Plugging In

Ah....the feeling of jacking in. I'm not talking about idling checking email on someone else's computer, even on my own iPad, checking email and idling browsing on a washed out version of a real browser. I'm talking about the feeling of pulling out the armada chest known as the personal laptop after a long trip overseas, plugging in the power, and booting up, all from the comfort of your space. The place where you sit to release your physical body from your mind's eye and dribble into the stream of digital community. To a place where you are no longer a passive viewer, but an interactive member that posts comments, checks messages, expresses your point of view and consumes content that pleases you.

That is the feeling that I didn't know I missed.

I've been away in England for 2.5 weeks. It was great. A little town in the middle of the East of England called Louth. A great little town with little butcher stores and bakeries and pork pies. It was just south of Grimsby, the Fish and Chips capital of the world. Oh fish and chips. Why can't anyone else do it like you?

Whilst in England, I had my iPad to check and delete spam email. But not much other than that. I was unplugged. I was off the grid. I used cash in transactions. Walked. Maybe "off the grid" is a little dramatic. I was carefree and unattached. It was unusual. My plans were unfettered by possibility of phone calls, text messages, communication in gross. I was living in the moment.

The weather was great too. Even on days when it rained, there was beautiful sun before and after the torrential downpour. While yoomping around the pastures filled with sheep tupping, the breeze was warm and spirits were high. No large chain stores to distract me. No ticky-tacky trinkets to buy. Just custard tarts and pork pies.

I cooked a fair bit in England. My ideal vacation would be to rent a small apartment in the heart of everything, go grocery shopping, cook my own meals and just live among the people. Live someone else's life. We were able to do this because Rob's father lived in the heart of the town and I could walk to everything. Not many asian people. I saw 3. That accounts for the people who run the Chinese take-aways.

Thus, I had simple breakfasts at home, greasy/fatty/fried delicious fish+chips for lunch or other unmentionables, and dinner at home. I might have lost weight on this trip because of the sensible eating and copious walking. Oh right. And I ate about 500 grams of greek yogurt a day.

I learned how to make trifle, custard (aka pastry cream, aka creme anglaise), bramble tart, sweetcrust pastry and interesting sandwiches with pork and gravy. I love gravy. It is so lucky that Americans do not eat fries with gravy. It's a nasty habit that I will indulge in every time I'm back in England but for now, I will endeavor to forget about it as quickly as possible. Good thing I was not exposed to it until the last week. The last half week. And then I ate it every chance I got. I learned to pack lunches for our outings that took us to different villages and towns. I learned that yogurt will not exactly go bad after a day out of the fridge. I learned that crisps in England are the most creative thing in the world! They have roast chicken flavored crisps that taste like roast chicken! And are suitable for vegetarians!

Now, for my first trick, I'm going to make....a short crust pastry for my custard tart. HOW MANY EGG YOLKS DO I NEED???

Ah....it feels good to be jacked in...