Tuesday 1 August 2023

A weekend in July - Part 1 - A Final Birthday of 4

 So it's the end of July already and like normal things, it would be already the time of having to enjoy a family affair. But this year is different, with the time of the birthday of my dad with my grandad's funeral the day after, it felt like the time of a see how things were to play out.  But the dat before that was the final look at my grandad before he is laid to rest. 


the last minute notes that will be sent into the coffin itself 



The Friday


Times are tough with that, work still having mistakes to sort out and catching up on jobs, as well as Facebook dating did have a match with someone with a dream look but was a realisation of how much of a Phsyco and shit my life is. She didnt say it directly, but it gave me that feeling of I needed to sort things out. 


I eventually got home and it was a battered sausage and chips waiting for me which was nice before the start to finally get some last-minute notes given out.


The Station on the hill home 



The fish and chips 



The last message that was written to be with the wreath 



Plus with time to sort out a PowerPoint for the funeral, comes a WhatsApp at MIDNIGHT with the asking due to being stranded when staying with someone. I have that feeling im repeating last August but soon it will be the time to make things right. 


The Saturday


Either way, the Saturday was a catch-up of work and finally getting things paid in, to then a last trip on a bus home after dropping some things off to a customer with a PS5, I've got a fan to fix and the wifi card to resolder, but work night has a send off to see if that can be sorted out. But it was also nice to be able to see the huge marrows.


The Marrow in the greenhouse 


But then it was coming to its own, the weather seemed to clear up, but then again it was pouring for small bits and clear for others, this was while we had a nice chicken black bean stirfry for tea along with some ham and rice too. 


The Tea from saturday night, ham, rice, chicken teriyaki, pringles and some sauces 


It was also time to relax and watch some more fnaf sb ruin while getting pics and buts uploaded. But then it was time to order tickets for dads birthday. Thank bless ordering online which was the same price as the train itself and ready for the next day. But £14.85 for 3 people return is not bad, like £4.95 a turn too. 

Eventually, it was about 12 and I finally got the start of the photos backed up and my phone cleared about 10GB of files from the past 3 months I kid you not. Especially with vlogs and days out ill try in August, it's worth the preparation. And this was some vlogs to get done in another queue.


I fell asleep at about 2 am in the end. 


The Sunday 

It's a Sunday birthday. now this is the chance of being able to get changed and enjoy what was going to be a wet day out. Things would seem to be finally lead to finding out what was to come. 


The Journey and the Lunch

I got up about 9:15 or so after a fap from a cute yaga, but then it leads to getting prepared with the cleaning teeth snd also finally getting the kettle boiled and pouring into the sink to then get that face removed of hair,  ready and clean. But from that it was 9:44 and one email later to check, we were off to walk in the spitty rain to the station. The train was there at about 10:01 when we arrived. 


The wet station and the train to get on 


We got on to find a table see and the conductor scanned the tickets by 10:10, we were on the way. I text my sister about picking us up at 11 at the station since it was getting wet. The clanks went and the peaceful journey was happening snd listening to memories and updates or plans for the funeral the next day. We got in at about 10:56 and then walked off the platform. It was clearing up, some pots and hold of blue sky, and quite warm. 

So the agreement was to be picked up and then we searched around, no sign of the car, but eventually nt sister was on the bottom floor of the car park, she drove just in and then I ran over to my parents to get them to pick them up. We got in the car, the sister paid £2.20 and then we drove off to the hoe to get the brunch in the usual way. A very quiet drive indeed. We got there and parked just about near the pub. 


The view from the barbican 



We walked in since it was still the case of wanting something but it turns out the breakfasts were no longer being served so we killed time with a pint or two of beverage and chatted about things. I had a pint of lime and lemonade and we shared a packet of chilli and Lime crisps. 

We eventually got near the time and went to order roasts. I and dad went for a roast topside of beef with potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, red cabbage, broccoli and carrot. My sister and mum went for a mushroom-based Wellington with the same options as the other. Nore chatting ensured and it arrived, we found out they ran out of 

  • Mint sauce
  • Horseradish
  • Cranberry sauce

So in that end, we just tucked in, it had its charm to it and nice taste, it was an £18 meal so portion sizes were not high at all but the gravy suited it, the meat was tender and the potato felt good and not too hard at all. 


Insert pics here 




Sister was getting full since the baby was cramping her every so often and she was saying about all types of foods shes not allowed to have in the end. But giving another 20 minutes later and it was time to settle up and leave. We said our goodbyes to sister as she was not able to walk much again with the baby very close, she drove off to get a checkered shirt for the funeral tomorrow for her husband. 


The Aquarium Visit 


But now was the time to get the walk gone to the aquarium, which Dad wanted to go for a change and I've not been there since the days of either tavi college or even the primary. We got there just as the weather started to come in, we walked in. 


The view of the sea 



The view of the barbican from the outside of the aquariaum 



We had a short queue and then got there, £25 per person is steep but the fun of that was it turned out to be an annual pass so it's near unlimited entries for the year. So we got that and then walked up the aisle to then get to the stairs to then start the tour of the marine life off

So, the exhibits were wonderful and curious at the same time, this made it cute and it's a different layout from what I remember. So we go first to the sound part which I remember was halfway on the tour, but this was the part of the raised or high level. But it shows the nice fish that are the near top sea level, some are fresh water, some are estuary based and mostly around Plymouth Sound.  

The fish in the clear tank underwater on the sound marine life exhibit



Then it started to curve down and head into seeing one of the bigger tanks which has more of the British coast's marine wildlife with Stone bass, then some tiger sharks and even more bigger fish. The kids there were a fair few but they were astounded at the looks of the fish and the swimming around in nature.  


The view of the big fish tank 



The fish in the tank are quite big for sure, the Stone Bass in this case 




Then we walk behind and it was time to visit the part I'd never seen it was a vast experience, from the curves of the corridors to the fact of walking underneath the tank in a semi-surreal way. But it was a vast amount of fish here, from more Tiger sharks, Hammerheads and basking sharks to even the  field or pool so to speak, 


The sea grass at the bottom 




More Atlanci ocean fish 




The look at the sharks and the bass 




A closer look at the Stone Bass 





But more stairs to go up and it was more of the chance to check the tank out which then gets to the curved part of the glass, it was as though things show the crowds, but the turtles, sharks and stingrays. But so many people were there which was nice but at the same time as it feels a bit out of time to find the best angle to get pics and videos. This i've never walked in and seen since it was built over 15 years ago 



The glimpse of fish in front of the aircraft underneath or in the tank 

A blurry look 



A more blue look at the tank 



A b.ured look at the turtle 




The back of the Tiger Shark 




Another look at the tank 




The close look at the turtle 

But then it was headed into the coral exhibits which were nice and showed the small cute corals and even the fish that the Finding Nemo series had to offer, which in this was nice to see, living more peacefully and cleanly than the film. But it's lovely how warm the ocean tanks look there. But we looked and it was nice before heading to the last few exhibits.


The coral always has a bright look to it 



Even the purople vibe is nice 




Fish near the pipes 



More pixar influence with the way of nature here 




The tank is clearere here for sure 




We then head down to one more exhibit to enjoy which was coming to the end of the trip, this was a bit more of the warmer climates. This tank was nice and quaint and it was busy there too, but it shows the part of how the calm sea can change perspective on this. But we watched for a fair bit while I took some photos and sawfish as big as my thigh or as well as me, but the way all bonded and mingled is quite a sight. 



A chunky Fish from the back 



The fin is lovely to look at 



The bottome of the Coral Reefs 



The look at the final tank 





By this point, it was the end of the tour and just arrived at the 2:30 pm mark, so we decided to head back up to the cafe it was the case to have a doughnut and it also had a sour apple drink, it was very much a taste like regen. 


The Candy Can and the Donut from the cafe in the aquarium 

We chatted and I had a voicemail from a customer which I expected to sort out at some point in the next few days, the next few days were planned for visits. 20 minutes later, we walked out way t the gift shop and there were more to go with various options,s but after some teasing and cute items to look at, it was out of the aquarium by 3:10 pm.



The time for shopping and a new change in life 

We got out and then walked our way back to town, Dad was a bit agitated due to the train going by 20 past 3 so we would have to take the 17:44 one back home, which then we can sort things out for the looks on the funeral wise. We walked to Primark, which was passing the closed doors of the Barcode. Hopefully ill be holding hands with someone that waddles there but thats looking like a long way off.  




But we got in there and it was time to finally get some jeans, so some clearance slim stretch jeans for £10  which was needed for the daily driver of having crap jeans for the past 4 months or nearly most of the year so far.  But we got that sorted and then got out a way to Marks and Spencer which in turn had some bits we chose to like me and dad got the same checkered shirts for the funeral. 


A Look at hre city centre the other side of the sundial and near the uni 



Then we walked out a way to the bike shop since we had about 1 hour to kill and places were shutting at 5 and not 6 pm either, but we went into Evans Cycles and t was a 40-minute wait before being  able to be served and it ended up having to go for a Raleigh ethos which has a bosch motor, bosh battery and extra little features here and their for the cost work paid£1759  for it, 




The wait was dire for Dad on his birthday but things had to be sorted and then it was either a rush wait for the bike to be bought or a wait for a week before collecting it, So this was then to be and we left there with being unlocked but it did set me back quite expensive about £1759 from work to get things there. But this was needed. 




Then it was time to speed walk back to the train station, which was soaking wet and it was then time to get the train home, we got there and I had a phone call a desperate call for changing over the phone from one to another, but that was done then I walked on the same platform to get on the train and sit with mum and dad. We chatted and then it was a quiet journey home, the rain was easing off but the fog was there and we then had a peaceful ride home. 


We got to the train station then got off and it was time to walk up the hill which had its wet moments but it was nice non the less, today had a long day but it was worth it for bits and then it was time to get home and have something nice to relax with such as a nice ham toasted sandwich was nice with the cheerios and burger sauce.  Birthday cake was a lush lemon one too. 


The birthday cake for dad 



The ham, cherrios and ham toasted sandwich


And so that day was done, with a big day to deal with tomorrow,  and that will show its skill on how things will turn out for the final month of summer.



omracer