Blog ≫ 2022 ≫ Lovely long weekend and not over yet
I took a couple of days off, as the boys are off school, so we're currently 3/4 of the way through a nice long weekend. Clare did not have the days off so we went on the train down to Portchester. It's been a long time and it was a lovely trip.
Journey there was easy1, so easy and no rain that I got the boys to walk from the station up to Mum and Dad's house instead of being picked up. I took them on a detour through the precinct2. We stopped and looked at the Portcullis Taphouse but it was not open yet. More later. Lovely to see Mum and Dad and we had tea and chatted and then Auntie Sandra arrived too. I always want to catch up with more of the family on visits but there never seems to be the time, so this was great.
Later before tea I walked back to the Portcullis Taphouse, the Portchester micropub, and it was really good. They had two cask ales, often they have three, plus six interesting keg beers, plus cocktails and cider and a fridge of nice looking takeout. Hopefully going back here on most Portchester visits from now on.
We also went and met Kerry and Rob at Port Solent for a really nice family dinner in Prezzo. For ages Prezzo was not my first choice because it had limited vegan options compared to some of the others, but not any more, it was really nice. Also the location in Port Solent is great, it's probably the nicest restaurant there. Also Mum and Dad paid, and also they got some big discount with their insurance too, so everybody wins! Did I get a good photo of us all sat together? I don't think so. I did get a picture of that pub though:
We did "Jay's pub quiz", a thing they have been doing since lockdown, it's live in youtube. I did quite badly, I think I'm the best at these things but clearly Clare is the brains of the outfit as she also played along from home and beat us all.
I did not arrange to meet friends this time round as I wasn't originally planning to stay for two nights. Instead we stayed in drinking the takeout cider and watching the car programmes, Vintage Voltage and so on.
Speaking of cars, I have not heard back about the beetle yet.
I did Fareham parkrun, but it was not a good performance. My slowest of the year, but a lovely day for it anyway. I had a twinge in my knee which made me go slower, so I didn't turn that into something. I just didn't stretch it, even though I did jog from Portchster to Fareham. Also that course is very very narrow, if you don't start at the front there are so few opportunities to overtake until people start spreading out, so the first 2km are a write off.
Fareham parkrun results for event #250. Your time was 00:24:31.
Congratulations on completing your 80th parkrun and your 4th at Fareham parkrun today. You finished in 61st place and were the 54th Male out of a field of 250 parkrunners and you came 9th in your age category VM45-49. Take a look at this week's full set of results on our website. Your PB at Fareham parkrun remains 00:21:31. Congratulations on your fastest time this year.
Fastest time this year indeed, my only Fareham time this year. That's three minutes slower than my best Fareham time. I normally send my friends pictures of the Folkestone parkrun, with comments about how you can or cannot see France in the background. This time I sent this picture, can you see France? Can't you? None of them twigged that that was the Fareham creek background, and that I was secretly in Fareham, not until I sent less and less subtle shots.
Train back also fine, but this time we got the underground and I messed up a bit with part of the underground being closed. Was fine we still made all the right connections.
We have the whole of Sunday ahead of us, the shopping has been delivered, Clare is at pump, and it looks like a nice day out there. I have a bit of a sniffle though, could it be..? Just waiting for a test to brew and I will report back.
UPDATE: still covid free here, though I have a cold or something.
Coronavirus weekly death graph for USA + Brazil + India + Russia + Mexico + UK
- I always start off with boring details about the journey so I should put them in a little footnote like this instead. We got a taxi to Folkestone West, then reasonably busy first off peak train of the day to St Pancras. Got some Greggs vegan sausage rolls and walked to the nearby Thameslink platform to go to East Croydon, then from there to Portchester. This is probably the best and easy route straight to Portchester, no real walking between platforms. We did have a fifteen minute delay outside Havant though, just long enough to be able to apply for a partial refund. Probably only get a quid back but I've gone for it anyway.
- Precinct, precinct, precinct. Say it a lot and it starts to not sound like a real word. What on earth does it mean and where does it come from?