Mealing Day

Harriet and Dom suggested we start the day with a ‘greasy spoon’ – a British term for a fry up at a little café type shop. There was the usual eggs and bacon, ‘brown sauce’, and David had chips with baked beans for authenticity – I went a step further and had some black pudding and ‘bubble and squeak’! I wasn’t as keen on the black pudding but the bubble and squeak was good – mashed potato with little bits of vegetables, herbs and cabbage in it. We also checked out the very stony seaside.


We went to buy some flowers and then headed off to Bolney for a day with my Great Aunt and second cousins on my Dad’s side. They were absolutely the sweetest people. We were made to feel very welcome and shown around their homes which were oh-so-very English and had incredible gardens just bursting with flowers. We went for a walk through the fields, past a cute little primary school and through the very historical cemetery. I took some photos of Mealing graves for Dad, who is especially keen on family history. Harriet and Dom were especially taken with the church which has had many generations of family members christened and wedded there.
Cousin Linda put on a great spread for lunch and we hung around and chatted a bit afterwards. Aunt Jean is in her 80’s and sharp as a tack with great wit. Val is a very sweet lady who grows every kind of vegetable in her garden and makes sweet elderflower tea.


We took some photos together and then Harriet, Dom, David and I headed off to another brilliant pub called the George and Dragon. The restaurant was just beautiful. We met Harriet’s parents, My Uncle John and Aunt Tina who hadn’t seen me since I was a baby and they treated us to a gorgeous dinner.
I was taken aback by the family resemblance in John and my Dad – they are very, very clearly brothers. He also had a similar sense of humour! I really liked him. Tina and I got on like a house on fire. I thought she was really sweet and funny. After dinner we went for drinks at the b&b where they were staying and had a couple more photos together. It was so nice to get together and meet them. They are now talking about making a trip to Australia and I really hope they do. The next pub meal is on us!