The cottage was a quaint little house with 3 dining tables. We were the latest arrivals for breakfast and were treated as warmly and friendly as anyone could hope.
Our lodge owner was there, along with her most welcoming cooks and staff. Breakfast consisted of juice and granola (for me), 2 eggs over-easy, fresh bacon which was like a piece of thickly sliced wide country ham - salty, well cooked, and wonderful. There were baskets of toast, one wheat, the other white, and butters, jellies, and jams for spreading on them. They offered tomatoes which were pronounced with a strong long "O" at both the first and last syllables, and sauteed mushrooms. All the food was absolutely delicious and was served with coffee and English breakfast tea. Hot tea for me please! That breakfast tea with honey mixed in was really good. I enjoyed that as much as the whole meal. I will be purchasing some of that to take back to the states. So our first authentic English breakfast was a great experience.
We ate slowly and sat visiting of all our childhood common remembrances, of Derek and Nelle, and some good and some yingy moments we had experienced so far on this wonderful trip to England. It was such an enjoyable time.
We walked down London Road to the Tesco - England's closest store to a Wal-mart - though it is more like Foodland. The London Road had both large homes with elaborate gardens, and apartments. 
It was an unusual mix. 
It was an unusual mix. 
After a little shopping at Tesco for supplies, we headed back up the road to the High Street to return to the Lodge.We took a little rest in our rooms til Derek arrived to take us back to his place to visit. So far it had been a great morning. I loved the walk. It did me good to be out walking after such a big breakfast.
Tuesday's visit with Derek and Nelle proved to be much longer than we had anticipated. After arriving at his apartment it was off to the commissary to get lunch/supper and sodas. The guys watched movies and played video games while us women chatted and helped with Baby Drew. The house was hot today due to no air flow, and the temp was now past 80 degrees, leaving the upstairs nearly unbearable.
After a little while we headed off to the BX for things for Nelle and the baby. It was heading on 9pm, and we had to run to MIldenhall to find the items we were looking for. So a little after 9pm we dropped Norma back at the apartment. She was very tired and would have liked to go on to the Lodge. However, Derek & Nelle had one more stop to make at a store that would soon be closing, and Derek wanted me to go with them. So we headed back off to the EA (video store). Nelle and Baby Drew were with us as we drove to the store. Derek and her decided on the movie they wanted to rent. Seems they had plans I wasn't aware of.
It was soon time to return to Brandon, when Derek and Nelle decided I should stay and have "Grandma" duty. They were very tired from the constant wake ups in the middle of the night, and wanted to settle in for at least a 6 hour nap. This would be an adventure for sure. So we drove back out to Brandon to drop off everyone, and gather some of my things. The drive was enjoyable as I rode back with Derek. We talked of base happenings. He told stories of men at work, as well as Jenelle, Drew and himself.
Once at their home, Nelle and I visited some while she fed and cared for Drew. After preparing bottles for the night ahead, she went off to ready herself for bed. Derek and I left Baby Drew in his car seat since he was sleeping soundly.
After all the hustle of the day, the kids decided to watch a video cartoon while waiting the few 45 minutes til Drew's next feeding time. She would feed him, then they would go off to bed, and I had supplies to get him through til morning.
It was 1:30am when they finally got to go to bed, and I took up the job of "grandma". Thinking that Drew would be ready to sleep, I cuddled up in the recliner, with a large pillow across my lap holding him. Rocking back and forth and singing softly, I came to realize that Drew was not sleepy at all. He had rested and was now most awake. I held him in my arms as he fussed and gave me another dirty diaper (4 total in a 3 hour span). He would fuss, pull his legs up, then settle down. It was the diapering that made him cry madly. Drew hates to get a poopy diaper changed. He doesn't want to sit in it either, but changing diapers can take a bit. He hates the wipes touching him and will scream loudly. I noted to myself as I changed his diaper again, "Nelle has a wipe warmer upstairs. I will have to get that down".
As the night continued on into morning, I talked to him as he stared into my eyes. He was starting to focus and it was evident he could see me better today. While he stared, I sang "Jesus Loves Me" to him, and talked of all his family that loves him so much - "Gwamma loves you, and Papa loves you, and Normita loves you and Papaw Adam loves you, and Auntie Bekah loves you...." He listened so sweetly as I listed everyone I knew he was related to, and some who weren't related, but who love him. Slowly he closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep around 4:30am. The sun was already coming up, as I placed him in his bassinet, relaxed and caught a short few hours before I had to awake for the day.
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