"Golf is a good walk spoiled"

right. i noticed i didn't post yesterday, so i'll have to post twice as hard today. here we go!

yesterday: i walked in to Brighton proper from Mel & Neils, had some chips (french fries), and walked back. stopped at a few shops on the way down, got a bit lost on the way back. not too much worth mentioning, actually. found a few places i'd been passively looking for, and walked through a few other shops that were decent. yeah.

sorry, just watched the "Sweet Child O' Mine" bit at Glastonbury this year. not bad.

today: i took the train to Glynde (google it), then walked the absolutely amazing, pastoral pseudo-trail to Lewes. the views were amazing, i can't possibly explain it, you'll just have to go yourself. or view my pictures and pretend. either way. oh, i saw sheep! and sheep shit. and only one other person on the entire 3 mile, 2 or so hour walk. beautiful weather, my knee started to hurt a bit towards the end, and at one point i distinctly remember thinking "do sheep eat people? i hope not. i'd like my body to be identifiable if/when i die." there was a bit where a ram followed me to the gate, and i'm not sure if he was keeping me safe or making sure i left. it was fun. so much fun.

at the end of the walk was, unfortunately, a golf course. thus the Mark Twain quote above. Lewes was nice, though. it's the home of a brewery, so of course i tried to tour it (hoping for the free beer at the end). turns out there's a two-year waiting list to tour it. bugger. so i bought a sampler of beers, which i shared with Neil, and it's okay. i may go back tomorrow, apparently there's some sort of occult bookstore with a weird vibe and creepy witch-types for customers. should be good.

god, i could fall asleep on the couch here with the TV on.

i had at least a half-pint of local beer at every pub i passed, just because i couldn't get in to the tour. yeah, me drinking more. that'll teach 'em. sure.

when i got back to Mel's, the kids had eaten and Mel had taken a nap, so the eldest and i started planning a meal of pasta for me, when Mel awoke and came in to take over. she added bacon and prawns and spinach and roma tomatoes and it was freakin' delicious. i could stay here forever, i swear. probably best i don't, though.

on a serious note, this family has a dynamic i've not seen in a long time, if ever. it feels natural, it's amusing, it's welcoming. i'm gonna talk about something else now.

hey, how 'bout that weather, eh?

no? huh. um... hey look over there! it's elvis! *runs away*