Despite arriving home from Europe nearly three months ago, the business of life have distracted me from documenting this last leg of our journey. It’s amazing how much easier it is to focus on writing when you step outside the usual hustle and bustle. So it is that I finally finish this post while travelling on a completely unrelated trip — but more on that in another post.
After the excitement of Zürich, Paris & London, we made our way to North West England? Why? The most treasured part of our trip thus far: family!
Some fifty four years ago, my mom and her parents emigrated from the Liverpool, England to Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. She and her mom — my Nanna — would return every few years for a visit, some sausage butties, and the family favourite: fish & chips.
So it was very special for Charity and I to first stay with Lynsey & Steve, cousins on my mom’s side. Despite it being more than 13 years since we’ve met in person — when Charity and I wedded! — we reunited around old memories of our shared family, homemade sausage butties, and brown sauce (known here as HP sauce).
And after seeing her grow up only on social media, we were thrilled to meet God’s little blessing and addition to their family:
Steve and Lynsey took time off work to show us the area, including a trip to the renowned Lake District and the town of Ambleside.
This quaint, cobble-stoned town through which we walked would have been special just for the age of its buildings, but it held a special place in Charity’s heart as the home of one Charlotte Mason, the British educator on whose teachings we structure our homeschooling adventures.
After a so-so dinner of fish and chips in London, Charity and I were eager to taste the authentic dish of which my mom and Nanna spoke so often. Their first question every time they used to get picked up by Steve from the airport: “Can we go to the chippy?”
Unfortunately, by some freak accident, the fries in my dish were undercooked. There I was, surrounded by my wife and cousins feasting while I’m scratching my head wondering if something was wrong with my tastebuds: the pasty starch sticking to my tongue and ruining even the otherwise tasty fish.
Actually realizing something was wrong took longer than it should have, because I had also made the mistake of checking my work email and was distracted by the news of a layoff earlier that day. While my job was not affected, a number of my closest colleagues were now unemployed. (Between then and when I write this post, we’ve had a second layoff — again I was unaffected, but once again lost many of the people with whom I loved working. More on that, perhaps, in another post.)
After just two short days in Wigan, we caught the train to Liverpool to reunite with another cousin we last saw almost five years ago, but who often visited family when I was much younger.
I made a new little friend and was gifted some old photos of my mom!
Charl took us on a tour of the grounds of Croxteth Hall — the manor itself being closed for the day — chatting through the many years that have passed since we last met at the passing of my mom.
Despite my expertise navigating Canadian winters, I found myself genuinely cold, donning a toque and winter jacket despite the early signs of spring everywhere. I think it was the humidity and low temperature as compared to the typically drier and colder winters back home in PEI.
Before heading back to the house, Charl took us round to Asda. My mom and Nanna were notorious for bringing back sweets and treats they couldn’t find in Canada — and hiding them from my dad, who would surely have disapproved of so much candy! Charity and I followed in at least part of this tradition, but of course made no secret of our treasure trove and fully intending to share with our children.
And on our final full day in England, my cousin rectified the fish and chips situation by bringing us to the local chippy. So good!
Nearly as quickly as it began, our 24 hours in Liverpool came to a close with an early morning trip back to the Manchester airport, connecting us back through London, then Toronto, and finally Charlottetown.
Pro-tip #1 for travelling: if you’re going to pay for the lounge while waiting at the Heathrow — worth it for the food alone! — go the one nearest your gate, that way you’re not once again panicking at the last minute worried you’ll miss your connecting flight back to your children desperate to see you again. No chance I made that mistake (again) on this trip. Nope.
Pro-tip #2 for travelling: yes, the more expensive seats by the emergency exits offer a tremendous amount of legroom for a long trip — plus quick access to the restrooms! Unfortunately, they can also become a loitering zone for passengers weary of sitting. If you value privacy, double check the plane layout first and consider a different row instead.
Finally headed back to Canada!
Everyone was thrilled to see us — and partake in the treats we brought home. We celebrated our first morning back together with a cuppa of Yorkshire tea and a packet of dark chocolate digestives — new favourites we can now simply order on Amazon whenever we want!
I don’t know when we’ll back back this way again, but I hope the next time includes our children. For now, Charity and I will treasure this unique chance together, with grateful hearts to our family in PEI taking care of our children and homestead in our absence.