Artillery Arms

Another favourite pub. The Artillery Arms has been my favourite pub in London for a while. It was close at my old office and it's still close at our new location.

I explained to a mate why it was my favourite once, so I'll try to remember. It's a Fullers pub, so it has some decent beers. It also has a good menu, including standard pub fare but also some nice sandwiches on granary (whole wheat) bread, and ciabatta sandwiches. For a while, they offered my favourite salad, a chicken Caesar with bacon, and big veg bits like tomato chunks and cucumber slices.

But I like it for other reasons. There's lots of light with the full windows. It looks across from Bunhill Fields, a cemetery containing the remains of Daniel Defoe, William Blake, and John Bunyan, but also many tall trees, giving a very pleasant view. When I'm out with mates, we sit on the ground floor. When I visit alone, like I did today for lunch, I go upstairs. Today I sat by the window you can see upstairs. They also carry the daily Guardian and the Daily Mail, the two opposites of the political spectrum, and some days I'll have read the Guardian on the train, so I'll read the Mail and its Page Three Girls, its alarmist rhetoric and celebrity gossip. It's a nice place for a relaxing lunch, and I go there often.

Shipping

Boxes were picked up from our house today. They will arrive at our flat in Burnaby a week or two after we do. Only nine boxes this time - better than our last transcontinental move two years ago.

Real Ale Runabout

On Wednesday John and I participated in a Real Ale Runabout. Every second Wednesday in the summer, there's a bus that leaves the central station at 7 pm on a unique route, touring several pubs of interest in nearby towns and villages. It's sponsored by the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). We thought it was a brilliant idea and had been keen on trying it for some time, and we finally scheduled a date and joined a tour.

Looking around at our fellow passengers, we realised we could have been the youngest there, and likely had the least-developed bellies. We had a perfectly sunny evening, and at our first stop in Wortham we enjoyed our ales in the garden. It set as we made our way to Botesdale. Our third stop was Walsham le Willows. At least, that's what the schedule says. To be honest, we could have been taken most anywhere and we wouldn't have known.

I think we visited five pubs in all. There were two ales we hadn't tried before, one of which we both quite liked named Pageant. At a later pub, my first pint was off, really hoppy, perhaps from the top of the keg, and not at all like the one I'd had at an earlier pub, so I had one more to remember it properly, and it was better.

I also remember the first pub was known for only offering beers made in East Anglia. Many of England's best-known beers, including Adnams, Greene King, Abbots, and St. Peters, are already made here in Suffolk, but all the same I was quite impressed with the variety of coasters on the walls representing the local beers they'd served.

But looking back and doing the maths, we'd probably sunk more pints than we would have planned. The tour was also out later than we expected; we left the last pub at the closing time of 11 pm, and it was about an hour back to Ipswich plus time to get back to our neighbourhood, giving me many fewer hours until work. I think that's why we seemed so young - I think late-night tours mid-week is better suited for the non-working. I was surprisingly productive on Thursday but was dragging heavily in the afternoon. So it's a great idea but I don't think I'll do another one ... at least not while I'm still working.

Sarah and Margo's Comedy Sketch

Sarah: Hey Dad, we wanted to do something special for your birthday

Margo: Yeah, you know, like a trip to Paris or Italy or somewhere really exciting like, uh, Switzerland…..

Sarah: But you’re not getting that, so don’t get too excited!

Margo: Since you enjoy comedy so much,

Sarah: And since I LOVE telling jokes from my Joke book,

Margo: Sarah proposed that we produce a comedy show in honour of your 40^th Birthday

Sarah: Yeah, because you’re OLD now.

Margo: We thought about having a party – but old people have really boring parties

Sarah: Yeah, they play games like SAG YOU’RE IT

Margo: And Kick the bucket
Sarah: And Musical Recliners

Margo: And Pin the Toupee on the Bald Guy

Sarah: So instead– I picked out some of my favourite jokes like this one

Margo: What’s white, furry and found in Florida?

Sarah: I don’t know mum…

Margo: A polar bear with no sense of direction!

Sarah: I’ve got one. What famous story was about an Australian Reptile?

Margo: I don’t know Sarah, what famous story was about an Australian Reptile?

Sarah: The Lizard of Oz!

Margo: But back to how old Mike is getting…

Sarah: Yeah, Dad is so old that his birth certificate has expired. But mum, I have another joke to tell. What is purple and furry?

Margo: I don’t know, what?

Sarah: A kangaroo holding its breath.

Margo: I have one… What American City do cows live in?

Sarah: I don’t know.

Margo: Moo York City! Hey, did you know that Dad is so old that if we put the right number of candles on his birthday cake, the average temperature of the earth would increase by 3 degrees?

Sarah: Did you know that dad is so old that when he was a kid rainbows were in black and white?

Margo: Dad is so old that he sat next to Moses in elementary school.

Sarah: Dad is so old he farts dust.

Margo: Dad is so old that if he walked into an antique shop they might sell him.

Sarah: I have another joke to tell!

Margo: OK, what?

Sarah: Why is Europe like a frying pan?

Margo: I don’t know, why?

Sarah: Because it has Greece at the bottom!

Margo: Here’s one. What’s tall, Italian and covered in pepperoni?

Sarah: Beats me?

Margo: The Leaning Tower of Pizza!

Sarah: Where is the best place in Europe to find sharks?

Margo: I have no idea.

Sarah: Finland!

Sarah: Why did the old lady put wheels on her rocking chair?

Margo: I have no idea!

Sarah: She wanted to rock and roll!

Margo: Hey Sarah, how do you know if you are getting old?

Sarah: I don’t know – you’re the old one!

Margo:

You know you’re getting old if you keep more food than beer in the fridge

You know you’re getting old if 6am is when you get up, not when you go to bed

Sarah:

You know you’re getting old if you hear your favourite song in an elevator

Margo:

You know you’re getting old if you’re the one calling the police because the kids next door won’t turn down their music

Sarah:

You know you’re getting old if sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt

Margo:

You know you’re getting old if 90% of the time you spend in front of the computer is for real work

Sarah:

You know you’re getting old when your idea of a night out is sitting on the patio.

Margo:

You know you’re getting old when at the breakfast table you hear snap, crackle, pop and you're not eating cereal.

Sarah: Anyway Dad, we hope that you enjoyed the show. Happy Birthday to you!

Margo: Yep – Happy Birthday!!

40

Birthday celebrations started last Thursday. I invited my teammates for some drinks after work since it was my night out. Most of Engineering turned up. I'd taken Friday off for good measure. We started with a pitcher of Pimm's (a traditional English summer drink of Pimm's, a sweet syrupy liqeuer, mixed with selzer water and mint and fruit bits including orange, lemon, apple, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry) at The Eagle; I thought we might visit a few other nearby pubs for a bit of a crawl, but we were happy enough and just stayed there.

I'd arranged to spend the night with some friends in Hackney. I was expecting to sleep in and be nursing a monster hangover - is it not appropriate that the first day of one's forties be one of pain and regret? - but neither happened. Instead I woke up around 6.30 and lounged for a while.

After having coffee with my host, I set out for a free day in London. After some breakfast, I tubed my way to South Kensington for one more visit to the Science Museum. Then it was off to Soho and some shopping on Regent and Oxford streets, then on an early afternoon train home.

When I picked Sarah up from her after school club, she was reminding everyone that not only was it my birthday, but that I was forty and really old. So I made her help me cross the streets on the way home.

When Margo came home, Sarah couldn't wait to share presents: Belgian chocolates, cufflinks, and: a comedy sketch that Sarah and Margo wrote and practised, containing dozens of age jokes mostly stolen from Sarah's book of silly jokes (see related post).

We didn't have a real dinner (we usually just snack on Friday evenings) but afterwards there was a birthday cake decorated with dead salmon, because I am always joking that, like the salmon, I have swum upstream, procreated, and now my life's purpose is over, and only death awaits.



Saturday morning I met Sarah and Margo at her swim class. Afterwards we had some lunch (actually, they had lunch - I was fasting for the special dinner) and then went to see Wall-E. Margo said the little robot that had to keep cleaning up Wall-E's dirty tracks reminded her of me.

Then home for naps and ... the birthday meal I've been waiting for.

We started with an appetizer: a torte with artichokes, tomatoes and feta cheese, served with a small bottle of champagne. I also opened a 1999 Brunello di Montalcino that I'd been waiting weeks to enjoy. We also had fresh strawberries.


The main course was chicken breast, stuffed with mushroom and ricotta, wrapped in parma ham, served with asparagus grilled in olive oil and sea salt. For dessert we had creme pastries with fresh blackberries and raspberries, and I had a bit of cognac.

And the celebrations aren't completely over. Saturday I'll be joining some friends in a pub (or two) in Ipswich.

Sarah's School Report

Sarah will be finishing her school year next Tuesday and we received her yearly report today in the mail. Mike and I were pleased to see that Sarah was rated as "Excellent" for effort in every subject and tested at Year Three level in every academic subject. I have been really happy with her educational progress this year as she has responded well to a self-described "Old-Fashioned" teacher who expects the children to behave and achieve at a high level.

Sarah also received her "Silver Award" at assembly last week - this is part of a cumulative system of points awarded for good behavior, achievement, etc. She was really chuffed as last year she only got to bronze award level.

We are getting excited about our upcoming move and I am looking forward to becoming settled in a home at some point in the next few months!

Love,
Margo

Lord Nelson

Another favourite pub of mine is the Lord Nelson in Ipswich.



They serve Adnams beers in wooden casks, which are proudly on display behind the bar. I think it tastes noticeably better; I'd say they serve the best pint of Broadside anywhere I've been.



The interior features old wooden beams, and around the corner is a fireplace that's been quite welcome on a wet winter evening.

The food is better than average. I've often come for lunch on days working from home, usually having spicy breaded chicken strips with salad. We've been for dinner a few times also, including this evening.



It's also one of the few pubs in Ipswich that welcome children yet still serve quality beers and food.


We also don't mind too much seeing our surname repeated in the interior, full of art and artifacts celebrating Nelson's life.

Plans

It's just a matter of weeks now before we return to the Pacific Northwest.

We've reserved a three bedroom flat in Burnaby, near Simon Fraser University. There's a primary school almost across the street. The price is a bit steep compared to nearby rents but it includes all utilities, limitless Wifi, and is fully furnished (dishes and towels and everything). We've reserved it for three months. By the end of our three months I should have a job and we'll have decided whether we can comfortably afford buying a property on my income or if we'll rent for a while.

We'll be sending two shipments. One in a week or two, by slow boat, with things like winter clothes, books and CDs, and toys. We'll have a smaller shipment right before we fly, by air freight, of remaining clothes and a few other items.

I've been flirting with the idea of One Last Trip but I probably won't. It would likely be just me, as Margo's not interested in planning any more trips, and Sarah would be happier to stay home and watch telly anyway. I've been thinking about a three day rail trip to Geneva. But it seems wasteful to spend all that money for just me, and things like that are best shared.

I'm looking forward to, well, a new life, and getting settled again, but I'm also quite sad to be leaving. When I walk the streets and enter shops these days, I'm often thinking, this is probably the last time I'll be standing here, the last time I'll see this view.

I have another reason to be depressed in that I've got less than two weeks of being in my 30s. Of course it's just a number but I can think of lots of things to dwell on. I joke to mates that if I get killed by a bus this week, people will say, "Oh, he had so much to live for ... he had his whole life ahead of him ...". In two weeks, people would say, "Meh."