retiredmartin

August (finally !) 2023. Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Tuesday was, if anything, more stressful. Two (2) trips to Pembury Hospital from the in-laws,

one to queue for an hour for medication and then another to take my father-in-law back for diagnostics. Another day spent sitting, walking the corridors, queuing for Costa. Again, I can’t praise the NHS staff enough, but by the time we got home to Southborough Mrs RM and I needed a long walk.

And a beer, though perhaps not the one left for us on the pedestrian crossing.

The two miles into “town” isn’t the most picturesque of walks in the Weald of Kent, but it does allow an emotional Mrs RM to show me all the critical points from her youth, most of which involve boys and pubs

I can’t pretend I was paying much attention till the mention of “front facing bras”, which I’m afraid is something you’ll have to wait for Mrs RM’s blog for. There’ll be another Blue Nile album before you see that I expect.

We had no firm plans, beyond a strong Imperial stout and something tasty, which I’m afraid the Rose & Crown looked unlikely to provide,

so we ended up in Fuggles, always the sensible choice though I reckon this was our first visit in 7 years.

Tuesday night, it’s virtually full so Mrs RM dives for the table, a life skill learnt at Girls School..

We’re the oldest folk (everyone else our age is watching Bargain Hunt repeats on Dave), but Fuggles otherwise manages a good age range of custom.

And a good mix of strengths, from a Latvian 10% Cherry Sour to a Danish 11.5% Imperial Stout from Gamma.

See, I told you I’d find her an Imperial Stout.

I reckon my DIPA from Beak was the winner. The cheese toasties were ever better, perhaps the best pub comfort food in the country.

But Mrs RM’s eyes had been wandering to the contraption on the bar that looked like it had been stolen from a Chemistry lesson at Tunbridge Wells Higher.

Thrillingly, the 16% Danish Cherry Wine was off-menu.

Sold only in 125ml servings, it was (checks notes) “medicinal”. But at about £27 a pint I made sure Mrs RM finished it before we left.