NEWMARKET
My God! we made it to Newmarket. Jackie drove. On an anxiety scale of one to ten with one being a state of meditative relaxation and ten being a state of near comatose panic with fingers digging trenches in the dashboard, I managed to maintain a state of level five. In that state my body was relaxed (or appeared so) but I was mentally prepared to meet my maker.
Jackie actually did quite well despite a rough start. She first went to the passengers door instead of the drivers side. Then she couldn’t start the car. She had to get the clerk out to start it. (The steering wheel was locked and had to be jiggled.) Then she kept trying to start the car moving in third instead of first gear. Once we figured that out, she turned out of the lot into the wrong lane. Other than those minor mistakes she did very well. It took a little practice to get used to shifting with the left hand and there is a tendency to drift the car towards the shoulder when driving in the right hand seat.
FRIDAY
We arrived (alive) in Newmarket approximately six PM (Thursday). Pulled over at a public phone (which turned out to be the only one at that end of town) and Jackie called her grand- parents who came to lead us to the B&B. Turned out, by pure chance, that we were only 1/4 mile down the road from the B&B. The B&B was a charming place. Our room was very comfortable. The landlady thinks we are married. She just asked me if I wanted to wait for “the wife.”
Jackie’s grandparents are great! They waited while we got settled and then drove us to their “bungalow.” We had drinks (whisky and water without ice for me and Gin & Tonic for Jackie.) We then drove to an old country restaurant where Jackie’s Grandfather teased the waitress, who took it very well.
A delightful dinner. We agreed to let them pay as long as we could take them to lunch on Friday. After dinner we went back to their house to get Jackie’s handbag, which she had forgot. Her Grandmother served us Victoria Plums and we chatted till 11:30. My yawning seemed to indicate it was time to go so her Grandfather drove us back to the B&B.
What a wonderful breakfast – toast, cereal, tea/coffee, eggs, potatoes, grilled tomato and mushrooms and a rasher of bacon and a banger. This will get us right through the morning. Our hostess is a wonderful lady that apparently knows Granddad from the races. The house is right across the street from a bowling green and above that are horse stables. Newmarket is known for the horse racing.
Bob experienced something new, sleeping with a duvet. We had a sound nights sleep and didn’t wake up until 6:00, better than 4:00 like yesterday. Looking forward to the day ahead. We’re off for a walk in the town and we’re meeting Granddad back here at 11:30. We’re going to be visiting his brother’s vineyard.
Although I notice a Jewish book in their home last night I don’t think that Granny and Granddad are devout since they split a ham steak last night. Dinner was very enjoyable. Bob and I both had Stilton Chicken, very similar to Chicken Kiev.
Between Bob and Granddad, waitresses had a heck of a time. Granddad was throwing out bawdy remarks and suggestions and Bob was shooting out his wit. They really enjoyed Bob’s magic tricks – they were a great audience.
