Green Green Grass of Home. Do I miss it?

Putney Bridge at Dusk

“Do you miss England?” my friends in New York ask. “Yes.” I am not surprised at the question. I have been living in New York for 8 years and how time flies! It’s about time I post my feelings as to why I sometimes miss “little old England.” Welcome to Putney my home town. It is situated South West of London and runs along the south side of the river Thames. All of the following pictures have been chosen because they are only 10-20 minutes walk from where I used to live. When the tide was out I used to play under this bridge (Wow! Can't believe I played under the bridge no wonder my mum went crazy).

I miss my riverside walks

I join the 5th Putney Sea Scouts and gained my boating badges along this river.

Putney Embankment

If you continue to follow the river it will bring you to Hammersmith bridge a town where I was born. 

Hammersmith Bridge

Putney Heath cricket ground

In the summer I miss watching the local cricket club on a Sunday afternoon where passions run high!!

howzat! we all shouted

Putney Common

The best way to see Putney was on our bicycles. I remember all the times I had to mend the punchers on my push bike.

One of my favorite Pubs in Putney

After a hard day. We all stopped off at our watering hole. It's great to chat with friends and generally have a good time.

On my way home

What else do I miss? Easy: A full English/Irish breakfast - the ultimate breakfast. So good was this breakfast I arranged a number of my business meetings around them, not one for your croissant and bagels with milk and orange juice. I learnt “nothing brings people together more than a full English/Irish breakfast.” Great at sealing a business deal, and washed down with a hot fresh ground 'dark coffee (a Guinness works too),' far better than a class of red wine & steak. 

A Full, Full English/Irish Breakfast. Looks like a death wish

In NYC I can get a breakfast at anytime during the day. Breakfast after 10am its not my idea of a breakfast. Period! In Britain and Ireland a full breakfast is extremely popular. Its not eaten everyday, if you did it would kill you! Thankfully only at weekends and on vacations or in my case for business meetings. The term full comes from the fact its full of different foods as you can see in these pictures above.

*A typical full English/Irish has approximately 1190 calories (believe that and you'll believe anything.) 

'What I miss' articles will be in my future posts.

PS: My wife as just read my post and said I must cook her a full English breakfast on Sunday, it's now on her wish list! That is a Real Deal!