UK TRIP 2022 – PART III

May 8, 2022

London

Larry had brought me a lovely Mother’s Day card and gave it to me when we woke up. Very thoughtful.

Since we were meeting Christine Jenkins and her husband, Guy, for lunch, we decided to do a repeat of the lighter breakfast of the day before. Delicious once again, and just enough.

We had arranged to meet them at Colbert in Chelsey at one o’clock. Chris had sent us the menu, and I was thrilled. This place was an authentic French restaurant. (She had me at “French”!) It reminded us of a favorite spot across the river from Notre Dame in Paris.

We decided to walk from the hotel. It took about thirty minutes, quite a pleasant jaunt on a Sunday. We arrived about fifteen minutes early since we had allowed extra time. We found a spot to sit on the steps of the building next door. (Several others were already there. It appeared to be a common meeting location.)

At one o’clock, we gave the hostess Christine’s name, and we were seated. They arrived about fifteen minutes later, but we already had secured a table.

What a delight to see Chris again. We have known her since she was in high school. After she graduated, she went to Spain to study, and we replaced her doing contemporary worship music at the church. (Chris—or CJ as she is known professionally—is a terrific jazz singer.) We continued to lead worship for fifteen or more years. Larry played rhythm guitar, and I sang.

After college, Chris moved to London, where she still lives. Whenever she came to California to visit her mother, we tried to get her to sing in church with us. Sometimes, she agreed to do so. Chris’s mother remains a close friend.

When we moved to Japan, we led worship again for most of the time we were there. And it all started with Chris.

We had only met Guy once before a few years ago at the get-together after the death of Chris’s father. Because of the event, we did not spend much time with him. Now we got to know him a bit better. What a lovely man.

Their choice of restaurant was brilliant. I had an omelet, and Larry chose Eggs Royale, a variation on eggs Benedict, but with salmon. Both were delicious. Guy and Chris chose items from the prix fixe menu: starters and a fish entrée. Larry finished his meal with crème brûlée. I got one bite, and he finished it off.

On each of our trips to France, we did taste tests of this delightful treat. The one he chose compared favorably to our favorites: creamy, rich, and smooth.

We enjoyed the long, relaxed meal with delightful conversation and shared memories. This was a perfect way to spend Mother’s Day.

After lunch, we walked back to our hotel. The weather had been nearly perfect our entire time there. We kept being told it was unusual for this time of year. Once again, we brought the sunshine!

We needed a cold drink, so we went into the New York Bar again. It had become a favorite place. Once again, Frank took care of us. Along with our cold diet cokes, we were served a bowl of green olives and tiny whole grain crackers. Of course, I didn’t try either, but Larry managed to eat everything.

Before returning to our room, we stopped at the desk and made reservations for Afternoon Tea. Each day of our stay, we had watched a particular young lady going back to the kitchen and emerging with racks filled with plates loaded with the most beautiful pastries. In addition, she had taken plates of finger sandwiches to the tables in the tea room. It didn’t feel right to leave England without experiencing a real English tea.

After our long walks to and from the restaurant, we were tired, so we lay down to read, rest, and watch a bit of TV before turning in for the night.

May 9, 2022

We spent the morning exploring the area around the hotel. I was looking for a couple of small art prints for our guest powder room. I have artwork from many places we have visited through the years. The hunt proved to be a challenge. While going in and out of the local shops, Larry found a t-shirt and hat he wanted. I bought one more postcard in addition to the three I had purchased at the Tower gift shop. The store also had postage, so I got enough stamps to mail all four.

Still no small artwork.

The clerk in one of the shops suggested going to the Queen’s Gallery gift shop at the palace. Their current exhibition is of Japanese art. Having spent nearly three years there, we weren’t too interested in seeing more. But we went into the gift shop. After a thorough search, we didn’t find anything to work. We talked to the very helpful young lady in the shop and explained what we were looking for.

She suggested checking at Harrods. (We never got there.)

We stopped at the Palace Gift Shop and purchased a couple of gift items for our friend, Pat, who is a lifelong anglophile. We made arrangements for our items to be shipped directly to her home.

As we walked back to the hotel, we passed a shop we had seen before. I had noticed some placemats with drawings of London scenes on a rack outside. They were exactly what I wanted, but the placemats were too large. As we passed this time, Larry moved the rack and discovered smaller versions. Absolutely perfect, and two for one pound. The price was right. Success! [I need to get them matted and framed to put into our travel powder room.]

Back at the hotel, we prepared for our Royal Afternoon Tea.

What a delight.

The young lady we had noticed earlier was our waitress. We discovered her name was Petra. Of course, as usual, I began a conversation with her. I found out she was from Hungary. I had noticed many eastern Europeans seem to be employed in the hotels and restaurants. Another of the young ladies in the breakfast room was from Romania.

First, we were given our choice of several teas. I chose the Ruben’s tea because when in Rome… Larry picked the same one. He mentioned Earl Gray, his favorite, but I reminded him we had it at home, and he could find it everywhere.

The tea was light with a slight honey undertone. Lovely and refreshing.

Next, we received a plate of tea sandwiches. As usual, several of them contained items I don’t eat, so Larry got mine as well as his own. He didn’t eat all of mine in order to save room for the sweet pastries.

And they were worth waiting for! When we’d booked our reservation, we were told we would receive enough food to take extras with us for later. And we did.

The experience more than fulfilled our expectations.

Afterward, we returned to our room and read, wrote, and relaxed. Later in the evening, we made tea and coffee and finished our delicious pastries. I felt as though I was on a sugar high since I had eaten very little in months. However, it was worth it for the experience.

UK TRIP 2022 – PART II

 May 7, 2022

London

Our travel agent, Julie, wisely booked a day tour of London for our first day in town.

We had left a wakeup request for six a.m. with the desk. Larry also set the alarm on his iPad. Good thing because the call came about six-twenty after we were already up. (We used the iPad alarm each day thereafter.)

After we showered and dressed, we went down to the breakfast room. Our reservations included the “Full English Breakfast” each day. This consisted of eggs, prepared to order, bacon, English sausage (which I loathe), blood pudding (same), toast, and lots of other choices, all cooked to order. It also included the continental breakfast. We chose this by itself instead.

I adore Greek yogurt. This was offered along with two other kinds: plain regular yogurt and fruit-flavored. Alongside were several fruit compotes. (The mixed-berry one was divine!)

I added fresh fruit on top for a delicious and satisfying meal. Larry also had a couple of sweet rolls and a fruit smoothie.

The coffee was terrific.

Meals were served on tables with fresh, starched, white linen cloths and napkins, lovely porcelain china, and silver flatware. My kind of dining!

One of the reasons the hotel garnered a five-star rating was for the number of staff in attendance at all times. They are uniformed, gracious, and very formal, fulfilling the English archetype.

We made our way to the Victoria Coach Station (as opposed to Victoria Station where the trains arrive and depart). We located the representative from Evan Evans Tours and checked in. Finally, we received instructions to board our “coach,” a lovely, large, modern bus.

Sheila, our guide, was funny and very informative. As we drove around the city, she provided a running commentary about English history and architecture.

We couldn’t go to the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. It was only done every other day. The palace itself was also closed in preparation for the queen’s platinum jubilee. We walked to the gates and took pictures.

Yep, we were there

Connie and Dave, with whom we shared the tour

Then the bus tour continued. It stopped at several different locations, including the Natural History Museum, Royal Albert Hall, and the Prince Albert monument, where Larry jumped off to take photos.

Next we went to the changing of the horse guard, where we saw the guards in their red uniforms atop beautiful horses.

From there, we walked through St. James Park and Green Park. Larry’s hay fever started acting up badly, so we left the park and walked back along the road. He was sneezing, and his eyes ran.

While we were waiting for the rest to catch us with us, a large group of horse carts came racing by—perhaps four or five dozen. It appeared they were out for a Saturday run. So much fun to see.

Back on the bus to St. Paul’s Cathedral. We entered and were able to see most of the inside. (The front—the American Chapel—was blocked off in preparation for the jubilee.) Sheila led us down into the crypt where the tombs of famous people are located.

After a stop at the gift shop, where I bought a few items, we took the bus to a location near the Evan Evans offices. Here were many small restaurants as well as a food court.

We had spent our wait time as well as time on the tour with Dave and Connie from New York. The four of us decided to go to Market Hall, the food court. We got our lunch at Cappadocia Kebab and Sandwich Bar. Larry ordered lamb, and I ordered chicken and a falafel to split. They were each served atop a great salad. We had diet sodas to drink.

Dave ended up with a plate of huge ribs and fries, while Connie had a burger, also with fries. Both got beer to drink. We enjoyed our lunch and the company.

When we finished, we walked the two blocks or so to the Evan Evans offices, where we used their restrooms. Then back on the bus and over Waterloo Bridge to see various sites on the south side of the river. We drove back to town via Blackfriars Bridge.

On the way to the Tower of London, we saw the London Bridge. This is the current one. Various others have occupied the same location since the Roman days. The previous one now sits in Lake Havasu, Arizona.

At the Tower, we saw the Traitor’s Gate and the Bloody Tower. As usual, Sheila provided the details of these locations and the origins of their names. At this point, she left us on our own to explore the complex. We were exhausted, so we only climbed the tower to see the crown jewels. Astounding!

Queen’s Guards at the Tower of London

We had been moving since early in the morning, and we were fading rapidly. Our ticket included a boat ride down the Thames, but we were so exhausted, we discussed taking a cab back to the hotel and saving the boat ticket for another day.

On the way out, we spotted the Armouries Café and decided a rest in a cool place was just the ticket. We ordered two diet cokes and a cookie to split. I think we were probably a bit dehydrated, because after cool drinks—and a bit of sugar—we felt refreshed.

We walked over to the Tower Pier and caught our boat. What a fun ride! We had a running monologue during the whole trip. The “captain” probably moonlighted as a standup comic. He was hilarious.

The boat docked at Westminster Pier, about a fifteen-minute walk from our hotel.

We visited the New York Bar again for soft drinks before returning to our room. We decided to watch a little TV. We discovered there was a last season of our favorite British TV show, The Vicar of Dibley. This show always makes me laugh out loud. I immediately went to Amazon (US) and ordered the DVD to add to our collection. Can’t wait to watch the whole season when we get home.

We were more than ready for sleep, so we called it a night.

UK TRIP 2022 – PART I

May 5-6, 2022

L.A. to London

After several years without travel, we were finally more than ready to head out again.

In June of 2020, my oldest friend, Kathleen [Murphy] Stewart passed away. A few years before, when she was about to undergo very serious surgery, we had a long talk about what she wanted to happen following her death. She wished to be cremated. Although her husband wanted their ashes to be place together in the columbarium at their church, she wanted to be on the Hill of Tara in Ireland. Larry and I promised her, if her husband saved a small amount of her ashes, we would take them to Ireland for her. (Larry and Kathleen started kindergarten together, so he was also her close friend.)

Of course, we were unable to make the trip until now. We had originally intended to leave the first week in May, starting in Ireland. However, we discovered the Hill of Tara would not open until May 19. [When we got there, we discovered the visitors’ center wouldn’t open until the 28^th.] We reversed the trip, so we could fulfill our promise to Kathleen.

Visiting London had been a longtime item on my bucket list. So, we began our trip with a flight there.

We set our alarm early, but we both woke even before it went off.

Our driver arrived at 1:00 p.m. as scheduled. Very few services will drive from Dana Point to LAX. If they do, the price can be more than the price of the flight! However, our AAA travel agent, Julie told us about Angels Transportation. Their rate was considerably lower, and although not cheap, far more reasonable than our other choices—including long-term parking in an outer lot. The trip was efficient, and we didn’t have to drive or leave a car while we were gone.

This was our first time traveling on British Airways, and the flight was lovely. We flew on a Boeing 777-300. Julie, booked our seats in the section with only two seats on each side. This meant, we had a row to ourselves.

Although it was a “red eye” flight, departing at 5:30 p.m. from LAX, we both watched movies for the duration. Neither of us slept. We were able to enjoy a couple of films we had wanted to see: The Lost City and Belfast. Then we each watched a couple of other films.

We arrived close to noon on the sixth.

We were supposed to be met at Heathrow by a driver to take us to the hotel. We chose to walk to the arrival area rather than taking the train. We weren’t aware that the pedestrian route went through three terminals. It took quite a while, but after sitting for so long, the stretch felt good—except for hauling our bags.

We finally got to the arrival hall. After walking back and forth four times (the arrival hall was the length of two terminals), we did not see anyone holding our names. A couple of other drivers from a different company noticed us wandering around and took pity. They called our transport company and connected to our driver. Apparently, he was late and had finally arrived. The other drivers determined where he was and pointed us in his direction. We were very grateful to them!

Our driver took us to our hotel, Rubens at The Palace, a five-star location across the street from Buckingham Palace. Unfortunately, because they are preparing for the queen’s platinum jubilee, the palace will be closed in preparation while we are here.

A bellman arrived at our car to collect our luggage. Ever since 2014, we have traveled very light. We only carry one SMALL rolling case, which fits in the overhead, and another bag. Larry takes a backpack to hold his iPad and other clothing items. I have a bag with my computer and purse.

We were greeted by a doorman, dressed in red livery. On other occasions, there have been two. We got to know Aaron and took a photo with him. [Lost when Larry’s phone died. Aaron is the young man on the far right.]

We entered the small lobby, where three people manned the reception desk. The young woman who checked us in told us our room wasn’t yet ready.

We were nearly asleep on our feet by this time.

We had been served dinner not too long after we took off from LAX. I had chicken with basmati rice. I ate the chicken and sweet peppers, but left the rice, roll, three-bean salad, and mousse dessert. Larry chose the pasta. He ate everything on his tray plus my dessert.

Before we landed, we were served croissants, fruit, granola bars, etc. I only ate the cheese out of the croissant. Larry ate everything.

However, it was two-thirty in the afternoon, and we decided to eat a light supper. We went into the New York Bar in our hotel where the waiter, Frank, who looked like central casting for an English butler, took our order.

I had the chicken cobb salad, and Larry had a burger. The food was quite good. By the time we finished, our room was ready.

The room was on the third floor. It was called a “cozy double.” The spin doctor had worked overtime on the description. While the décor was beautiful, with a crystal chandelier, the room was stuffed with furniture. The bed was as described: a double bed. We already knew many “double” rooms in Europe were fitted out with twin beds. They would not have fit in our room.

It contained tiny, mirrored side tables, a very small (about 14” in diameter) table, and a tiny, mirrored “desk” at the foot of the bed. In addition, two upholstered chairs had been placed in the room. They were large enough that they did not fit under the desk. Therefore, it was rendered virtually useless. All the drawers in the room (desk and nightstands) were far too small to be of much use (about 6” wide and 12” deep). I thought of our friend, Bernie, who likes to unpack as soon as she arrives. Not really possible here.

While the bedroom was tiny, the bathroom was enormous. Marble covered the floors and walls. The shower was huge.

Unfortunately, the shower had a rain showerhead (which I loathe). It is impossible to control the spray, and I don’t like the water coming down straight onto my head. However, instead of miniature containers of shampoo, conditioner, and bath gel, large bottles were provided for our use. (I was reminded of the gym at the Entente in Japan. Their showers contained dispensers of the same items.)

There was a small bar of soap on the counter next to the sink.

After our brief repast, we retired to our room for a much-needed nap.

After the nap, we continued to rest in our room. We had done a lot of walking at the airport and had been up for over twenty hours, so we were pretty tired. We made coffee and tea in our room and ate protein bars for dinner before going to bed for the night.

IT’S HARD TO SAY GOODBYE

Today, my dear friend, Marilyn Meredith (F.M. Meredith), writes about ending her long-running Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery series. I have been privileged to edit not only this great series but also her other books. She is a wonderful mystery writer.

If you haven’t yet discovered her books, pick one up. (All books in this series as well as her Deputy Tempe Crabtree series can be read out-of-sequence.)

It's hard to say goodbye.

In this case, it’s saying goodbye to all the folks in Rocky Bluff. Reversal of Fortune, number 17, is the last in this mystery series.

Believe me, it was a hard decision to make, but I had multiple reasons. The first one being police procedure has grown far beyond what I’m capable of writing. Yes, Rocky Bluff is a small town, and the police department is woefully understaffed and underpaid. This has been a good excuse to have a lot of work done in a bigger city. In my mind, I see changes coming in the form of higher salaries and more man (and woman) power.

Another reason is I’m moving along in years and have slowed down quite a bit. Though my characters haven’t aged as fast as I have, I felt it was time to wrap up some of the plot threads which have gone on for a while.

And lastly, it’s become harder and harder to come up with new crimes and plausible murder victims and motives.

It will definitely be hard to say goodbye to the characters I’ve created and grown fond of, including my two detectives: Doug Milligan and Felix Zachary and their families. And of course, there is Officer Gordon Butler, a reader favorite. He’s probably the character who has changed the most over the years, going from a by-the-book cop, who nevertheless, stumbled along in so many areas. His love life was always troubled, too, until he met the woman who becomes his wife.

There are also many folks who have appeared from time to time over the years, sometimes playing bigger roles in what goes on in Rocky Bluff in some books than others. In my mind, each and every one is as real to me as the people I’ve been friends with in my ordinary life.

I’m going to miss the folks who live in Rocky Bluff, the good ones and the ones who aren’t so good.

F.M. Meredith will now go back to being Marilyn Meredith.

To see what happens in the final Rocky Bluff mystery check out Reversal of Fortune.

A fortune teller is murdered in the small beach town of Rocky Bluff, California. The RBPD’s investigation uncovers several suspects—all with motives and opportunity. But which one killed her?

The body of a suspect is discovered on the fortune teller’s property. Clearly, the two killings are related, but how? And who killed them?

Meanwhile, the mayor’s daughter, Kayla, whose best friend is Detective Doug Milligan’s daughter, is upset because her mother’s sister wants her to leave Rocky Bluff to live with her in Los Angeles. Can her friends convince Kayla’s aunt to leave her there with her father?

F.M. Meredith, more commonly known as Marilyn, is the author of over 40 books, mostly mysteries including the popular Tempe Crabtree series. She is a member of two chapters of Sisters in Crime and Public Safety Writers Association. She lives with her husband in the foothills of the Southern Sierra.

Check out her F.M. Meredith page on Amazon as well as her Marilyn Meredith page. And find her book page on Facebook.

When Fiction Becomes Reality

 Today, fellow author and friend, Amy M. Bennett, describes what happens when fiction becomes reality.

 

When an author releases a new book, it’s usually a time of celebration. It was what I anticipated when I released my latest Black Horse Campground mystery, In The Heat of the Moment.

Little did I know when I wrote the fictional story that the events I described would soon become a terrifying reality.

Anyone who has lived in New Mexico for any length of time knows that wildfire season occurs whenever the combination of dry conditions and high winds meet in areas with plenty of fuel for flames. Since we have been in a drought for most of the last few years and since late winter/early spring brings the strongest winds, the Lincoln National Forest, where I live (and where my fictional campground is located), has become a high-risk area for fires.

When I started writing the book a year ago, I recalled the high emotions that accompanied the tragedy of the Little Bear Fire of 2012. This wildfire burned over 44,000 acres in roughly the same area. I used this event as a springboard for the story and figured nine years would be enough time to process it all. I wrote how the fire affected the village of Bonney, the people in the village, and the areas around it, displacing people and destroying property and homes. It added heightened tension to the other, more personal, events taking place in the book. I also wrote how the village came together to help. As Corrie says to J.D. in the book, “When people help when they’re struggling, that’s not just help. That’s love.”

Two weeks after the release of In the Heat of the Moment, the McBride Fire erupted in the village of Ruidoso, a real town near the fictional town of Bonney in my books. Within two days, the fire spread to over four thousand acres and destroyed many homes, including the home of my employer and fellow co-workers. Suddenly, all the emotions I poured into the book came rushing over me, and I felt a horrible dread, almost as if I had been responsible for bringing this tragedy upon my friends and our hometown. Of course, an event as common as a wildfire isn’t something triggered by a writer describing what happened before, but the feelings are there.

What is also there is the reminder that the community has emerged like a phoenix from this type of tragedy before and will rise again, with the help—the love—of those who are struggling as well. This is, fortunately, not just fiction.

In the Heat of the Moment

Things are about to heat up in Bonney County. While winter winds aren't blowing snow, a different storm front brings cold, hard truths to Corrie Black, Sheriff Rick Sutton, and Detective J.D. Wilder. A lack of guests threatens the future of Corrie's campground. Rick's ex-wife, Meghan, now owns the company that carries Corrie's insurance. The person with shocking proof from Meghan's past ends up dead. To what lengths will Rick go to secure a future for Corrie and himself? And where does J.D. fit in all of this? Tempers flare until a raging inferno jeopardizes the Black Horse Campground and the lives of those connected with it.

Amy M. Bennett is the author of The Black Horse Campground mystery series. She currently works as a cake decorator in Alamogordo, NM and a "vino slinger" with Noisy Water Winery in Ruidoso, NM. End of the Road, her first Black Horse Campground mystery, started as a project for National Novel Writing Month in 2009. It won the Oak Tree Press 2012 Dark Oak Mystery contest. This book and her second book in the series, No Lifeguard on Duty, were both awarded The Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval.

She and husband, Paul, currently reside in Bent, New Mexico, with their son, Paul Michael, who grew up believing that having a mother who writes mystery novels is normal.

Visit her website at: http://www.amymbennettbooks.com/ and The Back Deck Blog at: http://amymbennettbooks.blogspot.ca/