BoB Lunch

 I was up early for Ellie's drop-off. When she did arrive it was clear she had the wrong shoes with her which meant I would have to go and find the right shoes before she went to school. We dropped her at school at the usual time and then headed home.

Diane gave me a lift to the station so that I could get the 9:26 train to Victoria. I settled into 1st Class and contemplated the news that the train was terminating at Gatwick due to a misplaced crew. A quick shuffle to another platform should allow me to continue the journey without losing too much time. I arrived in Victoria about 15 minutes later than planned and the forecast rain hadn't amounted to anything significant. I set off walking to the restaurant but the route around the front of Buckingham Palace was bedlam. Police were controlling the crowds and preventing people from crossing the roads. A troop of Lifeguards trotted by (I hadn't realised there was a swimming pool nearby). Eventually, I found a route around the back and continued my walk.

The rest of the Band of Brothers (Charlie, Peter, Michael, and Brian) were already settled in the corner of the pub near the restaurant. I grabbed a pint and joined them until it was time to head for "Vasco and Piero's". We had the glass booth set aside for us and settled down for a few hours of reminiscing, eating good food, and working our way through their beer stock. It really was a lovely few hours and we have already agreed to do it again in October. I started my meal with "Venetian Sardines in arpione marinated in juniper berries, red onions, and vinegar"; sardines can be a bit strong, but these were delicious and it was a dish I would certainly order again. For the main course, I selected "Linguine with Prawns", it was simple, creamy and an absolute winner. The service, as usual, was excellent and it seemed a shame to leave - bat as the time was edging towards 4 o'clock, we had to consider our journeys home.

I walked back to Victoria Station noticing some features of the route that hadn't been evident on the walk in the opposite direction, this morning.

I arrived in plenty of time for my train and settled in my seat. The trip home went without incident and we arrived at Bognor Regis spot on time. Di was waiting for me outside the station and I was soon home.

It had been an excellent day.