Sarurday, August 19 - Picnic in Blackpool

  It is a day begun with my alarm, unusual as the morning light in Priscilla's room has awakened me this past week. I prepared my tea and porridge and learned that preparing I need to practice more to make the porridge smooth.

We left home a little after 10 AM for the Blackpool neighboring town of Lytham where Prashanth and Joanna and Asher live. Shyamala had prepared sausages and onions and tomato sauce for our picnic.

Their flat is modern and two storey with a patio window/ door which opens completely to let in fresh air.  Well, it was windy; after all the town is on the coast of the Irish Sea. Asher was taking a morning nap,  and we could see him on the baby monitor. 

Our reunion was very happy.  After initial greetings we watched and talked as Joanna prepared food for our picnic in a local park. She sliced a baguette and laid on each slice a mixture of small shrimp and mayonnaise and seasonings and then baked the combination briefly. She also placed tiny pieces of beets and vegan herself in pre-formed pastry cups. She also placed individual pieces of fruit: red and green grapes, strawberries, and blueberries on skewers.  By this time Asher was awake and ate as many pieces of fruit as were placed on the skewers.

Asher was unsure about me, and he and I waved and gave each other high fives throughout the day. It also took him a short while to warm up/remember his grandparents. 

With food in the stroller and in a cooler backpack which Joanna wore we walked just a couple blocks to an extensive grassey area along the coast.  Located was the show of the 1940s. Vehicles from the war, people dressed in uniforms, booths about wartime gardening, nursing care, even a fashion show covered an extensive area. Hundreds of cars filled the cars parks.  Yhd area was crowded.  Many people dressed in clothing of the era, even nylon stocking with the vertical dark line to show on the calf. That brought back memories.

We walked to the nearby park, and past children's play area where Prashanth and Asher went. Joanna found a non-windy, grassey, and sunny spot near a picnic table. It was perfect. She spread out a cloth on the grass and set out the food in their plastic containers. We enjoyed it all along with a bag of lentil chips and homemade brownies. It was a relaxing time and beautiful weather. 

Shyamala and I walked back after the others who wanted to nap and work. Prashanth is writing his PHD thesis/dissertation, and has three months to complete it. He told me that he is "counting the days" until they return to Australia  early next year. We two visited an art exhibit in a downtown historic building. At 3 PM we joined the crowd around the town circle to hear a gentleman dressed as Winston Churchill.  He gave a portion of one of Churchill's well-known war-time speeches,  and for memory.  He was greatly applauded.On our way back Shyamala and I walked by a lovely brick church for sale and talked about church attendance. We visited a store which sells just about anything you would be looking for.

At their flat Joanna offered to take us to the gardens of Lytham Hall, a former mansion with extensive grounds. With Asher in her Baby Bjorn pack we enjoyed looking at flowers and vegetables as well as a snoring hog and some goats.

At the flat and after tea we walked back downtown for supper at a Chinese restaurant.  Beginning with shrimp chips we all shared different orders,  and nothing was left behind.

At the flat the Shyamala spoke with Ramesh about their September visit, and then the adults researched, discussed, and book their flights for Saturday the 23rd. 

It was dark when we rode home,, and the car was quiet.