Celebrations and Good News

Normally, at this time of year, I head down to London for a weekend, for a double birthday celebration. My birthday is January 18, while my brother’s is the 24, so we often get together in the weekend that lies between them.

This time, we thought we would try something different, and meet half-way between Market Deeping and East London, in Cambridge.

My brother and sister-in-law haven’t been to Cambridge many times, so I explained that – in my opinion – the easiest option is to use the excellent Park-and-Ride scheme. I told them that coming up from London, there was a P&R at junction 11 of the M11, but if they carried on to junction 13, they would come to the same P&R that I use, coming in from the A14.

We’d arranged to meet at 12:45 at the restaurant, but as it happens we both arrived at the P&R at the same time, at about 11:15. So we got the bus in together, then split up, as our shopping interests are different.

We met again, as planned, at Browns Bar amd Brasserie. Although I hadn’t been to this one before, I am familiar with Browns from when I lived in Brighton, so when my brother suggested it, it appealled to me. We had a very pleasant lunch – tempura battered fish and chips x 3, with assorted deserts to follow – and caught up on each other’s news.

The particularly good news is that we have finally exchanged on the sale of mum’s house, due to complete next week. This sale has been a right pain, particularly to my brother, who has been fantastic in dealing with it all. It is a relief to have it sorted at last, and (soon to be) out of the way.

After lunch, we walked back through Cambridge for a while, then said goodbye, with me heading off to the book shops.

The weather was cold but absolutely clear and sunny, and all in all, it was a splendid day.

4 Comments

  1. January 21, 2011
    Reply

    Glad to hear it was a good day, and happy belated birthday!

  2. chris
    January 21, 2011
    Reply

    Bloody solicitors. After I typed the above, I noticed my answerphone flashing – it was a message left by my brother. He got home from meeting up with me in Cambridge, to find that the solicitor has just discovered another piece of paper that requires both our witnessed signatures before the sale can complete.

    Of course, if they had got that information to us before today, it would have been trivial for us to take care of it over lunch. Now the whole completion rests on getting legal documents to me, signed and back before next Wednesday. Given that the solicitor won’t be doing anything about it before Monday, now, that is a tall order.

    Both my brother and I are aghast at this. What do these people do to earn their money? (Answer: as little as possible)

  3. chris
    January 24, 2011
    Reply

    So, following my scheduled annual checkup at Papworth Hospital, first thing this morning, I drove from there down to London and met up with my brother. He drove us down to the solicitors, where we signed the vital bit of paper. Time in the solicitors – about 10 mins.

    The bright side of things is that my brother managed found time for a quick lunch. I treated him, as it is his birthday today. For 6 days every year, he is only 3 years older than me, but things are now back to their rightful place.

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