milton to Waterloo. Whilst waiting for the train we were entertained by a recorded message featuring the voice of Will Greenwood, former England rugby international warning us that because of the World Cup match this afternoon the train would be very crowded.
So it was. I was probably one of the last to secure a seat. At Woking, the guard announced that the at-seat trolley service was stuck in the centre of the train because of all the standing passengers.
After struggling on first the Jubilee then the Victoria line tube trains, doing my best to avoid lethal wheelie bags, I found it impossible to locate my reserved seat on the Nottingham train at St Pancras. This, according to the guard, was the fault of ‘this foreign built rubbish’, whose electronic system had broken down. I did eventually track down my allocated seat which was alongside a stack of luggage that kept falling down on me.
I spent the journey stacking and re-stacking this lot as extractions and additions were made by other passengers, mostly young ladies who couldn’t lift them.
As for the various body parts that were squeezed between the heap and my face, let’s just not go there. It could have been worse. Possibly.
Errol picked me up from Nottingham railway station. As soon as I arrived at the Thompson home, the two girls dragged me into the garden, just before Louisa put a mug of coffee in my hand. This was to watch their gymnastics show, performed on the trampoline.
The garden plot that we had laid out on 16th June 2013 has matured nicely.
In particular, the rose, Grace, is flourishing.
Back in 1965, after Vivien had died, I decided to make my own cook books from recipes cut out of newpapers. Jessica was to keep the book and pass it on to Louisa. One of the first entries was for Chocolate Surprise Pudding by Katie Stewart. This was to prove a great favourite with all the children in turn. After fifty years the browned paper is still legible, despite its splashes of chocolate sauce.
Jessica, aged eight, and six year old Imogen, unaided, made one of these puddings this evening. Jessica was able to read the print. I would almost have been proud of the result myself.
Errol, aided by Louisa, had produced a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings. It was excellent. My choice of beverage was Minarete Ribera del Duero 2014.
I was hoping to see some shots of you on the trampoline, Derrick. 🙂
No way, Jill. Thank you 🙂
This is an old comment, but I couldn’t resist – I love Jill’s sense of humor!
🙂
I’m sorry the world cup has caused so much trouble for your travels. In the long run it might just as well have stayed down under and avoided all the problems. Anyway a good chocolate pudding is, in the circumstances, a solace.
Thank you, John. Next week will be interesting
You had me at ‘Chocolate Surprise Pudding’. The fact it is a family heirloom adds an enormous amount of desirability to it!
Thank you, Pauline. It does. I haven’t made it for years, so it was a surprise for me.
Oh, heavens, those lovely gymnasts… 🙂
Thank you, Ashley. They are. Imogen was wanted by the trainers of a couple of our national team members, but she has opted to stay with her sister and friends
What an honor either way… Perhaps this way gymnastics can stay playful and fun just a little longer.
They are truly beautiful. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Thanks again, Ashley
Big hi to all the Thompson family. How lovely you get to spend special time with them. Steve and Ally arrive today and Malachi is so happy. He said they are favorites… How long is it since he has really seen them? Oh and here is hoping for a win by Australia over the New Zealand team in Rugby World Cup…. not that I know anything about rugby.
Thanks Gay. Will pass it on. I’m between the devil and the deep blue sea with you folk on one side and Tess on the other 🙂
Glad you arrived safely and got such a gymnastics show. that pudding sounds mighty nice as well.
Thank you Lisa. It wasn’t clever to go on a Sunday when all the students were travelling back
Ugh – that train ride must have seen twice as long as it actually was. At least! You must be thrilled to finally have arrived, and to get some rest and joy with your loved ones. Be careful on that trampoline… 😉
Thank you, Anna. No way am I going on that trampoline
Oh good… 🙂
Ah well, the journey provided plenty of material for you to write about 🙂 What a lovely welcome you received. Great action shots of the girls and the rose is beautiful.
Thank you, Mary. The two largest luggage items belonged to a young Chinese woman next to me. You are right about the material.
Chocolate pudding… surprise or not has to be gooooood!
I do not envy you the train journey … sounds just as diabolical as it ever was.
Those trampoline antics are sure inspiring though! Next we will see you up there huh??
Thank you, Danella. I can’t believe I was the lineout jumper in the days before we could be lifted. I wouldn’t jump off a kerb these days.
I’m glad it was all worth the journey when you got there. That’s a great shot of Grace, one of my favourite rose ‘models’.
Thank you, Susan. We put two in, actually
Great post. At least the trampoline was not part of the tube train service; sounds like your travelling had enough ups & downs. 🙂
Nice one, elmediat. Thanks
Lovely ending to a rather uncomfortable trip to visit. The girls are fantastic on the trampoline and so wise Louisa giving you hot coffee to sip while being entertained. I drink about 3 to 4 cups daily. S sustained caffeine “high,” but Mom is going to be 87 and does the same. So, cross fingers I last so long. This was a delightful post and your meal with wine superbly described, Derrick. 🙂
Thank you, Robin
Oh this is a killer. …
Many thanks, Chitra
There is much to be said about public transit, and none of it’s flattering. The lack of personal space is nauseating. You are a much braver man than I.
Thank you, Oscar. There are different kinds of bravery, as I’m sure you know
A beautiful entertaining family story Derrick, your hassles with the train, really illustrated the congestion that you have to deal with on a busy day.
It is lovely to read of recipes that are handed down and now you enjoy the same from your own Grandchildren, your writing proves they bring you much joy.
Kind regards.
http://aussieian2010.wordpress.com/
http://aussieemu.wordpress.com/
Many thanks, Aussie Emu
Cheers, best wishes for a great weekend.
The travel day sounded like misery. Fun that you kept recipes for so long. When my mom-inlaw moved into a senior home, my husband’s siblings didn’t keep anything really but I snagged a small coil notebook they had no interest in. It has a bunch of clippings and hand written recipes. Many like your pudding recipe are stained with the efforts of the day. I think that adds to the cachet 😀
Thank you very much Boomdee. I was so pleased to see the girls using a clipping I had cut out so long ago.
Oh my Derrick! I love the old recipes! What a great way to do a cook book 😉
And I guess the pudding was heavenly delicious 😋
It was. It was a great favourite when I was on my own with the children. Thanks very much, Ribana
What a journey! Thankfully, given the coronavirus your journey today would be a lot more comfortable!
Thanks very much for following this, Sue.
Love the chocolate splashes – that’s what makes it authentic!
🙂 Thanks very much, Barbara
That’s the mark of an excellent recipe in my book – that it’s not too complex, and utterly tasty.
Such impressive somersaults, too!
Thanks very much, Emma
Recipes with splatters of ingredients on them are a sure sign of something worth making again. This pudding looks delicious and well done to the makers thereof.
Thank you so much, Anne
Lovely to get this window (albeit belatedly) into your life — complete with roses, train trips, somersaults and chocolate pudding!
Those stained recipes speak for themselves. The more mess on the card the better the food! That is a beautiful rose!!
I’m here from the future again. Except for that train ride–it sounds like a lovely visit, topped off with that chocolate pudding! Yum!
Sounds delicious and now I am hungry.🥴
Sounds yummy! I love when recipes are shared in families…created together…enjoyed together…sweet memories made!
(((HUGS))) 🙂
I was hoping you’d give us the recipe, Derrick, in readable form.