Time for another visit to Milford Connecticut!

It was time for our BBF to have another adventure with his BF’s in Milford, so bags got packed and we were locked into his hand luggage suitcase on the left.

Early in the Morning on Monday 11 August Petra and Vincent dropped us all off at Düsseldorf Airport. Our BBF had already checked in and had his Boarding Passes, so the actual Check-in went smoothly as did the Security Checks and then it was just a short wait for the first flight which took us to Dublin. It seems the norm now on European flights is that you have to pay for refreshments, so our BBF shut his eyes and dozed most of the way.

In Dublin he was keen to have a sit down meal in a restaurant, but this was not to happen. He discovered that the US Customs and Immigration had a facility at the airport so decided to go through them after ascertaining that there were places to get refreshments on the other side! Unlike the US Customs and Immigration in JFK New York there were little queues and it went quickly. Now, however, the only restaurant on this side was for First and Business Class Passengers! There was an Irish Pub which was full and one had to queue to get a place. There were a number of other cafe’s where one could get coffee and a sandwich. There was also a number of machines that dispensed drinks and sandwiches.

Our BBF got himself a chicken salad sandwich and a bottle of water and sat in the waiting area by the departure Gate to eat it.

Although it was mid morning there were not that many people in the hall which filled up as time went on. We had a total of five hours to wait, which if we had sat in a restaurant and had a proper meal would have flown by. As it was, it was a tedious wait. Time passed and when we boarded the hall was full of people. The Air Lingus flight was full and Alan had an aisle seat. The woman next to him coughed and sneezed all the way over! The food on the flight was the worst we have ever had and the entertainment system was not that inspiring either. The quality of the sound was poor as was the choice of movies. Our BBF gave it up as a bad job and did his best to doze instead. Arrival at JFK and leaving the aircraft went to smoothly and quickly. There were no further checks at all and we were out in record time. The flight was also early so we had a short wait for Brec to come and collect us.

It was dark by the time we arrived home in Milford and we were pleased to be released from the case to rest in our new bed.

Despite our jet lag the old friends sat and chatted well into the night. The next morning Brec was pleased to be able to use his new breakfast bowl and mug.

On Wednesday Brec and Sandy gave Alan the keys to the Truck and told him it was his to use while he was here. Needless to say after breakfast he took off in it.

He went to the Connecticut Post Mall shopping centre bought a charging cable for his iPhone so he could charge it while driving and then later a phone holder. He also discovered how to use the cruise control and coupled the phone with the car audio system via Bluetooth. In the Mall Alan now had lunch.

Alan then drove to Bridgeport East End Yacht Club to join Brec in doing some varnishing on OTTER.

He said that it was far too hot in the sun and that it felt like they were both back in Rebak Marina in Malaysia. Our BBF felt good and relaxed to be back just pottering around on a boat again. Once it was done Alan took off for home where he had a quick nap for the humans were all going out to dinner.

On Wednesdays at the Bridgehouse Restaurant Lobsters are on special! What is better than a lobster?……..Two lobsters, which our BBF felt was almost too much of a good thing, but he polished them off and enjoyed every morsel!

After dinner Brec had to go to his studio to complete a painting, while Sandy and Alan returned home alone, and drank Genever out of the Shipfaced glasses Alan bought in Cutty Hunk two years ago!

After Breakfast Sandy went into town to get the new Truck registered and licensed for the road. Brec took it anyway to go to the boat and do some varnishing. Alan was tasked with taking Brec’s car to a Muffler Repair Shop to get an estimate, as his exhaust was a little loud! The estimate was horrendous and since the car has over 418,000 miles on the clock, maybe it was time to get rid of it.

Alan returned to the house and with Sandy went shopping where  he bought a cheap pair of trousers and jeans with a couple of T-Shirts so that he could do dirty work on the boat.

Brec had invited his Lodger Bill, also a marine artist, from next door to dinner after which the male humans all went to Bill’s to watch a series about the war in the Pacific a bit like ‘Band of Brothers”. They drank whiskey and ate popcorn while watching it.

On Thursday Brec had to fly to Arizona to visit his sister who is slowly dying! Alan took the Truck and went for a drive. He ended up in Old Saybrook and went shopping in West Marine where he bought himself a set of new boat shoes. That night after dinner Sandy and Alan played Cribbage and drank more Genever!

 

Friday morning was a wellness day for the two humans and the cat! The humans went for a neck and foot massage at a Thai establishment which was very relaxing and much needed. After a quick roast beef sandwich for lunch they returned home to take the cat to the vet. Emma has been complaining to anyone who will listen. Our BBF just meows back! The Vet gave her the once over took blood for tests, but for a 19 year old cat Emma seemed in perfect condition. Maybe it was just senility creeping in!

On the way home now we had to go to the railway station to collect Sandy’s God son Jens. Sandy and Jens have this custom of binge watching “The Lord of the Rings” which they have been doing for some 11-15 years now. But before we could start doing that we had to go out to the Café in Milford for drinks and a meal, as well as meet Sandy’s friends and listen to the music.

 

Jens is an interesting young man. He is in his 30s, has a degree in political science and international relations and is moving to Vienna to work. He speaks some German which will clearly improve while he is there. Our BBF and he spoke a little German to each other during the evening.

Back home the binge watching started. Sandy has the whole of the Lord of the Rings Directors cut on six CDs. Alan watched the first two before going to bed. When he got up again in the morning they were already into the next session which lasted the rest of the day. At the end of the session Jens had to leave to catch his train home. 

When Sandy returned as there was an oyster festival in town she and our BBF went looking for oysters and some fizzy water. At the first place they chose there was standing room only and no parking spaces available! At the River View Bistro they found parking and space to sit at the bar.

It was to be Alan’s treat, they drank Prosecco, Sandy had Clam Chowder and Alan four Oysters. Yum!

After that it was off to the Irish Club in Milford where Sandy is a member as her great great grandmother was from Ireland. Alan was looking forward to Irish music, but the band played a mix of modern pop/rock.

 

They had some nibbles to eat which went down very well with the Guinness! When the band paused for a break after 90 minutes of playing Alan and Sandy returned home to play more Cribbage and drink Genever. It was a great card playing session with much drinking and merriment. Alan came to bed at least three sheets to the wind! 

There is no peace for the wicked and so our BBF was up early to shower and go to church the next day. As Brec had returned late in the night he was allowed to sleep in.

 

It was good service with a friendly congregation. Sandy and Alan drove home with the top down.

Later in the afternoon they went shopping and Alan treated Sandy and himself to the best ice cream in Milford at Scooby Doo’s!

Brec has now made a plan for sailing. Tomorrow, Monday two young women from Mönchengladbach are coming to stay for a week and Sandy will be picking them up in the afternoon, so we will have a full House here. 

The long journey home!

Our BBF slept well, but woke early. He dozed and then got up at around 08:30 hrs. Showered, shaved, got dressed and packed the last suitcase. When he took it downstairs he found Brec and Sandy there and so he sat and had the last breakfast in Milford.

He loaded his two large suitcases into the back of Sandy’s car with Brec’s help! 

Then they gave each other a huge bear hug with watery eyes! Promises were made to return Insha’lla!!

It was a beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky as Sandy drove us all to JFK airport. There was much traffic on the road and it was good that we had left early.

When on the bridge over to Long Island we had a view of the New York sky line. 

Sandy dropped us off at Terminal 7 for Condor Airlines and then followed another tearful hug and grateful kisses for the generosity and the wonderful hospitality shown us!

Our BBF found the check in desk and dropped off his two suitcases. Then he had to go and pay for the second one, $118! 

The security took with the long queue about 30 minutes and he had to go through the X-Ray machine twice and be subjected to a body search as his artificial knee showed up on the scan!

Once belt, boots and everything had been gathered we were off to find lunch! Alan had one last Burger! Then it was just a matter of waiting till it was time to board!

The Air Tags seemed to show only one suitcase loaded on the plane! It says Backpack but it is a suitcase. We hope it’s a glitch and nothing more!

We boarded late and we Bears are in the shoulder bag under the seat in front!

The route to be taken we found interesting flying over the sea where we sailed just a few short weeks ago! We are amazed now that we sailed back and forth over that bit of ocean!

Our late take off from JFK we felt did not bode well for our onward journey! During the flight our BBF watched a film called A Wrinkle in Time about two children looking for their father! He then tried to sleep a bit but only rested his eyes. 

Another film was watched Fools Gold, and so the time passed till landing! 

Our BBF did his best to get across the airport to get his connecting flight to Düsseldorf, but failed as they had shut the plane doors a few minutes before! 

The Air Tag showed that one case is still in JFK! 

We were quickly booked onto another flight leaving at 08:35 hrs, so now went directly but slowly to that gate to wait! The family have been informed so now we just have to get to Düsseldorf to report the lost suitcase! 

And then the App told us that both suitcases had arrived in Frankfurt! Good news at least!

And then our BBF had a window seat, but tried to sleep!

We were in Düsseldorf in next to no time! 

And our Bags were there too!

Petra and Vincent were there to collect us and took us to Sigrid‘s for a welcome breakfast! Sigrid had her own surprise, birthday gifts for the sailor home from the sea! 

Back in our own four walls our BBF went to bed and we began telling the other Bears about our adventures! 

Alls well that ends well, now our BBF needs to recover from the adventure in America! 

Brothers singing.

Brec had asked our BBF if he would make pancakes for breakfast last night, so this morning after a good nights sleep where some of the weariness in his bones was eased he got up at 07:30 hrs to make breakfast. He prepared pancakes, bacon and eggs, laid the table and then waited for the other humans to rise. Sandy woke and came for coffee. Alan made some apple pancakes and some plain and kept them all warm in the oven. The Morgan men slept in and eventually our BBF called up the stairs, “Morgan men, show a leg, breakfast it ready!”

The conversation at breakfast was easy and light hearted with much laughter. Brec and Geoff sat and played songs and sang to their guitars. Geoff had written many of the songs himself.

Leaving the brothers playing their music Sandy and our BBF went shopping. He doesn’t have many days left for one of his favourite activities now.

They went to the Trumball Mall in Bridgeport where Alan found a number of things he wanted and spontaneously bought a few others. Sandy went for a pedicure while our BBF shopped.

He then need a coffee and a doughnut and went to Dunkin donuts in the Mall as he has discovered the Boston Cream donut which he likes. Sandy joined him there and they then drove home. It was still raining and the Freeways were chockablock with cars, it now being the rush hour traffic on a Friday night.

Back at home Sandy and Alan cooked the evening meal, after which our BBF shared a glass of Writers’ Tears with Brec and Geoff, who then played and sang some more.

Brec is taking Geoff to the airport tomorrow early so we all said our farewells before going to bed.

A Morgan Family Birthday Party on the Lane.

Our BBF was the last up this morning, the other humans having gone about their business. He spent some time in the shower and then trimmed his pirate looking beard to that of a gentleman. He made himself bacon and eggs for breakfast and Sandy retuned as he finished it. 

Sandy had done most of their laundry and our BBF could now do ours. We have to comment on the size of these huge machines, compared to the one Alan has these are industrial size which the picture does not do justice to. Sandy then left again to help her sister-in-law with the preparation for the family birthday party that evening.  Our BBF sorted out his stuff so that he could better find things. His suitcase had been a bit of a mess, but now there was some system to it.

Brec returned from having worked on the boat getting it ready for the winter. He made himself some lunch and after a shower the men left to go to New London to visit the Thames River Gallery where Brec has many paintings in their show.

Our BBF was now able to view the painting done by Brec which is the  star of the show. 

Our BBF looked at some of the other artists paintings and then discovered a book.

We had no idea that the US Coast Guard had a Bear as a mascot. He asked if he could buy the book and the owner John Johnson said no he could have it and pass it on to his grandchildren. Little does he know that we Bears will keep the book for a while first.

The men then drove to the Lane in Waterford to John’s house to help celebrate his 70th Birthday. Brec went looking for his brothers and after saying “hi!” to the woman Barbara and Sandy took a walk down the Lane to say goodbye to the Ocean.

The sun was setting and the wind was blowing cold so our BBF did not stay long, just sat and thought what an incredible adventure we had all had.

John the birthday boy and his older brother Brec chilling after a tasty meal of twosorts shrimp with two sorts of rice and sauce with beans and roast cauliflower.

Our BBF was now also introduced to Geoff, Brec’s other brother who is a gifted song writer and guitarist. He had written a special song for John’s birthday and now sang it to him.

The candles on the cake were  blown out in one puff so wishes can come true. John now opened his presents and one of the first was the Tower of London mug our BBF had found in an antique shop in Lunenburg. John now surprised Alan by giving him a present!

John had had a number of glass globes made with the logo of Brec’s circumnavigation inscribed with his time in New Zealand for family members. We were there at the same time and Alan was now very emotional at this generous gesture.

The last present John opened was a small version of the larger one of the Lane in the Gallery, signed also on the back with some personal words from Brec.

Geoff then sang another song he had written about the front room of the house the humans were in. Back in the day when the Morgan’s were children it was their grandmother’s house and it was a lovely tune which invoked the love of the Lane and the times the brothers shared on it. One line of the song mentions how their mother would bring the children tuna sandwiches for lunch down on the beach. So now we know where Brec got his love of tuna from. 

This was just a Morgan family affair and our BBF felt privileged to have been included in it. The party ended and the humans returned to Milford, bringing Geoff with them. On Saturday there will be a formal large party to celebrate John’s 70th.