The House Husband

Linda did very well today. It’s the first time she’s been to Portsmouth and there was no fuss, no phaffing about. All easy peasey, lemon squeezy.

Linda is our SatNav. I was all for naming her after some obscure goddess like Frigga or the like but Mirinda said that was really dull and boring as everyone does that. She then decided the SatNav should be called Linda. So, Linda it is then. For no reason at all. Actually, according to the software, her name is Emily. Still…

Of course, we’d not driven to Portsmouth before although Mirinda has threatened it ever since she heard about Gun Wharf Quays, the big shopping centre. For a woman who doesn’t like shopping, she sure loves going shopping. Though, to be fair, today was the first time.

We parked at the Cascades. This is another shopping centre which has all the shops Mirinda loves. It also has the worst coffee I have EVER tasted (in Bhs, so be warned gentle reader!) and the worst Starbucks service I’ve EVER had. Still, the coffee was palatable even if it wasn’t what I asked for and I had to wait an age alongside lots of sullen looking Sunday shoppers.

And Linda did very well getting us home via an obscure street in Petersfield that Mirinda just really, really wanted to see.

Oh…I meant to put this photo on yesterdays blog post but I forgot. It’s looking up the London Eye from the ferry ramp. I don’t know who the kid is.

London Eye

Up and out of the hotel by 9 and at the ferry terminal by 9:30. We checked in and waited then queued and waited then went through security, just missing the bus to the ferry and so, we waited.

The bus returned for the second half of the foot passengers and we duly drove off for the three minute trip to the gangway. As soon as everyone was off the bus with their luggage, a woman with a scanning device told us all something in French and we all returned to the bus with our luggage. It was all a bit frantic and I wondered whether we were being taken back to the terminal for interrogation. Then, as the bus reversed, I spotted the gangway being taken away and realised we were going in the big entrance where the cars go.

This was the scene of more consternation as the bus driver attempted to reverse his vehicle. He eventually gave up after a lot of Gallic swearing and frustrated gesticulation and did a huge u-turn in front of the cars that were waiting to drive onto the ferry. We were unceremoniously dumped halfway up the ramp and made to drag our heavy bags up the corrugated surface meant to stop cars and trucks from slipping.

I was in something of a panic when I thought our only way to the top of the ferry was via the stairs until I spotted the lift. Normally I’d not worry but my injuries were starting to act up a bit with the constant heaving up and down of luggage and the lift was an essential rather than a luxury. It deposited us on the 6th floor where we dumped it for the duration of the trip.

After the first awful coffee since leaving the ferry many days ago, we found our reclining seats and reclined. We should be home in about 9 hours.

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The best bit of a holiday is getting home. After a long and uneventful ferry ride, we docked at Portsmouth Harbour, climbed aboard our waiting taxi and were driven home.

The house was still there (though silent without the poodles) and the mail was high, the grass has grown and the Verbascum banana custard is STILL growing!!!!

I have had no access to the Internet for the last 10 days but will update with my journal entries over the next few days.