Jo on the Tyne

We have had a busy day. We met Jo off the York train and Mr C took her case back to the car in Gosforth while I took her on a walk down to the Quayside and along to the cycle hub and up the Ouseburn. The tongues were busy as she’s been in Afghanistan and Namibia since we last met.

We met Mr C at Ernest’s, (Long Friday and the Baltic gallery being closed on Tuesdays), where we had green lentil, roast sweet potato, courgette and spinach salad with a sprinkling of feta. It was ok but had too much dill and no dressing so I was disappointed.

We walked on to the Laing where we left Jo for a while as Trailfinders had been sending hassling messages so we called there. Somehow a 2 day boat trip had added £2000 to the cost. They don’t itemise all the costs of flights, hotels etc - you just get a final total. We are used to planning our own flights and add-ons but getting an agent seemed sensible at our age for convenience if cancelling or emergencies occur as it’s all one trip.

We picked up Jo, walked up to Haymarket by Fenwicks window and got the metro back to the car in Gosforth then home. 5.5 miles walk in the city.

Jo has hurt her shoulder trying to push her broken down car off the road en route from Cornwall to her son in York so we’ve got her a physio appointment with Stephen along the road tomorrow.

I made a nice meal - salmon with an apple and mustard slaw and cranachan for pudding.

was telling her that Carole told us Dennis our next guest from Suffolk had formed a relationship with a woman 20 years younger on the Madagascar trip. He’d not mentioned it to us. Soon after I got a WhatsApp from him. He said he’d become very close to this woman and was it ok if he brought her to stay when he comes in January. I don’t know what you think but I’m not feeling comfortable about having a woman I have only vague memories of staying in my house for 4 days. Plus Mr C was looking forward to spending time with his pal and this changes the dynamics. I’m going to say it’s not convenient on this occasion and suggest it might be nice for the 4 of us to meet up for a mini break in a hotel or an air BnB. Does that sound reasonable?