The Landed Elite

This little adventure has gotten us into some interesting living situations along the way, but nothing quite compares to where we are right now. We are at a farm called Ellingham Hall, which appears to be the ancient seat of our host's family stretching back several centuries. The house is huge and decorated with an assortment of ancient-looking firearms and various other artifacts that give the whole place a museum-like quality. Our room is the Admiral's Room. We perform our ablutions in the Admiral's Water Closet. We are currently sleeping in a Four Poster Bed, where the aforementioned Admiral allegedly met his end. WHAT?!

[I am writing this update from a room with TWO stuffed tigers in it. Both were man-eaters that one of our host's ancestors shot, along with 97 other man-eaters. Or that is the story. He says there were a lot more tigers back then. I say, there'd be a lot more tigers today if those 99 had lived long enough to reproduce.]

The cast of characters at this farm includes Bob the horticulturist, with whom we are currently painting a cabin. Then there is Jim, the one-armed tree pirate, who despite missing a limb can still climb trees and chop them down with equal finesse. And we cannot forget the Colonel, who apparently rides around side-saddle on his ATV with his pruning sword. In comparison, the rest of the people on this farm seem quite normal, but they are all a likable bunch.

The farm is trying very hard to supply food to a restaurant that our host runs down in London. This is a somewhat new situation, so things appear to be quite chaotic. Our host appears to have a lot of ideas, but not enough time as of yet to get them all going. The restaurant is part of the Frontline Club and it appears to keep him quite busy.

I think things are going to be fun here. The work doesn't seem like it will be too hard. And if it does turn out to be more than we bargained for, we can at least be comforted by the fact that the British never go more than two hours without stopping for a cuppa tea.