America Bound and Rebound

Last Friday we went to the Apree Bar on High Street, Boston Spa, for Joshua's farewell do before he sets off for th USA on a soccer scholarship to some university or other - I thought he was going to California though Alex thought Tennessee - I suppose we should have asked. Given the number of people attending, most of whom appeared to be Josh's mates, the only conversation with him was basically "hello" and I'm not sure what happened to the "goodbye", nevertheless it was an enjoyable evening at, compared with France and Germany, reasonable prices - apart from when Uncle John stung me in a round. It was, as always, good to meet with family members infrequently seen these days, and the initial trepidation at a perhaps lukewarm reception evaporated quickly, though the hostess scurried around all evening without venturing in our direction, other than to ask whether or not we had had food. There were gaps in the gathering as you might expect and the gaps these days seem to be growing, again as you might expect - no Tess, no Tom, no Sarah, no Ryan, no Dale, no Amy, no Sue (she was tired), no Joe, no Clare, no Marcus and not many Longfellows - so apart from the Leaders et al, not much of a family gathering. But it was nice and significant as another milestone as the clan spreads and the family widens. It was also nice because of the location. The bar was at the top of Bridge Street so I nipped out during the evening to go down to the river and recollect thoughts and sights of my childhood. So much water has flowed down that river since those days, so many people come and gone, and still it looks remarkably the same with the notable exception of a swathe of Himalayan balsam clogging the right bank. It was close to the bridge that my Grandad Longfellow was born. The bar where we were, used to be a shop and, opposite, The Royal, where my Mum and Dad had their wedding reception, was a Costcutter. Change is good but somehow it didn't seem right to me. It was in Boston, many years before, that I realised I could read - it was at the bus stop which I could see from the bar; I could see that the bus was going to "Leeds" - not the hardest word to read I suppose. So America bound - and the rebound? Well a somewhat forlorn JP is home, now that his visitor status has expired. He is now contemplating the next step but while doing so he has the opportunity to spend time with his mother - and Uncle Hughie is over to visit her from Canada, which is nice for her, but now Eric has two invalids to look after.