Greyrocks now takes it as read that within an hour of arriving in UK there will be tearing out of hair! This time we got off the ferry and through customs etc without trouble and were soon on the M20. As we joined the M25 - and too late to take evasive action - we were confronted with a sign telling us of huge delays. We eventually found out it was a jack-knifed lorry:- nobody's fault but still a frustration as we sat stationary for half an hour. We made it to Brighton with time to visit the Marina and perform the second ritual of arrival: the pint of very pleasant English ale in a decent pub! There was even sunshine! No joy on a frock for Ruth, though, and one had to be bought before nightfall! We parked and checked in at the very handy Travelodge in Preston Park, and took the bus into town, where after a few worrying failures a suitable item was found and we could rest in another pub, and then another, and then have fish and chips, and then go to Chloë's to collect more clothes, and out to meet Max for the first time in a (wait for it!) .. pub!
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| Steve Bell a few years ago! |
Next morning we responded to dire warning about punctuality by arriving ridiculously early at The Dome for the Big Day! We had coffee in an Italian cafe surrounded by other folk in glad rags, and eventually Chloë appeared - rather more tastefully attired than many - got her gown etc and we waited to go in. Exciting enough, but then we peeped at the programme and saw that Steve Bell - our favourite political cartoonist - was also to get a degree at the ceremony (an honorary Doctorate)! The graduands were getting degrees in Social Sciences or Nursing & Midwifery, so not balanced gender-wise. It was all very joyous! Steve Bell replied to the eulogy with a very humorous but nonetheless commited speech illustrated with projected cartoons going back to Thatcher. Clearly a sizeable minority of parents present shared our values, and he was very well received. Afterwards at the "champagne reception" Ruth used her long Greenwich experience of being on the other side at these "dos" to find the VIPs and we introduced ourselves to him.
Max met us at a neighbouring pub and we went for a superb lunch at Havana, where we were not the only graduation party! Here are some images of the delightful day!
Next day we were up early to take Yvette to Portslade for a service and MOT. We rode the bikes back into Hove and found it a very convenient centre for getting jobs done from watch strap to verruca! For a variety of reasons - including meanness - that night was to be spent in Hellingley near Eastbourne, so a tedious drive there and then back next morning. We spent Thursday moving Chloë's belongings to storage, friends and tip; and Ruth cleaned and cleared bits of her "outgoing" house, We then went down to Rotherfield to visit Josiane and Alastair, staying two nights so that we could enjoy both J's lovely cooking with homegrown fruit and veg, and their choice of a celebratory (Greyrocks' 60th and 65th birthdays) meal out at the Golden Thai in Crowborough. We had a banquet which was delicious and huge! In between we did a gesture of a country walk and acted as IT and Finance consultants. On the Saturday we drove over to Guildford Travelodge, making a serious navigational error in the final stage; and early next day picked up Chloë in Haslemere (home of Max) and went for our third "do" - a family lunch at the traditional venue of Uplands in Droxford. (En route we had our first use of the new Hindhead tunnel:- what an improvement after years of traffic snarl-ups on the London/parents run!) Nine of us enjoyed a pleasant Sunday lunch and a cake brought by Lois, George did the photos, and we returned to Guildford to gird our loins for Monday's travails! Just one more celebration to go!
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