ENGLAND, MY LION HEART

Well it's been a slow start here for us Houghtons! After holidaying for so long, we have become quite lazy and are enjoying the sleep-in's on the sofa bed. Who would have thought a sofa bed could be so comfy, but having the tv in the room helps and we are enjoying Breakfast television here, the poms do know how to report the news (so in depth, and so interesting!) .....
We are now making a conscious effort in finding work, we have registered with a couple of recruitment agencies, but the fascinating thing we've learned about all of this so far is that no recruitment agency actually wants to meet you, they seem to want you to email in your cv and then they will communicate with you only if they have a suitable job available! It's a bit off putting as Noel put his cv out to about 5 agencies and didn't get one reply and after 2 days he had to phone them back, all saying that as soon as a job is available they will contact him, and even then that's only to get an interview (along with zillions of others) so it's been a wake up call for him.
As for me, my ego was deflated last Friday when, after sending through my cv full of glowing references with my 25 years plus legal experience the young recruitment agent called "Louise" emailed me back advising that "due to not working in law for the past 5 years she could not place me in any legal position, secretarial, reception, admin or otherwise"!!?? Hell, presuming Louise is paid on commission, chances are she is very very poor indeed! However, both Noel and I have got interviews lined up this week so watch this space...!

We have caught up with Victoria Gibbs having enjoyed a yummy thai meal in Bond Street (Vic knew all the pubs and places to go, she is a sociable young thing) her enthusiasm and energetic spirit was uplifting for us oldies, we visited Edgware, this town is at the end of the Northern Line (north London) and this is where Noel and I first met in 1978! The old house still looked the same, but a couple of the pubs had changed a lot, one had actually closed and was rather run down, a bit sad as we had spent a number of fun nights there in our youth.

We have caught up with John Cock (my old boss in 1986) who is taking me to Covent Garden on Wednesday morning, he is a Friend of Covent Garden, and gets these cheap (or mostly free) tickets and there is a dress rehearsal on for a 17th century opera about two men who go off to war and when they return the men swap places to check on the infidelity of their wives! something like that, I will fill you in after Wednesday, me thinks David Gibbs will know what I am talking about (ghad I love him for that).

We then visited our friend Maria who lives in Burnt Oak (one station from Edgware) whom I worked with in 1977, and she took us out for a curry, it was great, the variety of curries was absolutely amazing, really, we didn't recognise half of the meals (too diverse a range) but just brill and both Noel and I realise that no matter the length of time away from our friends, the distance between, it's so easy to just pick up and carry on where we left off....no one seems to have aged, everyone seems just the same, it's a neat feeling that's for sure!

We met up with a kiwi couple who are estate minders/housekeepers/gardeners in a tiny village in Surrey called Godalming. What a delightful place! We spent the afternoon drinking cider and watching a local cricket match, the sun came out and it truly was a relaxing day. Noel and I then ventured down to Portsmouth on Saturday night and visited the Naval Museum and the Mary Rose, the only tudor warship remaining in the world (at least 400 years old)! The poms salvaged the ruins in 1979 and its a remarkable restoration story, the ship was named after his favourite sister of Henry VIII, and the scientists have found most items intact and in perfect condition (the silt in the water has preserved most of it), truly fascinating. We also visited the D-Day museum, boy what an exhibition of gear, even the original plan of attack (operation over lord) showing location of warships, aeroplanes, bomb carriers, taking up one whole wall, all handwritten and handpainted symbols etc. Quite incredible, very intelligent people those poms! I left there showing great respect for those war heroes, and a half of cider at the Old Port Pub finished off a great day out!
Some more pics for you all to enjoy, the sun's been out now for 3 days, even have the washing outside today! Ahhhhh, London can be a 'home away from home' that's for sure. Plans for the week: find jobs, meet up with a couple we met in Greece, opera, we are hoping to visit a town called Matlock to catch up with Noel's ex workmate and then a Sunday roast back with Maria........til next time, da Houghts