The Pryordurkins

Posts Tagged ‘australia’

Recent correspondence between Marg’ in Australia and my better half seems to imply I might have become a computer nerd (at the age of 42!).

This got me thinking about Geek Chic and whether I should now embrace a whole new style concept.  Geek Chic is defined on Wikipedia as “the embracing of stereotypically unpopular ‘geek’ characteristics such as glasses, comic books, and computer games…”

I wonder how a pair of computer keyboard boxer shorts will look on me.

It would certainly make pressing CTL-ALT-DEL interesting!

After a weekend that took an unexpected and unfortunate turn for our friends who had originally planned to spend it with us, we woke this morning to find a very nice covering of Snow over much of the UK.  Listening to the excited BBC News presenters (makes a change from the credit crunch I suppose) you would think this was a completely new phenomenon.  However I can remember having to dig my car out of several feet of snow when I was a lad, not so many years ago.

With Priscilla taking ownership of the garage Paul was not best pleased at having to scrape down his car from the snow and ice that had covered it overnight, before taking her off to the garage for some minor repairs.  However the scenes in and around our home in York more than made up for the mild inconvenience.   The picture to the right was taken ‘out back of house’.

We did momentarily think while enjoying what is turning out to be a fantastic British winter, about Marg in Australia and the recent reports over here that they are enduring their hottest summer for many years.  So we thought we’d share a few winter pictures as a little light relief to all those down under.

As the evening sets in, we hear on the news that tonight we can expect another 20cm of snow, so while Paul prepares the evening meal, having taken a few pictures, I’ll now be busy closing all the curtains, turning up the heating and lighting a few candles for an evening in front of the box.

Of course, tommorow is where all the fun starts because I need to get to Reading by 2pm and Paul has ‘volunteered’ to take me to the train station for just after 8am.

We’ll see….

I name this ship Priscilla

Our favourite Australian, emailed the other day and asked what colour my new car was.  Quite rightly when you think about it, the first question people will ask is “What colour is it?”.  So after the formal naming ceremony (which was no more formal than when Paul and I agreed to ‘marry’ over a pint of beer in a plastic beaker and a Marks and Spencer Pork Pie sat alongside the River Cam), here she is in all her glory.  Titanium Silver; chosen because it is less likely to look dirty and it will reduce the number of times I have to clean it (from zero to zero, some might say).  Her first outing was a 500 mile trip from York to Reading and back last week and I am delighted to report (like most men – which again will come as a surprise to some) that she got an average of 52 mpg!  I’ve now mastered all the switches on this little automatic number (my knees are not what they used to be) and once I’d past the 300 mile ‘run in period’ even managed to put her in Sport mode for the odd occasion

So in similar words to any respecting queen, long live those who cruise in her.  Assuming the field mice don’t get there first!

With the last minute shopping done, we’re pretty well set for a few days eating, drinking, sleeping and watching TV.  Some might say “How is that different to any other day at home?” but we tend to ignore those questions.   The last few days had us trying to second guess what the other might want as a little pressie from Santa.  We had said earlier in the year, that we would invest in the house instead, but at the last minute we bought a couple of token gifts to open on Christmas morning.  (Well I’m hoping they are token. Mine certainly are!)  Finally I had thought of donating some money to save the rainforests but apparently it is not as important as it once was!

The nice man from Royal Mail brought us a package this morning.  Marked from Australia we’ve resisted the urge to poke and prod. Instead it is safely nestling under the tree.   We haven’t quite decided if we will travel anywhere over the holiday.   We might just close and lock the gates our home and spend a few days locked up with just each others company.  However we are planning to start the onslaught on our digestive systems with a few drinks in town tonight followed by dinner at a (with a) small Italian we know on the Shambles.

Anyway have a good one yourselves and don’t forget to eat all your greens!  P&M  xx

It’s been a pretty fast paced week that ended with me picking Paul up from York Railway station last night at 10.00pm.  Paul had been into London on some science people type meet up.  Earlier in the week, I had been into London for a couple of meetings and a couple of Jollys.  We’ve also welcomed a new review to the Pryordurkin website from my fellow diner and friend Sticky T (read it here).   We’re still waiting for our Australian correspondent to submit her first review!

Before Paul got back last night I took the opportunity while he was away to put up some tacky flashing Christmas lights outside the house.  A nice blue LED lit doorway awaited his return.  Those who know him well can only imagine the look on his face.  It was priceless and worth every penny I spent at Barnitts buying them.

Having a fairly leisurely start to the day this morning, while Paul was ignoring me by playing with Lara Croft downstairs (the game – for those who don’t know Paul!), I found myself stumbling across some good music on BBC Radio Three and enjoying it for the next hour or so.  I remembered while listening that the general rule of thumb when it comes to getting old in England is that you start life by listening to Radio One, move onto Radio Two when you hit your thirties.  This is then followed when you reach middle age by becoming an avid BBC Radio Four listener telling your friends and colleagues it’s for the news and comedy only.  The final stage before you order the box that will take you into the ground is listening to BBC Radio Three and being intolerant of noise, children, the general public and basically anyone who gets in your way when walking on a pavement, into a post office or queueing at Marks and Spencer for a little treat.

Those who know me, will realise that this brief encounter with BBC Radio Three is just that because I have never displayed any of the other aforementioned symptons.

Sunday had us sitting down and writing out all this years Christmas cards and wrapping up the pressies that needed to be sent abroad. Listening to the old Christmas Crooners CD and scoffing the odd warm mince pie, we had finished by the time the Stars Wars Movie Part 1 (or Part 4 depending on your point of view) began showing on TV at 3.50pm. Cracking open a bottle of wine; an evening watching the box then lay ahead.

On Monday, ignoring Paul who said two first class stamps would do for a ‘heavy’ card and package to Australia, I took all the international ones to the post office for weighing. Not that I doubted Paul for a minute you understand, but as the sign that hangs in our kitchen says “I’m right, He’s wrong.  End of story!”, I just wanted to be sure those cards heading outside old blighty would in fact get to their destination, without requiring the recipients to fork out penalty cash on collection.

I’m pleased I did. Without exception all the cards and packages need significantly more postage than the ‘two first class stamps will do’ from Paul. (Apologies to anyone who has ever previously received a card from us and has had to pay a penalty postage fee!)  Of course, for those who didn’t fork out the penalty fee and remained tight lipped about not ever getting a card; well done also.

Finally, don’t ever think of sending us a card or package without the right postage fee

Our holiday in Cyprus ended as it had begun; in style.  We finished our final day with a four hour session in the Spa. Two Pampered Poofs having the full works (Thanks Lee  ), we started with the full Thermai Experience that includes a variety of heat rooms and ice rooms followed by a deep tissue Indonesian Massage for Paul and a Australian Aboriginal Kodo Massage for Michael, followed by an early evening dinner where to our complete joy (Marg will understand why), we met up again with Thomas, the stunning waiter we met working at the resort last year.  We pointed out that we remembered him for his good service (and stunning good looks – but we whispered that bit!) and we think he remembered us and our Australian friend! Our week was complete   We will load the photographs into our gallery soon.

Wrapping up we headed off to the airport, content with our lot and having completely forgot about how cruel the pyordurkin effect can be at times.

The plane boarded on time; we had good seats and we set off ahead of schedule.  We even landed in Gatwick 15 minutes ahead of time.   This is when it all went horribly wrong and we just knew the pryordurkin effect was now also back from it’s holidays.

It started with us having to wait 15 minutes on the plan while they found some steps for us to disembark.  The heat and temperature of the passengers was rising when we eventually started to move.  The babies and kids by this point were tired, crabby and playing up. We got onto the buses to be hearded back to the airport terminal to find massive queues at passport control.  Thirty minutes after landing we eventually got through passport control to then discover a problem with EasyJet baggage handlers. Apparently they were ’surprised’ by the arrival of six ’scheduled and on time’ flights arriving within the same hour and were therefore unable to off load the luggage from each plane as it arrived.  Utter chaos….  By this point there were screaming kids, it was 2.30am and my temper was well past its best.  Having landed at 12:50am we eventually got out of Gatwick baggage pick up area two hours later to then discover…. wait for it, there is more…. that the first shuttle bus to our hotel would not leave until 3.16am.  So in the freezing cold (5 degrees) we stood around waiting and waiting and waiting.  I was cursing and swearing under my breath by this point.  Of course the shuttle bus was late!.  When it did arrive I was ready to draw blood as we took our seats.  The driver then gently informed us that he would be making a small diversion on the way to our hotel, via the depot to change drivers.  Apparently he had finished his shift.  I was incredulous..

Falling into our hotel beds at 4.00am having landed at 12:50am I was too wound up to sleep, so tossed and turned for the next few hours eventually giving up and jumping into the shower at 9.30am telling Paul to get up, it was time for breakfast.

A brief respite over breakfast was had.  It was served up in the hotel which I’ll review later, by two nice ladies and we checked out ready to continue our journey home…..

We got to the railway station at Gatwick to discover the trains were not running through to Kings Cross today due to engineering works.  Instead we would have to get off at London Bridge and drag our cases through the underground, which of course, was jam packed by other miserable looking travellers.  Eventually getting to Kings Cross, now hot and sweaty, we boarded the train to York and took our first class seats (by this point I was ready to pay anything to avoid people and get home in comfort).

The train arrived into York having sat outside for five very long minutes while a platform became free. As soon as it did crawl in, we legged it to the taxi rank and joined what seemed like tens of thousands of other people trying to leave York by road.  It was a long journey that hit pretty much every red traffic light on the way out of the City centre.

We finally arrived at home sweet home……  Wait.  That is not the end of it…..

Opening the letters that had piled up while away I spotted an invoice for the windows we’d recently had repaired.  Instead of the £300 we were ‘verbally quoted’ it was now asking for £800!  Words cannot describe…….

So anyway, there you have it, we’re back home from a wonderful holiday in a wondereful hotel on a wonderful island, to find life returns to normal with a bang.

Dusty had never quite managed to get past the tea room on previous visits to Harlow Carr.  She tells me it is because her Australian friend would never go beyond the gate.  However on Saturday Dusty eventually got t’other side of turnstile.  Even I have to admit (not being a gardener) that Harlow Carr Gardens in Harrogate are very nice indeed.  If you are looking to spend a day strolling around some beautiful planting then Harlow Carr Gardens are a must.  Just outside of Harrogate they are easy to find from the A1/A59 and if you are a member of the RHS, then you also get in free.  On site you will also find Betty’s tea shop selling great quality good.  If you’re like us, you will buy a few treats with a take away coffee and have an impromptu picnic in the gardens.

Rating. 3 Stars.