tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15190114048066550552024-03-06T03:37:55.651+00:00Crazy PavingCRAZY PAVING: "A form of paving, as for a path, made of slabs of stone of irregular shape fitted together."Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.comBlogger391125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-9126308044640818592022-01-01T22:29:00.006+00:002022-01-01T22:29:26.579+00:00Another Year, Another Blogging Reboot<p>And just like that, it is 2022. Happy New Year! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdCuCVjDq-3rGq34p4MG_H8ZygDBuSlhszoOEpuIHJQh-xkktkLK-7YBoe2m9-jQE36TO8yaaq4HJIQBe8fdCkensWgTMCabVOM5uxA28GEhdOtLxn-H7EDlXiuZGvkl-4v3SSSqibHMzGmrV4nlSOsLZtR37dQogrFFvnGidwC3p8xe1Y0ev-tE6JKA=s2098" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2098" data-original-width="1574" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdCuCVjDq-3rGq34p4MG_H8ZygDBuSlhszoOEpuIHJQh-xkktkLK-7YBoe2m9-jQE36TO8yaaq4HJIQBe8fdCkensWgTMCabVOM5uxA28GEhdOtLxn-H7EDlXiuZGvkl-4v3SSSqibHMzGmrV4nlSOsLZtR37dQogrFFvnGidwC3p8xe1Y0ev-tE6JKA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p>It seems I can only keep up with regular updates on one social media platform at a time. I got hopelessly distracted by my <a href="https://mycrazypaving.blogspot.com/2021/10/a-dress-challenge.html" target="_blank">100 day dress challenge</a>, which led me to a lovely community of 'woollies' and what I suppose would be called microblogging on Instagram. If you would like to follow me there my account is wearingladygrey - it is set to private to weed out strange men / bots / scammers or whatever they are! I am now on day 87 of the challenge and have found it surprisingly easy. I now have lots of half-formed thoughts about style and capsule wardrobes which I am hoping will turn into something fully-formed before too long. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8-VKLwiAH8hcHmnqv9zyrZ9yC1oMl49cUdOLe16TejVTGs8V-7ZRn37oxzZKIDvoeQzKsTGNthuFY_MXc-X0fZV17EgLCqTrvHBAg3ow5vzEKjzveAtikn7oaOxC2yTB0QipkJmKjjR0OEW2gUi8FE9aypSbpc8PvZpYoZ4gg1OZ9PCV9mSRUJlZQPg=s2100" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1574" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8-VKLwiAH8hcHmnqv9zyrZ9yC1oMl49cUdOLe16TejVTGs8V-7ZRn37oxzZKIDvoeQzKsTGNthuFY_MXc-X0fZV17EgLCqTrvHBAg3ow5vzEKjzveAtikn7oaOxC2yTB0QipkJmKjjR0OEW2gUi8FE9aypSbpc8PvZpYoZ4gg1OZ9PCV9mSRUJlZQPg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></p><p>What has been happening since I last wrote? December meant lots of carol playing with the brass band. Indoor concerts didn't seem wise, especially with the arrival of omicron, but we played at the airport (large, ventilated space!), outside supermarkets and as small groups of wandering carollers. Christmas this year was particularly good - last year we were heading into lockdown and saw nobody outside our immediate household, which made us extra appreciative of the opportunity to spend time with family and friends this time. There have been walks outside, games inside, lots of good food and general enjoying of each other's company. Sadly though we did have to cancel a planned visit from M's family. With assorted nieces, nephews, partners and family friends there would have been 17 of us from 9 different households, which simply wouldn't have been sensible. We also postponed a short break in Edinburgh before Christmas, because we decided 6 hours on a train with omicron running riot was also too risky. All being well we will go in February instead. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiyPFnkhoXEX8Wvsx3BlRDb_ozHfRZrYAZzJ-UDiC1dWtNow26EFovumJtkYjnREKrVdakP-V-fvbHFZdQujUJBTJxEjFm7xfQ3bshQWsP4oYLO_LlLypKTC5hkcU5t29-d0ApshxGMY7-_KtdSV5M9FCIGVq2O9k35yet5D9IA3011G6lODwMH1GjLA=s3315" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3315" data-original-width="2486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiyPFnkhoXEX8Wvsx3BlRDb_ozHfRZrYAZzJ-UDiC1dWtNow26EFovumJtkYjnREKrVdakP-V-fvbHFZdQujUJBTJxEjFm7xfQ3bshQWsP4oYLO_LlLypKTC5hkcU5t29-d0ApshxGMY7-_KtdSV5M9FCIGVq2O9k35yet5D9IA3011G6lODwMH1GjLA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p>We are all now fully vaccinated and boostered. We managed to get TG booked in for her second jab the first day she was eligible - the government here has been ultra cautious about vaccinating healthy children to be sure the benefits outweighed the risks. After retiring from his job with NHS 111 M wanted to do some voluntary work so has been doing shifts helping out our local pharmacy with their vaccination clinic. It is a tiny place, so it is just him checking people in and out, and someone giving the vaccines. He loves it as it gives him lots of opportunity to indulge in his favourite hobby of talking to people! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqJtt3QfE6pCIMPXgwZEmbcBFT-DEzuiZEiOy5e_MlaBd6MDQS7_A2ZiATFBHu-xt7HjQkQ7hs5Zp6H5aNTbNFxG7kYYIVgsj5V5i9-qG3KSPpWyONTfP1sF1qDZyymPXn78s9RmDckCwcqlrhHvFjd-4RFYO1phLDukI2AB8oTRocph9vX1teYbtqFg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqJtt3QfE6pCIMPXgwZEmbcBFT-DEzuiZEiOy5e_MlaBd6MDQS7_A2ZiATFBHu-xt7HjQkQ7hs5Zp6H5aNTbNFxG7kYYIVgsj5V5i9-qG3KSPpWyONTfP1sF1qDZyymPXn78s9RmDckCwcqlrhHvFjd-4RFYO1phLDukI2AB8oTRocph9vX1teYbtqFg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p>TG has been working hard at school, with mock (practice) exams in the week and a half before she finished for Christmas. She is due to take GCSE exams (General Certificate of Secondary Education) in the summer, but her age group are being given lots of in school testing in case the GCSEs end up being cancelled for the third year running due to the pandemic and grades have to be awarded by teachers. She has also been thinking hard about what subjects to choose to study for her last two years of school. Most students take three subjects at A (Advanced) level. Her school recommend starting four, then dropping one after a month or so when they have had a chance to test them out. After some dithering she has picked biology, chemistry, psychology and maths, with maths being the subject she expects to drop. However, she has the option to do a lower level (AS) maths course as an extra, and thinks she will do that as it is likely to be helpful to her when she goes to university. Her current plan is to study biological science in some shape or form. She thinks neuroscience sounds interesting, but is also tempted by zoology. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjokrlNTHS5r2s03bqXdL78FZ3KmjJ4viJnUF2Fp1bp4tevcr1zsvS6csIDF1EAfjzWC2KLMV2cMdSDcb0qQM8Y8CxBktldnKBkHN-lkwXH7p08qLVjk8q2PVs0Lq-Q9E5Z98XoQil4cH-EZ1eQPmY5-b_dSPnz-3NWA20z-hpq2UsOqziygwQ25w5DBg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjokrlNTHS5r2s03bqXdL78FZ3KmjJ4viJnUF2Fp1bp4tevcr1zsvS6csIDF1EAfjzWC2KLMV2cMdSDcb0qQM8Y8CxBktldnKBkHN-lkwXH7p08qLVjk8q2PVs0Lq-Q9E5Z98XoQil4cH-EZ1eQPmY5-b_dSPnz-3NWA20z-hpq2UsOqziygwQ25w5DBg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></p><p>I have thoughts about the new year, changes I want to make and habits I want to improve, but I'll save them for later. I hope not too much later!</p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-15477891878532194442021-11-07T22:35:00.003+00:002021-11-07T22:36:21.405+00:00Autumn Travels: Copenhagen Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRzp_U3BOFM0Djc60gGigDVZnSme3ZsJYbxKmkoCJJjGFhVTSegvMNcq37Xivo1Kxls7d1fAcpjjS-J5hpISS27W8N6ilHr4B0RhGn9sHxxKAJYgS_Y4risOwjrOkKEj96lFa-8GvVBN4/s2048/IMG_5171.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRzp_U3BOFM0Djc60gGigDVZnSme3ZsJYbxKmkoCJJjGFhVTSegvMNcq37Xivo1Kxls7d1fAcpjjS-J5hpISS27W8N6ilHr4B0RhGn9sHxxKAJYgS_Y4risOwjrOkKEj96lFa-8GvVBN4/w468-h351/IMG_5171.jpeg" width="468" /></a></div><p>On our third day we decided to venture out of Copenhagen and took the train to Denmark's ancient capital, Roskilde. It was only a 25 minute train journey, and was covered by our Copenhagen Cards. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9VBhWk67KR1B9A_okS_TuvwDfv_hydGYEn_HWORhMmkByk4FxTdcdyZbcXM6sk7iCqki-FABhyvRx5thc_e2tCIFGrnLscj2Y-6cH9JdcSqySGjE5IFs-ChgcBbT72dvfAA8PcSgDi8r/s2048/IMG_5199.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9VBhWk67KR1B9A_okS_TuvwDfv_hydGYEn_HWORhMmkByk4FxTdcdyZbcXM6sk7iCqki-FABhyvRx5thc_e2tCIFGrnLscj2Y-6cH9JdcSqySGjE5IFs-ChgcBbT72dvfAA8PcSgDi8r/w469-h352/IMG_5199.jpeg" width="469" /></a></div><p>The Roskilde Cathedral, or Domkirke, is where many of the kings and queens of Denmark are buried. Unusually the current Queen's tomb has already been constructed, but is covered with a wooden case and will not be unveiled until after her death - at her request it includes a bench around it for people to sit on! The cathedral was built in the 12th and 13th centuries on the site of at least two older churches and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqf3IEsOSd27DxeiZlxAthczmX2j8uugoIGCWXcnXHoS9zugSIwQGTQXuIDkcDmel9EfOdc4hXfV4POwj8txdSaKsMG0zC3cKUPHItR4n6B-vw8gnpa93_d9bXhcYeoRFdNxHtVPh0vAx/s2048/IMG_5188.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqf3IEsOSd27DxeiZlxAthczmX2j8uugoIGCWXcnXHoS9zugSIwQGTQXuIDkcDmel9EfOdc4hXfV4POwj8txdSaKsMG0zC3cKUPHItR4n6B-vw8gnpa93_d9bXhcYeoRFdNxHtVPh0vAx/w369-h492/IMG_5188.jpeg" width="369" /></a></div><p>Only in Denmark would your find a tricycle parked inside a church, being used as a mobility scooter by an elderly gentleman!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlWi408DhTM2SjemBU8zL94Ykd0tp32dw8mhS7oz_dJDpooS5fUHS6Czf-pa6EchyphenhyphenXldhvPU0ZAeoXUgTQ4VKU5K3nJ1i0x3fwfM5Vd9ueoIuYzMsQPbtWE9yJzmxZypCCJulmRRfZOYn/s2048/IMG_5211.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="491" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlWi408DhTM2SjemBU8zL94Ykd0tp32dw8mhS7oz_dJDpooS5fUHS6Czf-pa6EchyphenhyphenXldhvPU0ZAeoXUgTQ4VKU5K3nJ1i0x3fwfM5Vd9ueoIuYzMsQPbtWE9yJzmxZypCCJulmRRfZOYn/w369-h491/IMG_5211.jpeg" width="369" /></a></div><p>After visiting the Domkirke we walked through a park down the the fjord, where there is a Viking Museum. By this time we were getting hungry, and had assumed we would be able to find lunch somewhere near the sea. However the museum restaurant was rather more upmarket than we were looking for, and other places were shut because it was out of season, so we turned round and walked back into the city centre where we found a cafe and had a slightly larger lunch than we intended! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3LxBz1G0oMEiepY6AZsXD30rg3XPTMKCp7bnuGv3iO_fKO3mFKwbjqEr7jWh9ctkalYcMPoY5cWBq6RD6_FfL4ineGgmwbITq7aXW0MvaJKzmErm4QesIeQ4xDG8siF3cmQVhlqAutLY/s2048/IMG_5225.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3LxBz1G0oMEiepY6AZsXD30rg3XPTMKCp7bnuGv3iO_fKO3mFKwbjqEr7jWh9ctkalYcMPoY5cWBq6RD6_FfL4ineGgmwbITq7aXW0MvaJKzmErm4QesIeQ4xDG8siF3cmQVhlqAutLY/w475-h357/IMG_5225.jpeg" width="475" /></a></div><p>By mid-afternoon we were back in Copenhagen so we went for a walk around the picturesque Nyhavn, the canals of Christianshavn, and Freetown Christiania - an abandoned military base which was taken over by squatters in the early 1970s and put in place its own rules and regulations (including 'legalising' cannabis, which was sold there openly on the aptly names Pusher Street). These days it is part commune and part flea market. In the evening we went back to the Tivoli Food Hall for something to it. None of us were very hungry after our large lunch!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpRhcD20y-mMHGSA2R4WLnqkkzw_beKIcp8nOgE5O3yGDE0d7pysvLHTh1yaZlx59q23if1PF4I3A52RhxPun7M4L8lSfMC3Si6XJMdcxCArw8eG6FoU7tpj-HOCeJ5Abazc2jpz1wiUw/s2048/IMG_5236.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="497" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpRhcD20y-mMHGSA2R4WLnqkkzw_beKIcp8nOgE5O3yGDE0d7pysvLHTh1yaZlx59q23if1PF4I3A52RhxPun7M4L8lSfMC3Si6XJMdcxCArw8eG6FoU7tpj-HOCeJ5Abazc2jpz1wiUw/w373-h497/IMG_5236.jpeg" width="373" /></a></div><p>On our final day our flight home was not until late afternoon, so we had a few hours to explore some more of the city. We caught a train out to the eastern side of the city and went to see the famous Little Mermaid statue. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMO8agn7_ECNwF90DVRZOQzQcO_2F_QJhfuv2JY2zVVXxvlzC6jCcgR7QGgfo8pYQJVG5ojdf5q0pG7x15C_pxFwUHyp43z837tvW6-IAOYDTxwfpLrl9MofvxsUBWE7EzPyY94oIi7ael/s2048/IMG_5254.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMO8agn7_ECNwF90DVRZOQzQcO_2F_QJhfuv2JY2zVVXxvlzC6jCcgR7QGgfo8pYQJVG5ojdf5q0pG7x15C_pxFwUHyp43z837tvW6-IAOYDTxwfpLrl9MofvxsUBWE7EzPyY94oIi7ael/w375-h500/IMG_5254.jpeg" width="375" /></a></div><p>To get to the statue we walked through the grounds of the Citadel. Built in the 17th century, it is an odd mix of military base and public park. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYLY1te0_kwS8Fkl5cEPSFlaSGZf5sBN7RGcIPvEIE0pv8_Aqn2Nj71UIpD6dY6GiKCHx0Bck9dNvXF3tg4IkmXzsUWbcG9pC5WVFHB5VohbH896QYGju6Q7ZqinnlcSKgov3eIDrolk-/s2048/IMG_5255.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYLY1te0_kwS8Fkl5cEPSFlaSGZf5sBN7RGcIPvEIE0pv8_Aqn2Nj71UIpD6dY6GiKCHx0Bck9dNvXF3tg4IkmXzsUWbcG9pC5WVFHB5VohbH896QYGju6Q7ZqinnlcSKgov3eIDrolk-/w378-h504/IMG_5255.jpeg" width="378" /></a></div><p>On the way back we went through the barracks and did a complete circuit of the five sided park, which for some odd reason includes a windmill. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIJV3u1OLZu_CobsJAA5RBjRJudVPJVO8bw_ITfvGUh7OyV9FK2G_x01eUi6oGkVcCNEnZHnm-1B-hY8PvFT3-5Bhx5V8AJuBC8DsuBniFzjFhdZv1YijX5Ra5p4usdkbjtumey6A1cQH/s2048/IMG_5268.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIJV3u1OLZu_CobsJAA5RBjRJudVPJVO8bw_ITfvGUh7OyV9FK2G_x01eUi6oGkVcCNEnZHnm-1B-hY8PvFT3-5Bhx5V8AJuBC8DsuBniFzjFhdZv1YijX5Ra5p4usdkbjtumey6A1cQH/w481-h361/IMG_5268.jpeg" width="481" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">We then walked to the Rosenborg Castle and through the King's Gardens. By that time we only had about 40 minutes left before we needed to head back for lunch at Tivoli and to pick up our bags from our hotel, so we decided on a quick visit to the Botanic Gardens which are on the opposite side of the road to the Castle. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZbfg2B64cyDNYIIaNI4JLPqfjTAJQSh027S6PDhkcwXOphgZ6xEfzG5z5-sBaiI6GxS2RqyrZVBtLNeOsCXY7rxhQ-kGffS_sXMIYqfKcSAdAi6StPdpGXb2MJL2GkS1NgwgLd7zDMP8/s2048/IMG_5308.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="487" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZbfg2B64cyDNYIIaNI4JLPqfjTAJQSh027S6PDhkcwXOphgZ6xEfzG5z5-sBaiI6GxS2RqyrZVBtLNeOsCXY7rxhQ-kGffS_sXMIYqfKcSAdAi6StPdpGXb2MJL2GkS1NgwgLd7zDMP8/w365-h487/IMG_5308.jpeg" width="365" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">The park part of the Botanic Gardens is free to enter and was beautifully autumnal. The Copenhagen Cards gave us access to the greenhouses and the palm house, and we just had time for a quick tour before hopping onto a train back to the Central station before our 72 hour cards expired. Even though we packed a lot into our four days, there was still plenty more we could have seen and done. This lovely, friendly, relaxed city is definitely one we hope to return to someday. </p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-61468306198128525012021-11-06T09:27:00.005+00:002021-11-06T09:27:42.649+00:00Autumn Travels: Copenhagen Part 1<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHbVIywHAVCyC8CrqSLmmz9xZiKqvACM6lfO-OuVSkNPDHpvrwHiaqNJ058yMLU_2lj5dHhUQwbPpXYtPt2hsvyxiEpHEZllMMCK5nKR1I74xjJTXCrPcFkQujwtPlN-l0ww0VGsKfc8z/s2048/IMG_4787.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHbVIywHAVCyC8CrqSLmmz9xZiKqvACM6lfO-OuVSkNPDHpvrwHiaqNJ058yMLU_2lj5dHhUQwbPpXYtPt2hsvyxiEpHEZllMMCK5nKR1I74xjJTXCrPcFkQujwtPlN-l0ww0VGsKfc8z/w479-h359/IMG_4787.jpeg" width="479" /></a></p><p>Last week was TG's half term holiday from school and, inspired by our success in making it to France and back in September, we booked a trip to Copenhagen for 4 days. We had been once before - in fact, it was our first short city break thanks to picking up ridiculously cheap flights, and gave us the taste for more travel. We only went for two days and one night the first time, in February 2016, and didn't have the chance to see much of the city. Also, it was bitterly cold, with wet, icy stuff coming out of the sky much of the time - snow we could have handled, but this was just nasty!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwETxq6xkjBFBosrxm-jsvxiDSdbeDTvEj1C2bPO7-6TUVJXT6n9zuoPJrU_wxckeY6F4F80Vkw3R_CewkBIo0O0GZclBLCEsbEnxAxgj0h6GzeeFfuaNkrtbAszpF-4OM5l9gBvdN495/s2048/IMG_4735.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwETxq6xkjBFBosrxm-jsvxiDSdbeDTvEj1C2bPO7-6TUVJXT6n9zuoPJrU_wxckeY6F4F80Vkw3R_CewkBIo0O0GZclBLCEsbEnxAxgj0h6GzeeFfuaNkrtbAszpF-4OM5l9gBvdN495/w371-h494/IMG_4735.jpeg" width="371" /></a></div><p>This time we had much better luck with the weather and had a wonderful time. We travelled light, with just small backpacks, as we decided we could manage with minimal luggage rather than pay to take more. After an early flight we arrived in Denmark at about 11.30am - everything went smoothly, and the only thing different to a pre-pandemic trip was that we needed to show our vaccination certificates. At the airport we bought Copenhagen Cards, which cover all public transport around Copenhagen and the area around the city, and entrance fees to a wide range of sites. We had done some calculations in advance and reckoned it would be worth buying, if only for convenience - in fact it did end up saving us money as well as making everything much easier. We then got the train into the city, dropped our bags at our hotel and spent the afternoon exploring the city centre and taking a canal tour. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzqlpPdPvWuWUgVQdZuR7aD3vybMUfXAThhVxEn66xlliQA7l72LK2ozVtcbd5vLGmmXPDX22ILRcN-T01Gv5pyBZDX8_70E11no0T4C41vMsZAugzzlkVUmhbYPDLqNWfiY2nb8Lt2p6/s2048/IMG_4837.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzqlpPdPvWuWUgVQdZuR7aD3vybMUfXAThhVxEn66xlliQA7l72LK2ozVtcbd5vLGmmXPDX22ILRcN-T01Gv5pyBZDX8_70E11no0T4C41vMsZAugzzlkVUmhbYPDLqNWfiY2nb8Lt2p6/w372-h496/IMG_4837.jpeg" width="372" /></a></div><p>In the evening we went to the Round Tower, Europes oldest working observatory. Rather than stairs, it has a spiral ramp up to the top. That evening the telescope was manned and open for the public to view. We had hoped to be able to see Saturn and Jupiter, but unfortunately it was too cloudy and the telescope was trained on the City Hall clock instead! We had booked dinner at a restaurant we saw recommended on Trip Advisor, which was superb (not surprisingly as it was rated number 3 out of nearly 2000 restaurants in Copenhagen) - it was expensive by UK standards, but moderately priced for Denmark, and was a real treat. As an added bonus it was less than five minutes walk from our hotel. More by luck than judgement the hotel turned out to be in a great location, just a few minutes walk from the main railway station and the Tivoli Gardens. Everything about it was good, especially the buffet breakfast we enjoyed each morning. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEIKOFcd2vBprTXzEeAuqcCo_yixCeJE-peSOf1DHCcZCzaI41BoodYGmbrw5Oar02NxdElPucCGEK1kclsHAJS9p8q-b2VrxY5uCbZytK_V5cennoKA-UgyCGzjaOC0C2BcmkLozZCKI/s2048/IMG_4853.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEIKOFcd2vBprTXzEeAuqcCo_yixCeJE-peSOf1DHCcZCzaI41BoodYGmbrw5Oar02NxdElPucCGEK1kclsHAJS9p8q-b2VrxY5uCbZytK_V5cennoKA-UgyCGzjaOC0C2BcmkLozZCKI/w472-h354/IMG_4853.jpeg" width="472" /></a></div><p>Our second day was pure fun. TG suggested that we should go to the zoo. We had been before on our first visit to Copenhagen, but it was well worth a second trip. Highlights included lion cubs, a polar bear cub, and giant pandas. One of the wonderful things about the city is how easy it is to get around. For the zoo we just hopped on a bus from the end of our street and were there in ten minutes. By early afternoon we had seen everything we wanted to see, so went back to the hotel for a rest before heading out to Tivoli Gardens for the evening. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtqPVQJRuffckwDe-YFnngy_bAttVzL0nVi3DQOBL5IKsVqa8qUQCltLHIOESde1sTxHsqrThwkJ5-goZSapjQa7Lz2fZUeOiN7wSAf7OnIW44F6HLDCjqioeoshVZG5-UuAH2Yj_WbuW/s2048/IMG_4970.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtqPVQJRuffckwDe-YFnngy_bAttVzL0nVi3DQOBL5IKsVqa8qUQCltLHIOESde1sTxHsqrThwkJ5-goZSapjQa7Lz2fZUeOiN7wSAf7OnIW44F6HLDCjqioeoshVZG5-UuAH2Yj_WbuW/w368-h490/IMG_4970.jpeg" width="368" /></a></div><p>Tivoli is the second oldest theme park in the world - the oldest is just outside Copenhagen - and is an utter joy, with a mix of rides and gardens, all decorated spectacularly for Halloween. We timed it to get the best of both worlds, seeing it both in daylight and illuminated in the dark. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWbG5fo20l02lz5-i6cPPqXZ44KsQQJ4xL5CZwKEN0-VvhtWUvNnn4fc0UR5nGQhJ3CkD4Kjgfz1NuVoyKXVlU8GZINlKqq62vzzDU2VK6YeDbw_1su_iFeb6yF6q-Tv62o_p3bhdhd2x/s2048/IMG_5064.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWbG5fo20l02lz5-i6cPPqXZ44KsQQJ4xL5CZwKEN0-VvhtWUvNnn4fc0UR5nGQhJ3CkD4Kjgfz1NuVoyKXVlU8GZINlKqq62vzzDU2VK6YeDbw_1su_iFeb6yF6q-Tv62o_p3bhdhd2x/w468-h351/IMG_5064.jpeg" width="468" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>At one side of the park is the Tivoli Food Hall, accessible both from the park and from the street, which has a collection of small food outlets with a wide choice of cuisines. As it was so close to where we were staying we ate there a few times, either for lunch or in the evening, as it was both reasonably priced (by Danish standards!) and it allowed us to cater to varying tastes. TG and I are rather more adventurous eaters than M. That evening the two of us chose bao buns, while M had chicken and chips (fries). M does not do rides, but TG and I went on a couple; we also had drinks and snacks in the park and I tested out gløgg, a Danish version of mulled wine. It was a magical evening. <div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mcPeZ0CNaCSzOTy-8fATqj-yfXMdWGddqBLuXD_G09H5sXfHoYOTZxZCeg4NLMbSEUUgOfSsxTBSWkUCifKimOGJz3ohLtjxOMw_KlMF4rFBc6srx_vvT1OAnMlH7J57KtwiBMet_7Hd/s2048/IMG_5140.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mcPeZ0CNaCSzOTy-8fATqj-yfXMdWGddqBLuXD_G09H5sXfHoYOTZxZCeg4NLMbSEUUgOfSsxTBSWkUCifKimOGJz3ohLtjxOMw_KlMF4rFBc6srx_vvT1OAnMlH7J57KtwiBMet_7Hd/w374-h499/IMG_5140.jpeg" width="374" /></a></div><p></p><p>Visiting Copenhagen was like entering a time warp. Denmark has handled the pandemic exceptionally well and the vaccination rates are very high, so much so that in September the government announced that Covid was no longer considered a significant threat in Denmark and all restrictions were lifted. Cases there are rising now. but from a very low level, and the high vaccination level means hospitalisations and deaths are extremely low. Apart from a few left over signs and hand sanitiser stations it was like going back to before the pandemic. Not a face mask in sight, everything totally normal, bustling and busy, but we still felt very safe. We would have loved Copenhagen anyway, but stepping outside the pandemic and, I hope, getting a taste of a post-covid world, was a huge bonus. Respite as well as relaxation.</p></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-34583844913353489022021-10-26T20:25:00.001+01:002021-10-26T20:27:43.441+01:00A Dress Challenge<p>I have been intrigued for a while by the 100 Day Dress Challenge in which <a href="https://wooland.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wool&</a>, a small company which sells merino clothing, challenges people to wear one of their dresses for 100 days consecutively. I discovered someone from my old homeschooling circle was doing the challenge and blogging it daily (you can read her blog <a href="https://theeffyears.blogspot.com/search/label/100%20days%20challenge">here</a>) and was inspired to give it a try. I bought a Rowena swing dress in charcoal grey from the EU store and started wearing it, not at all sure whether I would do 100 days, or even whether I really wanted to. My plan was - is - to take it a day at a time and see where it takes me. Slightly to my surprise I am on Day 20 and still going strong. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvI6CPCcXOp0t0SsVti4Z_374-Zz3hqh0yMQnTm4xt8zDaYjxMCR8xQ3_Qh9ShV133yYetaadtUjYAyzf_c2lYDBMb8SvwQ7Oz9nyml2088c8w_uY3nHU5h_3TBQNXJ7zGl789LmYKCqt/s1800/Day+3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvI6CPCcXOp0t0SsVti4Z_374-Zz3hqh0yMQnTm4xt8zDaYjxMCR8xQ3_Qh9ShV133yYetaadtUjYAyzf_c2lYDBMb8SvwQ7Oz9nyml2088c8w_uY3nHU5h_3TBQNXJ7zGl789LmYKCqt/s320/Day+3.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I am not dressing very adventurously. Many people do some impressively creative styling, turning the dress into a top, layering dresses, adding skirts (I literally do not own a skirt!) and generally doing clever things. I learned very quickly that tights, leggings, cardigans and scarves are my friends. So are my red Converses - I also have a purple pair, but they are warm-lined and better for colder weather. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijo6FX-USskA9slO8uHSX6xU_0Xvb2bTdWStiyE5KFneNVLqjRZU_TrjNHKQzEDMdpfKteREsV88rkqB_fWgCpFeFt4vlsv1HAG9UYWKXksOnPi2PVaji8wGPV3mdSK6MrzdOfW_01Feab/s2048/Day+9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1535" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijo6FX-USskA9slO8uHSX6xU_0Xvb2bTdWStiyE5KFneNVLqjRZU_TrjNHKQzEDMdpfKteREsV88rkqB_fWgCpFeFt4vlsv1HAG9UYWKXksOnPi2PVaji8wGPV3mdSK6MrzdOfW_01Feab/s320/Day+9.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The dress claims to be versatile, and it really is. It came with me to Appleby and switched easily from hiking in the day to dinner in the hotel in the evening. I have worn it for work, for band practice and just lounging around on the sofa. Merino is supposed to regulate body temperature and in some magical way it doesn't get smelly and dirty, so needs washing far less than most clothing. So far Lady Grey has had two baths and she has felt clean and comfortable even after several days wear. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WNyjp8CW9ByZODVXmBgB5fFgnqllHidoUk0iXGiWZuU7agKtm32qSfCs0PDKBjxUkXXeY1g0UxKwsrRl4SOLdfWydCDVO_Kbv-dBhKNTE7y_GG0aBriBWgM_ABE8VEQB-KRvoDS-WdCx/s2048/Day+11-2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1535" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WNyjp8CW9ByZODVXmBgB5fFgnqllHidoUk0iXGiWZuU7agKtm32qSfCs0PDKBjxUkXXeY1g0UxKwsrRl4SOLdfWydCDVO_Kbv-dBhKNTE7y_GG0aBriBWgM_ABE8VEQB-KRvoDS-WdCx/s320/Day+11-2.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I have had spells in the past when I have worn dresses fairly often, but mostly I'm a jeans person and had got completely out of the habit of dresses. I realised I didn't have a single pair of tights that fitted comfortably. I saw lots of recommendations for <a href="https://snagtights.com">Snag tights</a> and bought a mix of 80 denier and wool tights in black, dark grey, dark red and purple/black stripes. Leggings were slightly better - I had an old cotton pair and some thermal black ones - but I added another pair of the same Marks & Spencer thermals in grey. Nice and toasty for autumn and winter. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlPsfj_qXXjquzqbXcaycPBIrvPAA2zI0_yM67rO1rjRTzIOCTBiVpRVymNSF5ZmOS09uQoS0QG0u_LELRcJttsZ5lGVedgLo0mDsFgdTJ-bJkH8CC__8dlriYOIazAu74QuQ7VbSmkfw/s1900/Day+16-2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1900" data-original-width="1425" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlPsfj_qXXjquzqbXcaycPBIrvPAA2zI0_yM67rO1rjRTzIOCTBiVpRVymNSF5ZmOS09uQoS0QG0u_LELRcJttsZ5lGVedgLo0mDsFgdTJ-bJkH8CC__8dlriYOIazAu74QuQ7VbSmkfw/s320/Day+16-2.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>One of the best things about the challenge is that a whole online community has built up on both Facebook and Instagram, which must be one of the most positive and supportive places anywhere on the internet. Watching how others style their dresses is only a small part. One requirement of the challenge is that it has to be recorded with daily photographs, something many people find uncomfortable, and the community supports people as they come to terms with taking selfies and learning to accept the way they look (which, inevitably, is far better than the image that women so often have of themselves). As people come to the end of their challenge they share what they have learned from it, which is often thought provoking and inspiring. And that is beside the love and care that the groups provide for members who are dealing with difficult stuff in their lives that is unrelated to clothing. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguI_-uahtDjUer07cbzkXhc7l3R7trU_c9Dc2C2vXhZxpLzshhlAxW2QzzDMHVXhCs2JvfRR6J0rGCK87lQMTf45Qv1w4SyOKUS-J4cHEmvvl4odd2_FYDib-SoayBpFOAZXJFrg2LWlfZ/s2048/Day+17.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguI_-uahtDjUer07cbzkXhc7l3R7trU_c9Dc2C2vXhZxpLzshhlAxW2QzzDMHVXhCs2JvfRR6J0rGCK87lQMTf45Qv1w4SyOKUS-J4cHEmvvl4odd2_FYDib-SoayBpFOAZXJFrg2LWlfZ/s320/Day+17.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I still don't know whether I will make it through another 80 days, and I'm not entirely sure I understand why I might want to. Maybe by the end it will all make sense. </div></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-45943798847839722382021-10-23T22:30:00.001+01:002021-10-23T22:30:08.636+01:00Autumn Travels: Back to Appleby<p>Two weeks of doing very little worked, and I am fully recovered from the chest infection I started the month with. If I was going to get ill, the timing could have been a lot worse as we had booked to go back to our favourite hotel at Appleby in Cumbria last weekend - just what I needed to complete my recovery! M retired from his job with the NHS 111 call centre and worked his last shift on the Thursday, and we headed north on the Friday for a long weekend. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj93d7Vt9SGenndl_AUKMEtZ8MINgMeJgT_EPmqWcm4gAfwBdS9h7NNkJit_EgEfOs7w_wCm5FTulOfpCKjs_lHKVZcaQkw9MUww4H9zhic0W-FZLjf0QEAMf665w5KtSUGBq094hFANUJ/s2048/IMG_4090.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj93d7Vt9SGenndl_AUKMEtZ8MINgMeJgT_EPmqWcm4gAfwBdS9h7NNkJit_EgEfOs7w_wCm5FTulOfpCKjs_lHKVZcaQkw9MUww4H9zhic0W-FZLjf0QEAMf665w5KtSUGBq094hFANUJ/w300-h400/IMG_4090.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Unusually we were unlucky with both the traffic and the weather. Driving up took as at least an hour longer than usual, and Saturday was cold and wet. We had waterproofs with us, but it felt too unpleasantly damp to want to be outdoors for too long. We spent a bit of time at Windermere and found a nice cafe for lunch, then took the car ferry across the lake and managed a short walk around Hawkshead, the small town nearest to Beatrix Potter's farm at Sawrey.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZ-dEnci0Ve8WouEWHV0Xe19HXg6hQduIrV7-TVWpYL3EWo99VjlxvUh-EQe2bL9PTmxYaR_pMNd_LeRbXLOQP62xxHspo4r2-t-hrYvlMM0L6V1VEvRXEs6LpwY2e4tCqvglr9DkghEk/s2048/IMG_4091.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZ-dEnci0Ve8WouEWHV0Xe19HXg6hQduIrV7-TVWpYL3EWo99VjlxvUh-EQe2bL9PTmxYaR_pMNd_LeRbXLOQP62xxHspo4r2-t-hrYvlMM0L6V1VEvRXEs6LpwY2e4tCqvglr9DkghEk/w300-h400/IMG_4091.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p>All was not lost despite the weather as we were able to warm up in the hotel spa in the evening. Sunday was showery, but with enough dry spells for us to get in a four and a half mile walk around Keswick and Derwentwater. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2U0CZnS_N62X17OTTrDL6hfxHi83ku8-_s7tpku07Kx1EEDvpalW6r3Qdna3IkSx7DlLBxNrBkco5rRMKe9E1q92ShqzSliHHsh7Fequ7ZW3m47_9KlItkHWFXWk_rwjqMXSczjqA2T61/s2048/IMG_4114.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2U0CZnS_N62X17OTTrDL6hfxHi83ku8-_s7tpku07Kx1EEDvpalW6r3Qdna3IkSx7DlLBxNrBkco5rRMKe9E1q92ShqzSliHHsh7Fequ7ZW3m47_9KlItkHWFXWk_rwjqMXSczjqA2T61/w400-h300/IMG_4114.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A couple of years ago we climbed up Walla Crag, the hill in the photo below, but this time we just skirted around the bottom. It was raining a bit at this point, but the weather certainly made for dramatic views! <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMX6gRtHSH-YdxLEjmNOuUOpgY9OJAi68ZOJyqsw9SQDDMfQvB19I08IOnYBFaVPqxjDuk7JMcXnC1H_sZyAZdgj4PSmxeXLFu6hcAXrCB6h4h0TZOFoo7SSoMpu-6OY7EZxXaxWooknY/s2048/IMG_4118.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMX6gRtHSH-YdxLEjmNOuUOpgY9OJAi68ZOJyqsw9SQDDMfQvB19I08IOnYBFaVPqxjDuk7JMcXnC1H_sZyAZdgj4PSmxeXLFu6hcAXrCB6h4h0TZOFoo7SSoMpu-6OY7EZxXaxWooknY/w400-h300/IMG_4118.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The views in the Lake District really are gorgeous. I am hoping that we can take TG up there next year - she has started to appreciate natural beauty and I think she would love it. The only downside of Cumbria having been our destination of choice for short breaks on our own is that we have ended up not taking our daughters up there (although the older two did go when they were very tiny).</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTh7TtmDCoGa0cL-p5jznbKEtI7gUE6xbjSghOTjfCMvQ-29lXC1IUI1owIigfSq9aqf1XrV1ImmhTFg-y97y8XTFQNU_mvsMTugjvwUWKlg94pWqHuMuHMWpB1csuAyV7MWrJg1Hzdjy/s2048/IMG_4129.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTh7TtmDCoGa0cL-p5jznbKEtI7gUE6xbjSghOTjfCMvQ-29lXC1IUI1owIigfSq9aqf1XrV1ImmhTFg-y97y8XTFQNU_mvsMTugjvwUWKlg94pWqHuMuHMWpB1csuAyV7MWrJg1Hzdjy/w400-h300/IMG_4129.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>By the time we had walked through the woods to the lake the rain had stopped and the sun was trying to come out. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9U14RCjOzs2ZIBonMUZmDsXfsEQn6ENCLXJZiLfRer2rNs0eUYrLAKqTCvSGzLIn7_j5L54_xBzW420D4Pi5nvwIROQidBbFPrgI8nh040uZ491vtcyx6s3jd9dR75DX5vCUifbmehdfi/s2048/IMG_4141.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9U14RCjOzs2ZIBonMUZmDsXfsEQn6ENCLXJZiLfRer2rNs0eUYrLAKqTCvSGzLIn7_j5L54_xBzW420D4Pi5nvwIROQidBbFPrgI8nh040uZ491vtcyx6s3jd9dR75DX5vCUifbmehdfi/w400-h300/IMG_4141.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Fortunately the traffic was better driving home on Monday, although there was heavy rain at times which is never fun to drive through. Considering that we have usually been up to Appleby in the autumn or winter, we have generally been very lucky with the weather. I think this was the first time we have had a wet weekend - we have had snow, but not so much that is stopped us doing anything. Despite the rain we still had a good time - the spa, lovely hotel food and Sunday's walk were pretty good compensation!</p></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-17493628325245917382021-10-05T23:06:00.001+01:002021-10-05T23:06:10.062+01:00Packages and Flowers<p>The sitting with my feet up and knitting continues, though I did go out for a 15 minutes walk both yesterday and today. I knitted the body of the little baby cardigan, then decided it had come out even smaller than it was supposed to be. I measured, and sure enough that confirmed it was narrower than it should be. I don't normally bother knitting swatches because I nearly always hit the right tension, but this time I was caught out. I decided to knit it again on slightly larger needles and hope for the best. I have nearly finished the second attempt and I think it may still be very slightly undersized, but she is a very tiny baby so should be OK. At least baby clothes are very quick to knit! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTyc0SrbE23hEs3-xx_5o20goUgj4FpBfJVl55f7MFw822W-BucUUJ-Dn9SeaehYXfF9wV_U-vmSf_dskczjtKy5rq4SV0lTot2VHZmy_TXWCOuoSVH_jxn5Daxs2NYzipJS9YenwhWh2/s2048/IMG_3572.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTyc0SrbE23hEs3-xx_5o20goUgj4FpBfJVl55f7MFw822W-BucUUJ-Dn9SeaehYXfF9wV_U-vmSf_dskczjtKy5rq4SV0lTot2VHZmy_TXWCOuoSVH_jxn5Daxs2NYzipJS9YenwhWh2/w300-h400/IMG_3572.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The flowers above were a lovely "get well" surprise from H, who dropped in with them yesterday lunchtime. She only stopped for a brief chat as she was also taking flowers over to her BF's mum, whose father died last week (he was both very elderly and very ill, so it was expected), and needed to get home to carry on with her studying. As a trainee accountant she gets blocks of time scheduled for college and private study, and has to make the most of them as the exams are both frequent and demanding. I love having adult daughters! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xGWom0mD_lmLYC5I89EVPwdMW78mrvOuk2o6Pvm1hkHqkxS8VrvegouOjH4YW7T0BWRcB4IG4hunQsBSIZqff7hE0EHpEV1XROscaZWdRJczikrPVjcf5Gqn_IJGYQKMQpFl_BSHr4-V/s2048/IMG_3573.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xGWom0mD_lmLYC5I89EVPwdMW78mrvOuk2o6Pvm1hkHqkxS8VrvegouOjH4YW7T0BWRcB4IG4hunQsBSIZqff7hE0EHpEV1XROscaZWdRJczikrPVjcf5Gqn_IJGYQKMQpFl_BSHr4-V/w300-h400/IMG_3573.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Over the last couple of weeks I have been doing some rather eclectic online shopping. Last week two yarn orders arrived. This week so far it has been gin, clothes and packing cubes. I really want to make my clothing purchases more sustainable and ethical, and have been thinking that I should start actively looking for used items before buying new. I wanted a cardigan or jacket to wear when I need something more dressy than my usual casual stuff, and found this silver-grey kimono thing on Vinted for £4. I am pretty pleased with it, though TG says it is "too shiny". I pointed out that I was <i>looking</i> for shiny, but she wasn't impressed! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqrBLALkdmCauNNLxD_TqoMhWR4Cw9ZZ93FOioG3wGJs58CeD275mhN8D8G_fbqdyA_3vv6SL98x7hJthoN9do2hg1eQRZjD04G_1BpSgBhYdqZbP-q20YMfwQC7UHKhO9qjEmk2hXJi5/s2048/IMG_3574.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqrBLALkdmCauNNLxD_TqoMhWR4Cw9ZZ93FOioG3wGJs58CeD275mhN8D8G_fbqdyA_3vv6SL98x7hJthoN9do2hg1eQRZjD04G_1BpSgBhYdqZbP-q20YMfwQC7UHKhO9qjEmk2hXJi5/w400-h300/IMG_3574.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I had been thinking of getting packing cubes for a while so that I can keep luggage nice and organised when we go away. These are compression cubes, with a double zip that makes it possible to squish clothes down into a smaller, neater space. I proudly wrestled a ridiculous amount into the larger one to show M what it could do, only for him complain that it looked far more trouble than it was worth! They are going to be put to the test at the end of the month. We have booked flights to Copenhagen for a short break during half term, and decided - possibly foolishly - that we could manage without paying Ryan Air an extra £60 for the privilege of taking standard carry-on luggage. Three nights with a small bag is possible, right? It will be with my clever little cubes! </p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-65461562226437994132021-10-04T10:12:00.001+01:002021-10-04T10:12:23.393+01:00Feet Up, Knitting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The last few days have looked a lot like this ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zhe2cgPzxEpGw-hy-3F4h19B10WP2uiezwR4Atbti_GSWLFveXwsrn9xU3TJJG6hOKTF3SOg1vyVyZ92q3ebktK4AS_7CoBqhbNMxbmBkVJQg4KM7wDlfqFa7yL3hV9F7tiFtpYplZR2/s2048/IMG_3566.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zhe2cgPzxEpGw-hy-3F4h19B10WP2uiezwR4Atbti_GSWLFveXwsrn9xU3TJJG6hOKTF3SOg1vyVyZ92q3ebktK4AS_7CoBqhbNMxbmBkVJQg4KM7wDlfqFa7yL3hV9F7tiFtpYplZR2/w311-h415/IMG_3566.jpeg" width="311" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The medication sorted out my chest infection but it has left me with absolutely no energy. At least it has moved on from feeling as though I have been hit by a bus to just feeling as though I am made out of soggy spaghetti. I'm still not up to going back to work, so this is likely to be another week with a lot of time spent on the sofa knitting, reading and watching TV. I did at least manage to finish a pair of socks - I'm trying to get ahead on gift knitting for Christmas. Normally I try to match the stripe colours to make an identical pair when I knit socks with self-striping yarn, but my brain is mush and I didn't even realise I had forgotten until I was halfway through the foot of the second sock. Ah well. They are funky stripes. I have now moved on to baby knitting - a cute little yellow cardigan for our former neighbours' new granddaughter, born last Tuesday. Tiny Summer weighed in at just 5lbs 7oz, so I'm knitting the smallest size. Our formerly-petite TG weighed an ounce less and I remember that as a baby TG would grow into each size at around the age she was supposed to grow out of it, so 0-3 month baby clothes only began to fit her when she hit 3 months. Based on that I'm working on the smallest size of this <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alouette-6" target="_blank">Alouette pattern</a> and assuming it will fit through the winter. In fact, the same rule held true for TG until she hit her teens and a late and spectacular growth spurt, confounding our assumptions that she had inherited petite genes - having always been one of the smallest in her class at school, she is now 5 foot 6 and apparently still growing! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pyHci-eNC4lZ2ge07grXGPIeLi9RGhyOeJxc5s3N0oJtJjU7FmWoGYl2iNBBphr_rz-4270Xf59gKTsVx9JWiGHAaqWHL8F4C1LI9kDcOsvAQkPJqzXRn65oIL_-7MH83qH-ENjiOkxT/s2048/IMG_3567.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1602" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pyHci-eNC4lZ2ge07grXGPIeLi9RGhyOeJxc5s3N0oJtJjU7FmWoGYl2iNBBphr_rz-4270Xf59gKTsVx9JWiGHAaqWHL8F4C1LI9kDcOsvAQkPJqzXRn65oIL_-7MH83qH-ENjiOkxT/w313-h400/IMG_3567.jpeg" width="313" /></a></div><p>I hadn't left the house for a week, apart from a 10 minute walk on Friday, but on Saturday I had to go into town as TG had an appointment for an eye test and M was working. Fortunately most of the trip involved sitting down! TG is getting more short sighted, but teenage vanity has kicked in and she is reluctant to wear her glasses so is going to try contact lenses. She now has a new optical prescription, new glasses on order, and an appointment booked for a contact lens teaching session in early November. I also ordered new glasses. I had my eye test done back in August, but hadn't got round to choosing frames - my current ones are breaking, so I really needed to do it sooner rather than later. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTOTYv9kDRMhfRcV7C5fcjQ5iLrbirKnrrmIvcTGdHD7dokFT-g5SWwOVgAgI0T6JWx-GQsq8W1JX8zEV1_9Hv7AA_FzOYIkwyXBrNx4QOEGSfTeHGvl05aTDwk-ZPOv9i0Mu04ROmp3j/s2048/IMG_3570.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTOTYv9kDRMhfRcV7C5fcjQ5iLrbirKnrrmIvcTGdHD7dokFT-g5SWwOVgAgI0T6JWx-GQsq8W1JX8zEV1_9Hv7AA_FzOYIkwyXBrNx4QOEGSfTeHGvl05aTDwk-ZPOv9i0Mu04ROmp3j/w400-h300/IMG_3570.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>After we had finished at Specsavers we went to the Italian cafe where H used to work for lunch. TG had a craving for spaghetti carbonara, which we can't make properly at home as we don't have bacon or other pig products in the house. Lunch out seemed a good plan as this cafe does the best carbonara, and it meant I didn't have to worry about cooking a proper meal later. I opted for smashed avocado on sourdough with poached egg and pancetta. We picked up pizzas from Waitrose for the evening, so once we got home I could flop back on the sofa and not need to move much for the rest of the day. I did pay for it a bit with feeling overtired yesterday, but it was good to get out for while. Also it allowed me to assess whether I would be fit enough for a full day at work today - answer, no! In the evening I was supposed to be going over to a friend's house for a girls' night, but that would have been way beyond my energy levels so I joined them on Zoom, along with another friend who is still trying to get mobile after a bad ankle break. Blended in-person / Zoom worked pretty well. Yesterday, I flopped! </p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-54357538279320951452021-10-01T22:08:00.000+01:002021-10-01T22:08:04.752+01:00Summer Travels: Beautiful Sunny Paris<p>Lots of photos here because, well ... Paris! First that lovely moment of getting seated on my favourite train, the Eurostar. There is double border control at St Pancras station, checking us out of the UK and for entry into France, so that when the train arrives at Gare du Nord passengers can just walk off and away. That meant that once we were on board we knew we were really, definitely going to make it to Paris. As she was unvaccinated TG had to have a covid test the afternoon before we left, and her negative test certificate was carefully scrutinised by the French border staff, but all was well. For H and I, we simply had to show a QR code on our phones to prove we were vaccinated - we were very easily able to load the NHS code into the French anti-Covid app. I love it when things work! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dKXKO5qvJ1PGG-zvEcnTt34cXfrzWbRasSSFmuId_mWmdEth8dfVtApIgGTNbC_GiDLdyoDfypeoSdY8jMDmFLLcv6YEx5LfyWswWe9iWecERqw4gvLjv8n7pZksv06_EXMbVYvYS4mv/s2048/IMG_3033.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dKXKO5qvJ1PGG-zvEcnTt34cXfrzWbRasSSFmuId_mWmdEth8dfVtApIgGTNbC_GiDLdyoDfypeoSdY8jMDmFLLcv6YEx5LfyWswWe9iWecERqw4gvLjv8n7pZksv06_EXMbVYvYS4mv/w360-h480/IMG_3033.jpeg" width="360" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Our original plan was to go up to Montmartre to see the views from Sacre Coeur, but after 10 minutes waiting for a bus the girls decided that food sounded better than views. We abandoned the bus queue and got the metro down to Rue de Montparnasse which is lined with Breton style creperies. It was a lovely warm, sunny day, so we sat outside and ate galettes (savoury buckwheat pancakes). I washed mine down with a bowl of cider (yes, that's right, a bowl!). <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2sQDCDZavR9DWcoOhyphenhypheno9joW2RC6Xxc8-uObXF5vvf7QQy7X54WFVXaGN85UlRywSZPktpr6IIP0mySWv63L660lLlzt2i_zFMk7Q5ZCiws07-_o8FWEN-TkONdSU8O1gDlZ9_5DKQdsC/s2048/IMG_3042.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="483" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2sQDCDZavR9DWcoOhyphenhypheno9joW2RC6Xxc8-uObXF5vvf7QQy7X54WFVXaGN85UlRywSZPktpr6IIP0mySWv63L660lLlzt2i_zFMk7Q5ZCiws07-_o8FWEN-TkONdSU8O1gDlZ9_5DKQdsC/w362-h483/IMG_3042.jpeg" width="362" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The best thing to do on a nice day in Paris is just to walk, so we did. We headed in the direction of the Seine, via the Jardin de Luxembourg. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKM7giqoqM46C61K_Rf__b2MolsJQGCp6i8j9ijqOIfYjxdu_EwIJTC7zEC9aAshaAYoKbp9dnxidr5d-tLjDX39WK1Llekxi725PRtMFjn-1LeJe3JponQqNmdqR6GdVUGVjlTAkRHqo/s2048/IMG_3057.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKM7giqoqM46C61K_Rf__b2MolsJQGCp6i8j9ijqOIfYjxdu_EwIJTC7zEC9aAshaAYoKbp9dnxidr5d-tLjDX39WK1Llekxi725PRtMFjn-1LeJe3JponQqNmdqR6GdVUGVjlTAkRHqo/w486-h365/IMG_3057.jpeg" width="486" /></a></div><br />Before we got to the river we stopped to pick up dessert from a patisserie. I love the way pastries come in beautiful boxes. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenPzS-AJew_Sp0jfrYCNbVxVJf0OiRo_STad3DDbbdTFFLlJdmdTtDiMhnQ9DvDVXhwxOBwqHmuUm1bPkcrSXGcZtZ8nx0sptu0zcUDmHlcNCQAjTL1d_mTbWzoenXRuVaM78mybyBf00/s2048/IMG_3076.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenPzS-AJew_Sp0jfrYCNbVxVJf0OiRo_STad3DDbbdTFFLlJdmdTtDiMhnQ9DvDVXhwxOBwqHmuUm1bPkcrSXGcZtZ8nx0sptu0zcUDmHlcNCQAjTL1d_mTbWzoenXRuVaM78mybyBf00/w488-h368/IMG_3076.jpeg" width="488" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The raspberry tarts were for the girls. I had the apricot one. And yes, they were as good as they look. We found a memorial garden (I'm not sure what for?) right by the river with benches where we could sit and eat. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSimXvBkSaKaCa37tXxargdj74CvkWLSdm4WXN0WkuzqF_rJ-RXtg-DC6Li0nWVT2MPwPJcgfEcFFRQ6yBY8Svsu16aRD5LcHlOZBclphYRChSBqgYQ-yoFmNgiDBVg_mQR4fME25Fu5P/s2048/IMG_3077.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSimXvBkSaKaCa37tXxargdj74CvkWLSdm4WXN0WkuzqF_rJ-RXtg-DC6Li0nWVT2MPwPJcgfEcFFRQ6yBY8Svsu16aRD5LcHlOZBclphYRChSBqgYQ-yoFmNgiDBVg_mQR4fME25Fu5P/w361-h481/IMG_3077.jpeg" width="361" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We crossed the river via the Ile de St Louis, where we could look across to Notre Dame, surrounded by scaffolding and cranes as work goes on to restore the cathedral after the disastrous fire. I think the hope is that it will be finished in time for the Paris Olympics in 2024. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWByS8snNcMuWh787JQn90AekFgTuysLTzTEZP_9jnX9xyJGerlLTAAiACAZsaLu0vLlC8gwJbXl8CHiPdXYBprg1Kk50n_1O0Kljj-0VTN0gO3WLQ1S13cAe4J5TqqiwvbyikbBQv17fe/s2048/IMG_3073.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWByS8snNcMuWh787JQn90AekFgTuysLTzTEZP_9jnX9xyJGerlLTAAiACAZsaLu0vLlC8gwJbXl8CHiPdXYBprg1Kk50n_1O0Kljj-0VTN0gO3WLQ1S13cAe4J5TqqiwvbyikbBQv17fe/w494-h371/IMG_3073.jpeg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I had noticed on the map that we were not far from the Memorial de la Shoah (Holocaust Memorial) and suggested to the girls that we should visit. The memorial had both outdoor and indoor sections. Outdoors there was a wall engraved with the names of all the Parisians who were murdered and a large bronze circular sculptured with the names of the extermination camps they died in. Indoors was a small museum and this Star of David. I'm afraid I can't remember what the Hebrew written on the wall behind said. It was a well done, thought-provoking memorial and we were glad we visited. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDGuR8hQawT0aIawLGTIfjOad1IhwqT5mCn_TAdnDx2eP6NtkTS1gkFUH6zlJSCyw8WoJV88OuSGU-4tb5MOp5_yed7jFB8BQeAscB71pNI_AafWSBEQOz66eZ-tR8W4QJa9Z9ADkA76C/s2048/IMG_3092.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="467" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDGuR8hQawT0aIawLGTIfjOad1IhwqT5mCn_TAdnDx2eP6NtkTS1gkFUH6zlJSCyw8WoJV88OuSGU-4tb5MOp5_yed7jFB8BQeAscB71pNI_AafWSBEQOz66eZ-tR8W4QJa9Z9ADkA76C/w350-h467/IMG_3092.jpeg" width="350" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Back out into the sunshine, we headed back to the Seine and walked along the river all the way to the Eiffel Tower. The road by the river has now been restricted to just pedestrians and bikes, so it was a nice, easy (though hot!) walk. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquyxZ-CtSkc6wPYeIFfO4S-6t9W4psw8D7t_Qm0f34ErFyqDhue1lGBE04R11R5us0UuV5tSzUQGoU9j2R8A48ADAz69LMsd71sF70pMMdR2YA3e3v6fHMLVbG3JhGHIpN8Uv8m65hvoc/s2048/IMG_3080.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquyxZ-CtSkc6wPYeIFfO4S-6t9W4psw8D7t_Qm0f34ErFyqDhue1lGBE04R11R5us0UuV5tSzUQGoU9j2R8A48ADAz69LMsd71sF70pMMdR2YA3e3v6fHMLVbG3JhGHIpN8Uv8m65hvoc/w510-h383/IMG_3080.jpeg" width="510" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We did a short detour to take some photos outside of the Louvre. We didn't go in, partly as we didn't have much time, and partly because it was much to nice a day to want to spend it indoors. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIO6h5OvwDXKd-IldLPR9t5CQZWb8IOUHLkn0Lh7PBgEWY0ooCVf8avcs5X5vezDSgv6QYntqyvNhbgtostWl4RrhEeNfdzro-kVStgM-W5QgHaZRCD7ghF7YzUn3M7y09o9IPT5FCV6kC/s2048/IMG_3107.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIO6h5OvwDXKd-IldLPR9t5CQZWb8IOUHLkn0Lh7PBgEWY0ooCVf8avcs5X5vezDSgv6QYntqyvNhbgtostWl4RrhEeNfdzro-kVStgM-W5QgHaZRCD7ghF7YzUn3M7y09o9IPT5FCV6kC/w364-h486/IMG_3107.jpeg" width="364" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We walked through the Arc de Triomphe and the Jardin de Tuileries, crossed the river and then did another mile or so on the other side until we reached the Eiffel Tower. We thought about walking through the garden under the Tower, but there was quite a long security queue so we though better of it. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xrqa7E_1n9GlO01YqzzK_ByzmVaKGZr3o7NoZg6w9z3SHossy9FPmh3zlAVQFtSZ_vgzvAYLPBuTBi7SwiOdGmqklpDTqMY_od8yiT0zifTtDSreq35TPtfdjJnFSmSmgMm2Vr4PfyWX/s2048/IMG_3129.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xrqa7E_1n9GlO01YqzzK_ByzmVaKGZr3o7NoZg6w9z3SHossy9FPmh3zlAVQFtSZ_vgzvAYLPBuTBi7SwiOdGmqklpDTqMY_od8yiT0zifTtDSreq35TPtfdjJnFSmSmgMm2Vr4PfyWX/w365-h486/IMG_3129.jpeg" width="365" /></a></div><p>By this time we were all tired. We had an early start, catching the 5.45am train in to London to get the Eurostar, so we walked back across the river (again) and picked up crepes from a stall. Despite all the walking we weren't too hungry as the galettes and pastries had been filling, so we decided that we didn't need a full meal. We caught the bus back to Gare du Nord to collect our cases from left luggage, then headed off to the cheap and cheerful Ibis Budget hotel we had booked for the night on the line out to Disneyland, nicely situated so that we would be able to get to the parks early the next morning. </p></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-58488795964090546752021-09-29T23:12:00.001+01:002021-09-29T23:12:55.839+01:00Some Enforced Rest<p>Last week was just as busy as the week before, if not more so. TG got her braces fitted by the orthodontist on Monday morning, then had to go back in the afternoon because a couple of the fixings detached themselves. It settled down until today when a couple became loose again - we think because the teeth are set a bit behind the others - so she has to go back again on Monday. She is readjusting to the limitations. Not being able to eat whole apples is a particular annoyance, as she usually eats at least one every day (there was a time when we had to restrict her to no more than two as she would probably have eaten them by the bowlful!). On Tuesday R came over for dinner, Wednesday was band practice, I took Thursday off from orchestra because I needed a free evening, then on Friday friends came over for dinner and H and M2 came for a roast dinner on Sunday evening. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2ic6To7Go_XZP-pLS4432GBhqy1BpZfiBmCxkZp2wqSdact9R-K7IrUa3W19aed-ThXCiz3TE-JlpBPIqD69fUAi8tDh5wFptCFrDjSqHB6w9ENGVJY_wItoW-S3p2A1dRdyaCx17XE4/s2048/IMG_3479.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2ic6To7Go_XZP-pLS4432GBhqy1BpZfiBmCxkZp2wqSdact9R-K7IrUa3W19aed-ThXCiz3TE-JlpBPIqD69fUAi8tDh5wFptCFrDjSqHB6w9ENGVJY_wItoW-S3p2A1dRdyaCx17XE4/w300-h400/IMG_3479.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Saturday was the highlight of the week for myself and TG. Back in June I booked tickets for us to see Hairspray on stage in London. It was fantastic - warm, funny, energetic, superbly staged and performed. We had tickets for the matinee, and I had also booked lunch at the theatre as they were offering a fun, themed menu for a very reasonable price. I had a waffle with fried chicken, and TG had one with pulled pork; desert was chocolate brownie ice cream sundae for her and key lime pie for me. The menu also included a cocktail each (alcoholic for me, mocktail for her) and tubs of popcorn to take into the theatre. The whole package really added to our enjoyment of the afternoon, and also meant we got into the theatre early and didn't have to queue. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpZcrNDwOlhcbn0tqn1SZHhjTdAaeazsykbY_PffCH53Z5HOBM1B_HhRFplGfXT-w_BR8R5vvVv82q4OWfRyUFExtKb-W1IO_T-J0tC16ew7zxlBPC1oYJv-qg8rZW3NsHkquNrRLrY7H/s2048/IMG_3487.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpZcrNDwOlhcbn0tqn1SZHhjTdAaeazsykbY_PffCH53Z5HOBM1B_HhRFplGfXT-w_BR8R5vvVv82q4OWfRyUFExtKb-W1IO_T-J0tC16ew7zxlBPC1oYJv-qg8rZW3NsHkquNrRLrY7H/w300-h400/IMG_3487.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p>This was our third visit to a theatre over the last couple of months (and our last for a while - we don't have anything else booked) and it was very noticeable that hardly anyone was wearing a mask in the auditorium. On our first trip a majority of people were, and the previous time it was probably about 50:50. A good number of people put them on to move around the theatre, but then took them off again when they sat down. It did feel as though the air flow was pretty good, and presumably the vast majority of people were vaccinated, so hopefully the covid risk wasn't too high. It does seem as though we are at the stage where we are learning to live with it. Encouragingly, case rates overall are seeming pretty static, despite a big bulge in cases in school kids following the beginning of term and despite people mixing more and masking less. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1Bd7DN8J6RTl86GpVH0cN3iCBj0OCC9oMVkM3oP3hYoOUYwxTGVCLNtUIqRzarabolMGHqN_rxO7-hJ-IdajQZQ8CQnKKiACXlv4y-vnZUFiMH_pPshHu38fTeQ96n03oqviXdV-rI0D/s2048/IMG_3490.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1Bd7DN8J6RTl86GpVH0cN3iCBj0OCC9oMVkM3oP3hYoOUYwxTGVCLNtUIqRzarabolMGHqN_rxO7-hJ-IdajQZQ8CQnKKiACXlv4y-vnZUFiMH_pPshHu38fTeQ96n03oqviXdV-rI0D/w300-h400/IMG_3490.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Another encouraging thing is that booster vaccine doses are happening for people over 50, clinically vulnerable or in front line roles who had their second dose more than 6 months ago. M had his on Friday morning - I will have to wait until November for mine. Also the government have finally decided to authorise vaccines for 12 to 15 year olds, starting this week. They are being given through schools, and TG got hers today. She's feeling a little fragile this evening, but at least it is done. The school had such a good take up rate that they couldn't get through everyone in one day and are having to arrange to get the vaccination team back another day to finish the job. For now they are just giving younger teens one jab, to minimise the risk of pericarditis, I think. My best guess is they will boost it with a second jab later on in the winter. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xOidHb6koZC-lEM2KXhKhVXrCaJDtnPDtVDZ4WbXxT_9PYnNvDVVCfEM4ry0Pehq7fAvr62NtYOjzcTNyYtRQt_GJbZfIjLlM7-knZ4NqDe62AgYTPpYvxJpPcNXMG1qSb5kD9QbqmEb/s2048/IMG_3494.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xOidHb6koZC-lEM2KXhKhVXrCaJDtnPDtVDZ4WbXxT_9PYnNvDVVCfEM4ry0Pehq7fAvr62NtYOjzcTNyYtRQt_GJbZfIjLlM7-knZ4NqDe62AgYTPpYvxJpPcNXMG1qSb5kD9QbqmEb/w400-h300/IMG_3494.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The enforced rest bit? TG picked up the nasty non-covid cold that is going round at school, brought it home and shared it with us. M felt pretty bad on Friday night and Saturday - cold plus post-vaccine effects wasn't a good combination - and had to phone in sick from his Saturday 111 shift. I had it mildly until Sunday when it started to get much worse, and by Monday morning it was well on its way to a chest infection (unfortunately a fairly common pattern for me if a cold gets out of hand). I realised what was happening, and M kindly went down to the doctor's surgery first thing to see if he could sort out a telephone appointment for me. By 8.20 the asthma nurse had phoned me, offered a face-to-face appointment if I wanted it (in the end we decided it wasn't necessary) and prescribed steroids and antibiotics, which M had picked up from the pharmacy by 10. I had to take Monday and Tuesday off work, and spent 48 hours either in bed or on the sofa, resting and hydrating according to the nurse's instructions. The medication has now kicked in and I have felt a lot better today, but think I will be mostly resting for the rest of the week. At least it happened this week and not last! </p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-86682059123770840122021-09-28T21:54:00.000+01:002021-09-28T21:54:04.629+01:00Summer Travels: Caldey Island<p>I am way behind with posting these summer holiday pictures, but I want to keep a record and they are a nice reminder of lovely sunny days as I listen to the rain pouring down outside! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ng-CrXCE80TUOOOQdxrkLxQpD7V8e8jxx52SqnrwtkLmrY0VITzP-CGQDIx2F6b_NaCfexmgUJztqor-5XsHqn88mj7WO3YkCNthVppjMrOZlItiR7hZURmVh7tkSZSzGlscDwQQtp2b/s2048/IMG_2660.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ng-CrXCE80TUOOOQdxrkLxQpD7V8e8jxx52SqnrwtkLmrY0VITzP-CGQDIx2F6b_NaCfexmgUJztqor-5XsHqn88mj7WO3YkCNthVppjMrOZlItiR7hZURmVh7tkSZSzGlscDwQQtp2b/w348-h464/IMG_2660.heic" width="348" /></a></div><p>During our holiday in Wales we took a short boat trip out to Caldey Island. The landing stage is at the edge of a beautiful sandy beach which could easily be mistaken for somewhere far more exotic than the UK. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7uHX8X5sl0a3wEUR3rb66Skc4HxmGC6Nv6Z6GNrqhLSYIsZ-OizxjHyvkX3KFYn6KpglUeiEtMnod-9z6IIcEQQwbOtFgLcSJN2RJc80WZ0tjHdsjgfvux7AcscppUy2J6TEz7YlXImq/s2048/IMG_2672.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7uHX8X5sl0a3wEUR3rb66Skc4HxmGC6Nv6Z6GNrqhLSYIsZ-OizxjHyvkX3KFYn6KpglUeiEtMnod-9z6IIcEQQwbOtFgLcSJN2RJc80WZ0tjHdsjgfvux7AcscppUy2J6TEz7YlXImq/w485-h364/IMG_2672.heic" width="485" /></a></div><p>At the centre of Caldey is a large Trappist monastery. Originally founded as an Anglican Benedictine abbey in the early 20th century, most of the monks converted to Roman Catholicism just before the 1st World War. In the 1920s the Catholic Benedictines moved to Prinknash Abbey in Gloucestershire and were replaced by the Trappists in 1929. The large Italian style monastery is very different to the small village of Caldey, which has around 40 permanent inhabitants. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yW_4hZoqVVCFuqcCBqBOY0sdPBISDS_vjNx_YUvrwv0AK6E8SgeumV_onz3V9oPKgF6-3Gj266opgI08Lpf3GXV10OVXMoOMtg_J9KzMqxfEFRbqaFOGZzJVcVTP3ZvphPi73whnqfjr/s2048/IMG_2682.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yW_4hZoqVVCFuqcCBqBOY0sdPBISDS_vjNx_YUvrwv0AK6E8SgeumV_onz3V9oPKgF6-3Gj266opgI08Lpf3GXV10OVXMoOMtg_J9KzMqxfEFRbqaFOGZzJVcVTP3ZvphPi73whnqfjr/w491-h368/IMG_2682.jpeg" width="491" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">We enjoyed a walk around part of the island, with some impressive views, then grabbed sandwiches for lunch from the cafe which is on the far side of the green from the monastery. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrlAS5Pb4HSwayQDFGXl7XchVz8B4Gg5V1o_NvukkixzwBhfNJLqHLj_vnp_ZMmvcS1-8iW2bE87ALvcWzQ81eZB95sY-XvENiOdWjPPolP2csZHMHuYjECB5eC6n5kaRi-c0C8DeXyeM/s2048/IMG_2692.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrlAS5Pb4HSwayQDFGXl7XchVz8B4Gg5V1o_NvukkixzwBhfNJLqHLj_vnp_ZMmvcS1-8iW2bE87ALvcWzQ81eZB95sY-XvENiOdWjPPolP2csZHMHuYjECB5eC6n5kaRi-c0C8DeXyeM/w487-h366/IMG_2692.heic" width="487" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Abbey isn't open to the public, and even the Abbey Church was closed due to the pandemic, but we went into the small parish church which has some rather lovely modern stained glass. The island also has the remains of a 12th century priory, which itself replaced an early Celtic monastery. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEZxDmmhIjkw5mhFX9uxfSNhRw1bTj0-gdZu0XkwVy2QC3TXkBLwUaGf9Fb7cBs8ecZsp39lyYzADXBvkyHfcN45wiel3teczorWBNLM2Y8b1atXA_XKwO9DJASpZFRXbyAxKrVYPDL6e/s2048/IMG_2713.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEZxDmmhIjkw5mhFX9uxfSNhRw1bTj0-gdZu0XkwVy2QC3TXkBLwUaGf9Fb7cBs8ecZsp39lyYzADXBvkyHfcN45wiel3teczorWBNLM2Y8b1atXA_XKwO9DJASpZFRXbyAxKrVYPDL6e/w383-h510/IMG_2713.heic" width="383" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The island is known for its red squirrels, but I didn't manage to spot any live ones, only this wooden squirrel decorating a bench. <br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkMI3HAU-YYR_Lzp98Gm1bGEyiZfmlbBzphoBtv3JfuuzKQ66DcQU8NOI9Z7vhmNuFdnYq-w7dz4luWZSbCD6t3PwaAhx-PrVgFHkTz8mFQDRAnJLq28G7SvzNNzdUX8u0IhfxWsiN5ne/s2048/IMG_2722.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkMI3HAU-YYR_Lzp98Gm1bGEyiZfmlbBzphoBtv3JfuuzKQ66DcQU8NOI9Z7vhmNuFdnYq-w7dz4luWZSbCD6t3PwaAhx-PrVgFHkTz8mFQDRAnJLq28G7SvzNNzdUX8u0IhfxWsiN5ne/w389-h518/IMG_2722.heic" width="389" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">We spent a bit of time enjoying the sun on the beach before catching the boat back to town. On our last day we went back out to sea on a seal spotting boat trip, which circumnavigated both Caldey and its uninhabited sister island, St. Margaret's, which is now a nature reserve. At the right time of year its cliffs are full of puffins, but they are migrants and had gone off to northern climes for the summer. We did see plenty of seals - look closely at the photo below and you may be able to see some grey blobs on the rock. It needed a camera with more range than my iPhone to get a decent picture. The layers of colour in the rock came out well though! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NeBxupD-6asjLY53lcffXhIcwpqhZnL1fDhQPp_MvGoW-N5je4TBlVIPehZiYAbgQFiJRkHF0n_3agOzejWhYFpNEKI_vXn28O_lJ5ys4Id-QJBR4gFqlDDkAEj1zL4rRKyHycE_lW6F/s2048/IMG_2963.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NeBxupD-6asjLY53lcffXhIcwpqhZnL1fDhQPp_MvGoW-N5je4TBlVIPehZiYAbgQFiJRkHF0n_3agOzejWhYFpNEKI_vXn28O_lJ5ys4Id-QJBR4gFqlDDkAEj1zL4rRKyHycE_lW6F/w472-h354/IMG_2963.jpeg" width="472" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Both trips were a treat. I am a sea lover and to spend time out on the waves with spray on my face just makes me happy. </p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-48932357737087140822021-09-19T22:27:00.003+01:002021-09-19T22:27:11.171+01:00A Little Love for Afghanistan<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As we walked along the beach into the town one morning while we were in Wales, we walked past a group making a giant heart in the sand with Afghanistan written inside. Sometimes there seems so very little one can do except watch a horrible situation from afar, and seeing people writing a little love into the sand ... well, love is never wasted. If nothing else, it acted as a brief reminder to people walking past. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsX2P9wlSp04jIKCuEQBV8q8LZuHto6wYj9PQyKfg3ul10tpY1W17QAEkRMvrMs2xerIN8tc1DUXB_CsHfl7TVP6MBnvKcf5_L8PTd1nedeMEUMMug1n63-4xh1fi_GrE7CL6-zkpTq6vE/s2048/IMG_2604.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsX2P9wlSp04jIKCuEQBV8q8LZuHto6wYj9PQyKfg3ul10tpY1W17QAEkRMvrMs2xerIN8tc1DUXB_CsHfl7TVP6MBnvKcf5_L8PTd1nedeMEUMMug1n63-4xh1fi_GrE7CL6-zkpTq6vE/w400-h300/IMG_2604.heic" width="400" /></a></div><p>While we were away M's synagogue sent out an appeal for clothing, toys and so on for some Afghani refugee families that had arrived locally. We wanted to help, but by the time we arrived home they had already received more items than they needed . A week or so ago they asked for donations of consumable items, particularly nappies, baby wipes and toiletries. M bought a batch and mentioned it to a neighbour who was also keen to help. He then put a note onto the WhatsApp group we share with about half a dozen of our nearest neighbours. Thanks to their generosity this was the pile that M delivered to the synagogue yesterday. We really do have lovely neighbours! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmFPXYitDMEU1tcqa5OFtVaSEpYBhuFpx-Z50CegztEDwQRTzxCv5s56dCf2VGyn6jos2G_set1YE-OSOEgI_rku2OCImzLwGQii_Yrc5vEqnXLi5wZHEyjlpF1sMIKGhpuLTo-iSVEBm/s2048/IMG_3408.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmFPXYitDMEU1tcqa5OFtVaSEpYBhuFpx-Z50CegztEDwQRTzxCv5s56dCf2VGyn6jos2G_set1YE-OSOEgI_rku2OCImzLwGQii_Yrc5vEqnXLi5wZHEyjlpF1sMIKGhpuLTo-iSVEBm/w400-h300/IMG_3408.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Last week was busy. Life really does seem to have stepped up into high gear again, with TG back at school, work, music and time spent catching up with friends. On Friday evening a dear friend and her fiancé came over for dinner, the first time we had seen them since before the pandemic - there was lots of talk and lots of laughter. Today I spent part of the morning helping move band music to a different storage area, then this afternoon played my violin at an orchestra rehearsal. I gave another old friend a lift, which gave us a chance to catch up with each other properly. Next week is looking busy again, kicking off with a trip to the orthodontist for TG in the morning to get braces. She had braces for several months a few years ago, to straighten a very crooked front tooth, but she has had to wait until now to have full braces put in as her baby teeth were very slow to fall out. While obviously not looking forward to the discomfort, she is glad to finally be able to get it done. </p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-22626500105376449692021-09-15T22:48:00.005+01:002021-09-15T22:48:55.186+01:00Summer Travels: Tenby<p>I spent a holiday at Tenby once when I was a child - probably aged about 8 - but all I could remember was that it had nice beaches. As we decided we wanted to visit South Wales, I put Tenby into Booking.com as a location, found a hotel that looked good and could be booked with free cancellation (this was during peak covid and we had no idea what the summer would bring) and that decided our destination. We simply could not have chosen better. Everything exceeded our expectations - we thought Tenby would be nice, but it is stunning. The hotel was pretty much perfect, situated at the top of a cliff overlooking the North Bay. There was a terrace with a magnificent view right cross the bay to the town, good food in the hotel restaurant, an outside pool (and good enough weather to swim in it!), helpful and friendly staff, and even an electric car charger in the car park. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfh7bJqAQrSJpu3bz_FYiuYLSfzvr6tYG3YzrwwzkewWVhTRz_UOq8_yWXKMu8AhZBT-axY6Ri3cf-cK9VajRgHO1o2WP7rbW7fIiGfqCIoJAXGoNkV1thISgcsiIqADu9kiTCwfgIUev/s2048/IMG_2794.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfh7bJqAQrSJpu3bz_FYiuYLSfzvr6tYG3YzrwwzkewWVhTRz_UOq8_yWXKMu8AhZBT-axY6Ri3cf-cK9VajRgHO1o2WP7rbW7fIiGfqCIoJAXGoNkV1thISgcsiIqADu9kiTCwfgIUev/w477-h358/IMG_2794.heic" width="477" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The pictures speak for themselves. Pretty painted houses round the harbour and quirky little streets. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7ZEktLMuUGM3nslCT6U98QcZw8xxTJPf9e4QlWGDMfjyqb_CK1MhEJOkGMARE2xxz0wjDQ05JZhXUZ6SKxVdHC8QGGlH7rIjzKoisAi3dOaQrtwo18oVf4-haShdY7TSxt_B8EjymQC4/s2048/IMG_2889.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="485" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7ZEktLMuUGM3nslCT6U98QcZw8xxTJPf9e4QlWGDMfjyqb_CK1MhEJOkGMARE2xxz0wjDQ05JZhXUZ6SKxVdHC8QGGlH7rIjzKoisAi3dOaQrtwo18oVf4-haShdY7TSxt_B8EjymQC4/w364-h485/IMG_2889.heic" width="364" /></a> </div><div><br /></div>It is also a walled town, with most of its historic walls still standing. Not surprisingly given how lovely Tenby is and that it was August it was busy. Most of the restaurants had queues in the evening, and we discovered that if we wanted to eat in the town it was best to eat early. We had a couple of excellent meals, there but most of the time relied on the hotel restaurant rather than risk getting stuck in a long queue - no hardship as the food was very good. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXBbNYAMhktiPVl-thvFkXmaMGDm6wml4MXNhxKXUIIHOoW8Ohq5DNvKpB6oNA6In5a2rq7iE3T8oVsKCqkXLZPJI44pBE_T2i4SlWxq_eLZhhTw7Ay45r0SLgViV69fBjJ0DAw1pus-Z/s2048/IMG_2990.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXBbNYAMhktiPVl-thvFkXmaMGDm6wml4MXNhxKXUIIHOoW8Ohq5DNvKpB6oNA6In5a2rq7iE3T8oVsKCqkXLZPJI44pBE_T2i4SlWxq_eLZhhTw7Ay45r0SLgViV69fBjJ0DAw1pus-Z/w367-h489/IMG_2990.heic" width="367" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Then there were the beaches. This was the beach which began just below our hotel. There was a private path down, a steep zigzag that M and I were very unsure of the first couple of times we went down it, relying on TG to help us round the most dodgy corners, but by the end of the holiday we had mastered it! Most days we went down the scary path and walked into town along the beach rather than round by the road. <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYI-iUu-f3ZKqWMkPgP5YPxJp94cQjpi-rnx5_ZRup4i29oSi-ZM5hu1MzNtBWKHNjnIlf0o-gYbKCmnyirYcriGvCHY_n4ttv8ICCcdTOYiH3rtxm-GahFrfvY_8tEajCb4jYL9QXMHH/s2048/IMG_2651.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYI-iUu-f3ZKqWMkPgP5YPxJp94cQjpi-rnx5_ZRup4i29oSi-ZM5hu1MzNtBWKHNjnIlf0o-gYbKCmnyirYcriGvCHY_n4ttv8ICCcdTOYiH3rtxm-GahFrfvY_8tEajCb4jYL9QXMHH/w367-h489/IMG_2651.heic" width="367" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The view below is looking along the beach in the other direction. Our hotel was the white building on the left. The weather really was as lovely as it looks. We didn't swim in the sea, but we paddled and swam in the slightly warmer hotel pool instead.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VrKCFFmEEmgzMh-hZwWRT1PO-F6UZtUEQ9hmObb-0HxZcRZm4XKuawiId_TcZCbGDjMReJChbHZz4a2tKpEJS-h68V1fjSU30nWPDKTad42BAaVgv6IzMOw7GWyQGwXzDwUzkVGmRQYX/s2048/IMG_2932.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VrKCFFmEEmgzMh-hZwWRT1PO-F6UZtUEQ9hmObb-0HxZcRZm4XKuawiId_TcZCbGDjMReJChbHZz4a2tKpEJS-h68V1fjSU30nWPDKTad42BAaVgv6IzMOw7GWyQGwXzDwUzkVGmRQYX/w489-h367/IMG_2932.heic" width="489" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On the other side of the headland behind the harbour was another very long beach, which I think was the one I remember from my childhood visit. It was possible to take various boat trips from the harbour, but during low tide - which was much of the day while we were there - the boats ran from this makeshift landing stage which was towed up and down the beach by a tractor. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSXj-_TS9vylLz8mzY5-prFs0EZXYfEdMaplys9Hzd6nkkJmp9cfXJOZvCyOKxPUHRdJyQarlJX43U2u3E4NWhCqbMM6n8nc5ZqNB_EXDT33JhIB-LszhhrM3GodV2p09H5B6iY101U7G/s2048/IMG_2575.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSXj-_TS9vylLz8mzY5-prFs0EZXYfEdMaplys9Hzd6nkkJmp9cfXJOZvCyOKxPUHRdJyQarlJX43U2u3E4NWhCqbMM6n8nc5ZqNB_EXDT33JhIB-LszhhrM3GodV2p09H5B6iY101U7G/w487-h365/IMG_2575.heic" width="487" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>It really was a lovely holiday and we definitely hope to go back again. We did quite a bit of walking and exploring, but also spent time just sitting on the beach and relaxing in the hotel. I think we all felt that we got the balance about right and came home feeling that our batteries had been recharged. I'll write another post about some of the places we explored. </div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-62399163304622000442021-09-13T22:30:00.002+01:002021-09-13T22:30:15.420+01:00Summer Travels: Cardiff<p>Our first port of call on our Welsh trip was Cardiff. I once went to a short academic conference at the university there but had never visited the city itself, and neither had M or TG. Tenby was quite a long drive so we decided we would spend a night in Cardiff to break the journey and have a look round the city. A long trip meant dealing with the ups and downs of charging the car while away from home. We stopped at a motorway service station on the M4 a bit before Cardiff only to find we were third in a queue of cars waiting to use a single charger. By the time we had bought and eaten pasties of lunch we were second but another car was also waiting. We all had a grumble about the inadequacies of the motorway charging network, then as we still had plenty of juice in our battery and the next car was down to 10% we left them to it and went on to Cardiff where the Zap Map app directed us to some on street chargers near the main shopping street. These turned out to be brand new, worked like a dream, and included free parking, so we had a wander around the shops while the car was doing its thing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3te1CUq3UExqcpBNuLmSlId-lVLdkHxvUNTr8-jcrZ-l7hC-RQ1DIIsvm8T6W8DLwBMOvCPTWHOYYsrGTGyAugDDsui-DWkaENCaCD8wIz2NBNLoxa_04D1gLRJg7pVvKqIxUiQoD1w5J/s2048/IMG_2526.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3te1CUq3UExqcpBNuLmSlId-lVLdkHxvUNTr8-jcrZ-l7hC-RQ1DIIsvm8T6W8DLwBMOvCPTWHOYYsrGTGyAugDDsui-DWkaENCaCD8wIz2NBNLoxa_04D1gLRJg7pVvKqIxUiQoD1w5J/w400-h300/IMG_2526.heic" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With the battery looking healthier, we drove down to Cardiff Bay, which has been redeveloped from old docks into a vibrant waterfront area. I assumed it was sea, but Google tells me it is a large freshwater lake at the mouth of a river estuary. After fuelling ourselves on some gazillion calorie traybake slices from a cafe we did a circular walk around the Bay. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqT5Dt60phK8ikVJLZrjrzVqjbaXIKKgnXYRzaM8J335rHtidsWo7k1CZTuqxnFfgrS2FFTvwbJ99H5m5ZrR-NO8rV4mUIitHL-xLTDqPMYGEBrHHgQMFBLOsu6jiL3n9BSoPWp8ydZ1Mx/s2048/IMG_2533.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqT5Dt60phK8ikVJLZrjrzVqjbaXIKKgnXYRzaM8J335rHtidsWo7k1CZTuqxnFfgrS2FFTvwbJ99H5m5ZrR-NO8rV4mUIitHL-xLTDqPMYGEBrHHgQMFBLOsu6jiL3n9BSoPWp8ydZ1Mx/w400-h300/IMG_2533.heic" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We walked past the Welsh Senedd (parliament) building and this pretty Norwegian Church which is now an arts centre and coffee shop. Unfortunately it was closing just as we got there so we didn't get a chance to look round. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5NGGXKzgeO84KG4i11dPYFcQwLNuDeOEdFwWeEopdD9w31oH1G6fGCt6-ZDFobFhQu9Ply-Hyw7RBafUEH7jfFOFkjxq6IHXje-BMneTYQpMJfSBsWRYL6sMHKb_Hq_co0J9cX2gHCoC/s2048/IMG_2536.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5NGGXKzgeO84KG4i11dPYFcQwLNuDeOEdFwWeEopdD9w31oH1G6fGCt6-ZDFobFhQu9Ply-Hyw7RBafUEH7jfFOFkjxq6IHXje-BMneTYQpMJfSBsWRYL6sMHKb_Hq_co0J9cX2gHCoC/w300-h400/IMG_2536.heic" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was lots of street art including a series of sculptures representing the people of Cardiff, likely this miner leaning against a cart. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59pALH9ufE5a1Y165sZzp3zvgkROqa7A9OQzAomPZ-zFtREnCRxCeaByWn-m2-PrrdOemTKKI_joFzX3hyglrvJxM_gXGcT_0iBIMoQ00in9MastuJKYgccMmaG8vBhScB_6VRazR2brH/s2048/IMG_2555.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59pALH9ufE5a1Y165sZzp3zvgkROqa7A9OQzAomPZ-zFtREnCRxCeaByWn-m2-PrrdOemTKKI_joFzX3hyglrvJxM_gXGcT_0iBIMoQ00in9MastuJKYgccMmaG8vBhScB_6VRazR2brH/w400-h300/IMG_2555.heic" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We ended up at the Wales Millennium Centre, where a couple of entertainers in inflatable dinosaur suits were entertaining children in front of the entrance. I didn't manage to photograph it very well, but the curved wall carved in both Welsh and English was very impressive. To the right in the picture above in Roald Dahl Plass (Dahl was born in the city) was a small fairground leading down to a large Ferris wheel at the edge of the water. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmrI3g6c1_tfRMpPFEcaxugSxkpPJvycms4VxJm1ocQFsb3bVusevuVnGzCfKIRMsVuKw5rzf7PBhlYIwWeiLSaPuzxtc7DGFQEOWne3f6WcdsHIFxgZylVN3oPz9GkbB2jz_wKpcAybAY/s2048/IMG_2548.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmrI3g6c1_tfRMpPFEcaxugSxkpPJvycms4VxJm1ocQFsb3bVusevuVnGzCfKIRMsVuKw5rzf7PBhlYIwWeiLSaPuzxtc7DGFQEOWne3f6WcdsHIFxgZylVN3oPz9GkbB2jz_wKpcAybAY/w400-h300/IMG_2548.heic" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After our stroll it was time for dinner in a waterfront pub before heading off to a Premier Inn on the northern edge of the city for the night. In the morning there was torrential rain, so we waited for it to ease a bit before setting off for Tenby. By the time we arrived it had stopped raining, and unbelievably (Wales is not renowned for being dry!) that was the last rain we saw all week. </div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-1059407525011505002021-09-11T22:22:00.007+01:002021-09-11T22:22:50.658+01:00Back from an August break (or two)<p>Whoa! What happened there! That is my longest break in blogging since I started writing regularly back in March 2020. Mainly it is due to holidays. We had two trips away. First the three of us went to South Wales for a week, then I went with H and TG to Paris and Disneyland for four days. Back in July I was pretty much convinced that we would not be going - any one returning to the UK from France had to quarantine for 10 days, plus the rules about covid tests and so on just sounded complicated - but in the end we decided to go for it and were very glad we did. I'll write separate posts about both trips with photos next week. For now I just want to get caught up and back into writing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibk9eWv0nrOBBN_bByL80ECNhUo3cKW7Q1sqDQFN_VbiofCOsoYd_OD4N1G6rV8GTrN0NaGRNgcvs_6fhK_1Qp-G13iJWMeQNQd39FWyfOuOJKAi98MOG1N4br4VvY3B1qaWUrmdcRkbVC/s2048/IMG_2647.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibk9eWv0nrOBBN_bByL80ECNhUo3cKW7Q1sqDQFN_VbiofCOsoYd_OD4N1G6rV8GTrN0NaGRNgcvs_6fhK_1Qp-G13iJWMeQNQd39FWyfOuOJKAi98MOG1N4br4VvY3B1qaWUrmdcRkbVC/w446-h335/IMG_2647.heic" width="446" /></a></div><p>We got home from Paris late on Sunday night after a slight delay to the flight due to all the extra paper work that had to be checked before we could board. To travel back into the UK we needed negative covid test certificates, booking reference numbers for another test to be taken within two days of getting home, and a passenger locator form, all of which were inspected by the Air France staff. That did at least mean that we breezed through border control at Heathrow when we arrived in London. After the late night H and I both had early starts the next morning as we were working. TG was able to enjoy a couple of days of relaxing days as she didn't go back to school until Wednesday. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZo8Yy3xPF0Tq3jA191VYfzwZI925kr_GlK0ocSugfTOVDdJ0hsxEejORSKxM4xbj4FACM9TTP8YucIpzNhh8ZJW9nt5Tsn1IbwALL1V_zgw-zesqQI9mCw1acqdVA6_FYnqK8PHozyzzo/s2048/IMG_3129.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZo8Yy3xPF0Tq3jA191VYfzwZI925kr_GlK0ocSugfTOVDdJ0hsxEejORSKxM4xbj4FACM9TTP8YucIpzNhh8ZJW9nt5Tsn1IbwALL1V_zgw-zesqQI9mCw1acqdVA6_FYnqK8PHozyzzo/w328-h437/IMG_3129.heic" width="328" /></a></div><p>So now life is very much back to normal. It really does seem to be pretty much back to pre-pandemic life for us, apart from a bit of mask wearing and regular lateral flow (antigen) tests for M and TG who have to take them for work and school. Brass band and my regular Thursday evening orchestra have started up again, and today TG and I went to the cinema to see Shang Chi and the Ten Rings. The two of us have been binging on Marvel movies over the last month, and only have the most recent Spiderman movie left to watch. Then we plan to work our way through the various Marvel series now available on Disney Plus, including a re-watch of Wandavision now we have more context. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCuUARQh-fpi5aaUvF8P5bRjzD7I4AYMU0fc1FK4dXiDfxzP-B1SV1h9HECyZcCaQTIAI-lVd_E0_Ivfcn4hAWCYmSeuK4_Rl0ESfgT22iCy3TzHGnJCKsXRnfR8Dtl6rgbf9wUKcvNOt/s2048/IMG_3218.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCuUARQh-fpi5aaUvF8P5bRjzD7I4AYMU0fc1FK4dXiDfxzP-B1SV1h9HECyZcCaQTIAI-lVd_E0_Ivfcn4hAWCYmSeuK4_Rl0ESfgT22iCy3TzHGnJCKsXRnfR8Dtl6rgbf9wUKcvNOt/w445-h334/IMG_3218.heic" width="445" /></a></div><p>I'm trying to think what else I should record ... we were all horrified by what has been happening in Afghanistan. M's synagogue have been collecting various things for Afghan refugees and are asking particularly for nappies and baby wipes, so there are now batches of both in the boot of the car waiting for M to drop them off. Our government continues its usual level of incompetence, burying its head in the sand over a major shortage of lorry drivers caused largely by Brexit which is causing problems in many areas - for example, our garden waste is not being collected because the council don't have enough drivers. Coronavirus rates are still higher than we would all like to see, but despite everything now being open and all restrictions lifted, they are pretty stable. High vaccination levels have massively reduced the number of people being hospitalised, but again, both hospitalisations and deaths are still at significant levels and not really coming down. Many people are pessimistic about the winter, but I'm feeling moderately optimistic that immunity levels are now high enough to stop case rates getting out of control. I hope I'm right. </p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-34283504734703965902021-08-09T22:50:00.001+01:002021-08-09T22:50:02.765+01:00Day Trip 3: Sky Garden<p>Our third day trip last week was on Thursday, when we went back to London. We started with lunch at Borough Market. One of the joys of this food market is that there are many places to get takeaway hot food and everyone can pick something different to eat. M opted for a large salt beef bagel, TG wanted a filled bao bun and sweet potato fries, and I had a vegetarian filled dosa with a chickpea side dish from an Indian street Ford stall. There is a stepped outdoor seating area where you can look down on the stalls and watch the world go by while you eat. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSLoNX-jZNsZQSEA-gIcw9FC_9htk2H160X9Dzimp1tHwgF8CpW5vVkomu1I08PdX5hqpJ2QZPohUWGzrSx7PkroNJbzE-BK-36mrTGj7Mi0b1uETrtgG_UTnU830aCoyTY7tcL7zQMq8/s2048/IMG_2350.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSLoNX-jZNsZQSEA-gIcw9FC_9htk2H160X9Dzimp1tHwgF8CpW5vVkomu1I08PdX5hqpJ2QZPohUWGzrSx7PkroNJbzE-BK-36mrTGj7Mi0b1uETrtgG_UTnU830aCoyTY7tcL7zQMq8/w300-h400/IMG_2350.heic" width="300" /></a></p><p>After lunch we walked across London Bridge as I had booked tickets for the Sky Garden. This is a free-to-enter public park at the top of the building in the picture above - if you look closely you can see the viewing balcony at the front. (Aside: The building just to the left of this photo is where M and I first met over 40 years ago, when we worked in the same office.) Although tickets to enter the Sky Garden are free they have to be pre-booked as it can only accommodate a limited number of visitors, even during non-pandemic times. I think it only recently reopened, and I was surprised I managed to get tickets as they go pretty quickly. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrAPOY3SWVqfYhEretkJa2lBAXPJ0eLpV_jE_baGfvnjbU0wYNfszJtZUtmj6GIKeiEwcSf3AQQa236nvyH9MxZKg_jkHNtd_zLP9ie84XPtAA9jgxtTmvoEl0I1oZsX5afHeog38zNDk/s2048/IMG_2375.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrAPOY3SWVqfYhEretkJa2lBAXPJ0eLpV_jE_baGfvnjbU0wYNfszJtZUtmj6GIKeiEwcSf3AQQa236nvyH9MxZKg_jkHNtd_zLP9ie84XPtAA9jgxtTmvoEl0I1oZsX5afHeog38zNDk/w400-h300/IMG_2375.heic" width="400" /></a></div><p>The "garden" is on two levels, with a restaurant above (the box in the top left corner) and a couple of bar / cafe areas. Unfortunately the weather wasn't great and the balcony was closed as a result - too much wind, I think. The views from inside are still pretty impressive though. After we had walked around we stopped for coffee and pain au chocolats before heading back down. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf38iOGlxzW09q1DK2OIPUx5kJ0M6bfEN7OQB8-5rA6nY2eXsjyLSTSkjE3olMlKUuzUMiP0-9qC6bM4kMBJ7UnOJg2BqlrQmgcaRA0Gik0nkoM1WQp2nm3FpIucwkoQ8JnPoNzAidxPXk/s2048/IMG_2354.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf38iOGlxzW09q1DK2OIPUx5kJ0M6bfEN7OQB8-5rA6nY2eXsjyLSTSkjE3olMlKUuzUMiP0-9qC6bM4kMBJ7UnOJg2BqlrQmgcaRA0Gik0nkoM1WQp2nm3FpIucwkoQ8JnPoNzAidxPXk/w400-h300/IMG_2354.heic" width="400" /></a></p>After the Sky Garden we split up. M had arranged to meet a couple of friends in the City, and TG wanted to go shopping in Oxford Street. By this time the weather was getting wet and nasty, so we had to dash between shops. We spent a bit of time in the giant Primark store (magnet for teen girls!) where she bought a Disney sweatshirt in the sale. We then spent a lot of time window shopping in Urban Outfitters, which according to TG is Gen Z style perfection, and finished off with a putter round the Disney Store. We are hoping that we will be able to make it to Disneyland Paris at the beginning of September, a trip postponed from last February, so in a fit of optimism I bought three little clip on Disney characters (£2 each in the sale!) for our bags. Whether we will actually make it, who knows! By that time we had had enough of the weather, so we abandoned a plan to go in search of soufflé pancakes for dinner and grabbed a couple of pasties at the station to eat when we got home. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoYug145T8oU1XStTr_KzCYSzVMgJB9bZOY9CmeR2fu2CX1hWfUodupl_k6UG_TywrlTJkVYsyD8tJo2u0_QP2-9h4kXiL4yA-NQiipi-EXWfoMUPKOQLEDRuHqVSiZ2gdKssOKlxnSngv/s2048/IMG_2368.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoYug145T8oU1XStTr_KzCYSzVMgJB9bZOY9CmeR2fu2CX1hWfUodupl_k6UG_TywrlTJkVYsyD8tJo2u0_QP2-9h4kXiL4yA-NQiipi-EXWfoMUPKOQLEDRuHqVSiZ2gdKssOKlxnSngv/w400-h300/IMG_2368.heic" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Friday was a day of socialising with band friends. I have swapped jobs with a friend so that he is now treasurer and I am band librarian again. This also involved swapping several large boxes of stuff, an exchange in which I came off worse! Fortunately there was space on shelving in the garage so they aren't adding too much clutter. We stayed for lunch with him and his wife after sorting out the various things we needed to hand over, then in the evening another couple of friends came over to us and we had an Indian takeaway with them. On Saturday, TG and I went to the cinema for the first time since before the pandemic to see Black Widow. On Sunday I stayed home and had a restful day before going back to work. today. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-13244777631814492932021-08-07T21:57:00.003+01:002021-08-07T21:57:33.830+01:00Day Trip 2: St. AlbansI''m behind with updating this blog again, but as I want to keep a record of what we have been doing I'm writing late and assuming I will eventually catch up. On Tuesday we drove to the city of St. Albans in Hertfordshire (about 40 minutes away) for a picnic lunch, a wander round the city park and the cathedral, and a bit of shopping (mainly for TG's benefit, though it turned out to be very useful). <p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgRGLtaZEjEMyrJxk9UcWBZcetzB9P6uJxI7f4dC_hoXFyDkDkxsMHyEl9JJ65xGK7_-h5GAW7I6eQBf7J4eWegFdxoaYHDeUmNeBHz37dcivcWPDQIUF451GbUGKkNv96771aP9hXPf7/s2048/IMG_2312.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgRGLtaZEjEMyrJxk9UcWBZcetzB9P6uJxI7f4dC_hoXFyDkDkxsMHyEl9JJ65xGK7_-h5GAW7I6eQBf7J4eWegFdxoaYHDeUmNeBHz37dcivcWPDQIUF451GbUGKkNv96771aP9hXPf7/w400-h300/IMG_2312.heic" width="400" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cathedral is a gem. In the Middle Ages St. Albans Abbey was one of the largest and most important Benedictine monasteries in England. It held the shrine of the first English martyr, St Alban, and was home to 13th century chronicler Matthew Paris, whose writing is one of the most important sources for the history of his century. Unlike so many of the great medieval monasteries here, the church of St Alban survived the Reformation by becoming the cathedral of a new diocese - the monastic buildings have all now disappeared, but within the church itself even some of its 13th century medieval wall paintings can still be seen. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7-gwo2CvmuUuLjfJQ7NRb2AEy2y4gnNEefEmZVli4sTwyLmqE7xhA5Xy6PrBwYsSOMp0vevKLP3eKc6JHC641C3oeu5-R0_E65fl0hT63mviGdmHXYnYt6LZpwyRYrEhspmeSeM_Pnd3/s2048/IMG_2299.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7-gwo2CvmuUuLjfJQ7NRb2AEy2y4gnNEefEmZVli4sTwyLmqE7xhA5Xy6PrBwYsSOMp0vevKLP3eKc6JHC641C3oeu5-R0_E65fl0hT63mviGdmHXYnYt6LZpwyRYrEhspmeSeM_Pnd3/w300-h400/IMG_2299.heic" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">St. Albans was once the Roman city of Verulamium, and it still has some impressive Roman remains and a good museum. TG remembered visiting the museum when she was at lower school, but as TG and M can only manage a limited amount of history in one day, we only visited the cathedral and ignored the Romans. If you look closely at the picture below, you may be able to see that the tower and part of the walls are built with small red bricks - these were recycled by the 12th century builders from the ruins of the Roman town. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZHZ7pWWjCLWObSKtJmtlrV6dBnltSKKqcvbZ2JydeZw0pkaZRp_ty-D9pbRrl24j0kM8AhxTloVCY5YfLnJWLQ8nJnKIVV5xY5-hxHspBT-pJM1vQUefk0YJdHGst1aayOU9vnZa7XeU/s2048/IMG_2321.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZHZ7pWWjCLWObSKtJmtlrV6dBnltSKKqcvbZ2JydeZw0pkaZRp_ty-D9pbRrl24j0kM8AhxTloVCY5YfLnJWLQ8nJnKIVV5xY5-hxHspBT-pJM1vQUefk0YJdHGst1aayOU9vnZa7XeU/w400-h300/IMG_2321.heic" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We parked near the Roman museum and walked through the city park and round this lake on the way to the cathedral and the town. I love it when I manage to catch a good reflection in a photo. After the cathedral we ambled round the city centre. We stopped for a coffee and we did some birthday shopping for H, who turns 23 next week - I got some Le Creuset items for her kitchen (I know she loves their stuff, though most of it is prohibitively expensive!), and TG bought her a candle from Anthropologie. We left St. Albans at about 4 and drove home via Milton Keynes to get dinner at Nandos on the way. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTVe_Xo6ETV7T30TpN_t3QRRTPHUm6ZcTtkD0Oa9x4VKe5Ue5hEB1thOKxKmSnE_hvudCdcX_qOG9ZDs33HKDc42G2zux10J7Kq3YJa_ulOFN0kpQwDSkJRE19bnEvUwMXkYNFaO3JY5H/s2048/IMG_2278.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTVe_Xo6ETV7T30TpN_t3QRRTPHUm6ZcTtkD0Oa9x4VKe5Ue5hEB1thOKxKmSnE_hvudCdcX_qOG9ZDs33HKDc42G2zux10J7Kq3YJa_ulOFN0kpQwDSkJRE19bnEvUwMXkYNFaO3JY5H/w300-h400/IMG_2278.heic" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Wednesday was mostly a lazy day at home, though I went to an orchestra rehearsal in the evening. Gardeners came in the afternoon to cut the tall hedge round our back garden. We used to do it ourselves, or with my brother's help, but it is a heavy physical job and we have reached the point where paying someone else to do it is worth every penny! Thursday was another day-tripping day - more about that in the next post. </div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-86510161311105693842021-08-03T23:01:00.004+01:002021-08-03T23:01:55.973+01:00Theatre is Back! <p>M and I both have this week off work, so we are turning it into a bit of a staycation (holiday at home) with some trips out. TG had been wanting to see Everybody's Talking About Jamie since she watched a recording at school, so I booked tickets as a birthday treat for her and H (though rather nearer H's birthday as we wanted to wait a while until Covid measures had been lifted). We originally booked for next Sunday evening, but that show was cancelled and they exchanged the tickets for last Sunday afternoon. The first tickets they sent us were slightly better than the originals, but when we got there we discovered they had given us another set with much better seats. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYivtQMAZv3oSRAFWh5wdcJTNGG_VsQ673bH9IV2-yc3sKfVSh3iWhWqCEITkpRbdkqHXwoXd79ROrTACn_FIbJvfk6JBHPqbTrYKGSSq_YIUnbQ9IAnNUY9RbniH7ho6f1gq5dOgayf4/s2048/IMG_2216.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1537" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYivtQMAZv3oSRAFWh5wdcJTNGG_VsQ673bH9IV2-yc3sKfVSh3iWhWqCEITkpRbdkqHXwoXd79ROrTACn_FIbJvfk6JBHPqbTrYKGSSq_YIUnbQ9IAnNUY9RbniH7ho6f1gq5dOgayf4/w300-h400/IMG_2216.heic" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Being at the theatre again felt both strange and a little alarming - we are so unused to being somewhere with a lot of people - but also emotional. All the actors and musicians who had been unable to work for so long clearly relished being back and the energy of the show was fantastic. We all loved it, including M who was a bit unsure whether it was something he would enjoy, and the actors who played Jamie and his mother both got standing ovations. TG loves musical theatre and performers need all the support they can get just now, so I have two more shows booked for the two of us over the next couple of months - Six at Oxford at the end of August, and Hairspray in London at the end of September. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMB6t7jWKkBMlRB-5U5DEU0RtinfXb3ATFJPN3fGPq6fCz6_2uezGfZrY30M491p97QykunnubcbDLmOfKVlx5VDwIT-5jgCeiyCet4dfS0zAD8WwcCmBGisM8OYjY0lmv6yrFDp25oKHz/s2048/IMG_2234.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMB6t7jWKkBMlRB-5U5DEU0RtinfXb3ATFJPN3fGPq6fCz6_2uezGfZrY30M491p97QykunnubcbDLmOfKVlx5VDwIT-5jgCeiyCet4dfS0zAD8WwcCmBGisM8OYjY0lmv6yrFDp25oKHz/w300-h400/IMG_2234.heic" width="300" /></a></div><p>After the show we went to Chinatown, which is just across the road from the theatre, for dinner. Strangely given that M and I have both lived in London and go there fairly often we had never eaten in Chinatown. It may have been the first time but it won't be the last. It was just warm enough to sit outside and watch the world go by while we ate. The meal was excellent and included some very pretty coloured dim sum. You can see in the photo above that it was pretty busy, and this was without foreign tourists in London. You can also see that TG (on the right with lighter hair) is now as tall as H. I'm beginning to think she may end up the tallest of our daughters, which would be a huge shock given how petite she was until the last year or two. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKB0M3vHRWGAHEfEDRtRLKheLm8N9BPvmAebdjuGuMOzrdEsT4dfmfbak7m88DlXdUBsKgFh0Wv3UHQrOqf0ZheDHpMK4XSR5anP4hnhtjiHY4tvMe26ezawyWi1XhKXd9qspqZjGp4b8/s2048/IMG_2241.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKB0M3vHRWGAHEfEDRtRLKheLm8N9BPvmAebdjuGuMOzrdEsT4dfmfbak7m88DlXdUBsKgFh0Wv3UHQrOqf0ZheDHpMK4XSR5anP4hnhtjiHY4tvMe26ezawyWi1XhKXd9qspqZjGp4b8/w300-h400/IMG_2241.heic" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As it was dry we walked from Euston Station and back, which took about 30 minutes each way. R and H have discovered an app called Too Good to Go on which cafes and food shops sell boxes left over food at the end of the day rather than let it go to waste. It is lucky dip; you pay a small amount for a box or bag without knowing what will be in it, and are given a collection time to pick it up. H found a coffee shop on Too Good to Go which was on our way back to the station and bought a box which turned out to be four large and very tasty vegan donuts. We had to wait at the station for a bit as the train we would have caught was cancelled due to lack of staff, so TG and I ate donuts while we waited. H was more restrained and took hers home! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAn4S4pp6PQXFEEzsw1qUbIunk65JoiAZJpkVwAXNfhgXl0573sgH_Kfkcs3W5tRXVc0U5AlqinArztDiBOatgeKXEq4z6y7TvTWLFOLbM-GFIa-7cnsy1IWIqjYxwp3DZadY-n3NJkAms/s2048/IMG_2243.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAn4S4pp6PQXFEEzsw1qUbIunk65JoiAZJpkVwAXNfhgXl0573sgH_Kfkcs3W5tRXVc0U5AlqinArztDiBOatgeKXEq4z6y7TvTWLFOLbM-GFIa-7cnsy1IWIqjYxwp3DZadY-n3NJkAms/w300-h400/IMG_2243.heic" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>The combination of good company, the sheer joy of the theatre and the delicious Chinese food made for a wonderful and memorable day out. The long lockdowns and the limits imposed on daily life for so long by the pandemic have made us truly appreciate things that we used to take for granted. </p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-66764117316231296282021-08-01T23:29:00.005+01:002021-08-01T23:29:47.507+01:00An Olympic Week<p>This was another busy week, with freelance work on top of my two archive days. I took some time out on Thursday and M and I went to Aylesbury to have lunch with an old friend and former colleague who we hadn't seen since before the pandemic. We have been having quite a bit of rain, but Thursday was dry and bright so we headed over early and went for a walk first. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhTKIvM9-htGyUEJaDK16k3vmARH-s8ADAQYPWDfNa9o-OyeRgPWgDskRnj0EMNKqqHD6ehwkJMx0UgdrT5ojwaRlnkj2M1A4O1Hm32L4a_S2QuZRicwtZzFLHPfrx665Ejnz9PzMjFhm/s2048/IMG_2192+2.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhTKIvM9-htGyUEJaDK16k3vmARH-s8ADAQYPWDfNa9o-OyeRgPWgDskRnj0EMNKqqHD6ehwkJMx0UgdrT5ojwaRlnkj2M1A4O1Hm32L4a_S2QuZRicwtZzFLHPfrx665Ejnz9PzMjFhm/w300-h400/IMG_2192+2.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I used to live close to Aylesbury (admittedly a few decades ago!) and thought I knew the town pretty well, but had never discovered the canal. This is a branch of "our" canal which I think was restored and put back into use some time ago. We walked past this narrow lock - just one boat width, whereas on the main canal they are wide enough for two. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzg93MldndASSKkBtUMC_0-rOedJD50Ja6RRy8IJLwmfy1NljX9npuiifxviBOyNuxCg5NlIp24dJf1XIuX3hx0RU2iht1Ibt1VND1XfQvnxUMQe6jam0Sev1iEv3tFCmWhdk_UcX6OAB/s2048/IMG_2194.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzg93MldndASSKkBtUMC_0-rOedJD50Ja6RRy8IJLwmfy1NljX9npuiifxviBOyNuxCg5NlIp24dJf1XIuX3hx0RU2iht1Ibt1VND1XfQvnxUMQe6jam0Sev1iEv3tFCmWhdk_UcX6OAB/w400-h300/IMG_2194.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We had intended to do a circular walk, but the footpath shown on the map had been blocked off where a new housing estate is being built. We decided the easiest option was just to turn round and walk back along the towpath the way we had come. I imagine that the houses will eventually have access to the canal and a path will re-open. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutzrom-WJwI0mRSFC9jOxnagtFCXbxv5Wgxu3lgCmf8EFKG87vIyZ7Vt7UZOhqzxCmlaq2ZUgdvV36Z41wPLnsUd93yw0JPF60amZM7gdkICtFDeWcAM1_pAGrnu78RXpFkz1bakeG-2F/s2048/IMG_2196+2.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutzrom-WJwI0mRSFC9jOxnagtFCXbxv5Wgxu3lgCmf8EFKG87vIyZ7Vt7UZOhqzxCmlaq2ZUgdvV36Z41wPLnsUd93yw0JPF60amZM7gdkICtFDeWcAM1_pAGrnu78RXpFkz1bakeG-2F/w400-h300/IMG_2196+2.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had lunch at Nandos in the town centre. It is in a newish complex by the cinema, with restaurants fronting onto a green space with a set of sporting statues - very appropriate as we are in the middle of the belated Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Talking of which, I have been watching as much as I can manage. Normally I rarely watch sport on TV, but I enjoy the huge variety of the Olympics, and the sheer range of skills on display. My highlight so far has been the two young British women who won gold medals for BMX cycling. Bethany Shriever won the racing medal after having to fight tooth and nail to get finance to allow her to compete - part of her training was crowd funded - and put so much into her final race that she literally couldn't stand when she got off her bike. Today's BMX freestyle winner, Charlotte Worthington, fell off on her first run then went on to perform an extraordinary series of tricks, all with a beaming smile on her face. Her tribute to the American world champion she beat was matched by the other young woman's graciousness in defeat - wonderful examples of Olympic spirt, and fantastic ambassadors for a sport that had never previously been on my radar. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHRoVhVupydRSfSKtTpXzUGVCrigmXMIb2U3UcL6zBwcHW6L6EsrkBm86fUQpR3cJiFfiXv1DBDF2oXz2XGgPm2lr1YRyzoR5dlRjk6cE0JfbLzSe4NLAZt4G0NTt2kCHCMfTktf_TIz6/s2048/C1B46974-E8BD-43D7-9F16-EC18B1398146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHRoVhVupydRSfSKtTpXzUGVCrigmXMIb2U3UcL6zBwcHW6L6EsrkBm86fUQpR3cJiFfiXv1DBDF2oXz2XGgPm2lr1YRyzoR5dlRjk6cE0JfbLzSe4NLAZt4G0NTt2kCHCMfTktf_TIz6/s320/C1B46974-E8BD-43D7-9F16-EC18B1398146.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On Wednesday I went to another orchestra rehearsal for the festival performance at the end of August, but this time took my viola instead of my violin. Lots of violinists had signed up to play but very few violas, so the organiser asked if any violinists would be able to switch. I thought it would be fun to change things up a bit and play viola now I have one, so I volunteered. I enjoyed playing it and didn't have any problems keeping up, but the sound is a bit scratchy at times - not surprisingly given how little I paid for it. After Wednesday I had the bright idea of trying to play it with my decent violin bow instead of the cheap bow that came with the viola, and it makes a huge difference to both the sound and the feel of the instrument. I'm looking forward to playing it again next week. <div><p><br /></p></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-56501028780395034082021-07-25T23:44:00.003+01:002021-07-25T23:44:44.049+01:00Life at Full Speed<p>Life has gone back to full speed now, and although I mean to keep writing here regularly I blink and another week has passed. For most of the week we had a heatwave. These photos were from a walk on Wednesday morning, and it was already hot by 9am. Although I am now back to working entirely in the office, I left early on Tuesday and finished off some work at home as M needed the electric car to go to work mid-afternoon, and I just couldn't face taking the little car and driving home without aircon in the heat.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeRvwIqhZqTUy-aqUfa6QuZJD8aX-brGB38OuU0UZGXo1fjIIbYiMalkp7aEKlSZXVXiOytu1OVryivkmmxnaud4vww2797-WFPV4V0bR5WfCE0eeVIeNBpYLEAUtN-nO8c9BIeqt-qBM/s2048/IMG_2165.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeRvwIqhZqTUy-aqUfa6QuZJD8aX-brGB38OuU0UZGXo1fjIIbYiMalkp7aEKlSZXVXiOytu1OVryivkmmxnaud4vww2797-WFPV4V0bR5WfCE0eeVIeNBpYLEAUtN-nO8c9BIeqt-qBM/w300-h400/IMG_2165.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><p>On Monday the government moved to Stage 4 of its re-opening plan and officially abandoned all anti-Covid regulations in England. Masks in shops and on public transport are no longer compulsory, although still strongly recommended. Restrictions on numbers who can meet or attend events, both indoors and outdoors, have been lifted. All this despite being well into the third wave of the pandemic, with 50,000 cases a day last week. Encouragingly, this week case numbers have dropped significantly, probably because the Euros have ended (lots of people had been meeting up to watch the football), the weather has been good, and schools have finished for the summer. The big test is going to be whether case numbers start to shoot up again as the relaxation of anti-Covid measures takes effect. In practice, many organisations are keeping at least some anti-Covid restrictions in place, and we now have 70% of adults fully vaccinated and nearly 90% with at least one dose. Will it be enough? Maybe. It's a gamble, and we can only hope that it doesn't turn out to be a bad one. At work we had a big staff meeting on Monday, with everyone in together for the first time since March 2020, to discuss what changes if any we would be making. The answer was "not many", partly due to caution about Covid and partly due to being short-staffed as someone left the week before and it will take a while to replace her. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj287wuE3IbwoSXNygkNL4sFpifeK00KnBDnIUzArKaxt02c7j7NquLwwvwN4eq9at3o4fRxERHqggtwYXg_yFr13dS_CfLPM_WTkk2wKPHcYX0ObLoCoDDHRSSvk1qbeG5LU6WuKN3sdQU/s2048/IMG_2164.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj287wuE3IbwoSXNygkNL4sFpifeK00KnBDnIUzArKaxt02c7j7NquLwwvwN4eq9at3o4fRxERHqggtwYXg_yFr13dS_CfLPM_WTkk2wKPHcYX0ObLoCoDDHRSSvk1qbeG5LU6WuKN3sdQU/w300-h400/IMG_2164.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>TG finished school on Wednesday, having made it through the term without being sent home to self-isolate. I think by last week about a third of school children in England were in isolation, so the was lucky. I had a lazy day - too hot to do much! - but went to an orchestra rehearsal in the evening. I signed up to play at an outdoor vintage festival at the end of August. I played at the same event in 2019 and enjoyed it - great atmosphere and fun music to play - so decided to do it again even though it is a bit far to drive for rehearsals. It took me well over an hour to get there as I relied on my memory and didn't read the directions properly. Once I realised I was lost, I then relied on Google maps which imploded and sent me down a track to a dead end. Then I read the instructions, which included a warning not to rely on satnav. Duh! </div><div><br /></div><div>M was working on Thursday, so I took TG out for lunch to celebrate the beginning of the holidays. We went to Yo Sushi, which is her favourite place to eat. They now have a system where you order on your phone, then the food is sent to your table on the sushi belt with a traffic light system - red lights show at the side of the table which turn white when a dish is approaching and green when it arrives. </div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-2HNDhakMOiL9sloKAkmAV59_0AfDGrlBqV2q2NMIHMKiBQA2rtqBwtwVZXwG8yqp_Z9RP2kB8INPYJMehXEDnZvURglgWJVeXWRGcl02bwKueSR4tVpIFnXCUfq4ugpE_UyhMYSJEuG/s2048/IMG_2167.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-2HNDhakMOiL9sloKAkmAV59_0AfDGrlBqV2q2NMIHMKiBQA2rtqBwtwVZXwG8yqp_Z9RP2kB8INPYJMehXEDnZvURglgWJVeXWRGcl02bwKueSR4tVpIFnXCUfq4ugpE_UyhMYSJEuG/w400-h300/IMG_2167.HEIC" width="400" /></a></p><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">It has been a very social week, starting with catching up with colleagues I hadn't seen since before the pandemic on Monday. On Friday I woke up to a text from an old school friend wondering if she could drop in for coffee as she was going to be in the area. In the end she came for lunch and stayed most of the afternoon. We used to meet up regularly when our children were young, but realised we hadn't seen each other for nearly five years so there was lots to catch up on. Then in the evening I drove over to Bedford to meet up with a group of close friends. Four of us had got together early in the spring, but only outdoors and it was too cold to sit and chat for long, so being able to go back to meeting indoors was lovely. The fifth member of our group has health issues and has not yet had her second dose of vaccine, so she joined us on Zoom. Yesterday we got together with all our neighbours - we had hoped to do a street BBQ but the weather forecast wasn't great, so in the end we just all took drinks and chairs out into the road and sat and chatted - we are at the end of a cul-de-sac so there isn't any traffic. We managed a couple of hours before it started to rain. We are incredibly fortunate to live somewhere that is a real community, where we all know each other and can rely on neighbours to help out if necessary. Today was a day for family socialising, as R and H and their partners all came for lunch, along with my brother. It was the first time they had all been here at the same time since before the pandemic, so that was another milestone passed. </div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-22721085986577533912021-07-18T23:31:00.003+01:002021-07-18T23:31:26.477+01:00Lots of Normal<p>The last week has been the most "normal" for me since March 2020 in terms of outside activities. Last Sunday the brass band I play in performed to a live audience for the first time since Christmas 2019, playing outdoors in the local park. We had a full day of "band camp" the day before, so by the end of the weekend the physical effort was definitely taking its toll - aching stomach muscles, aching back, tired arms and so on. The trombone isn't a lightweight instrument. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMbflUiRN-FsgeL0fAkhKWjsU0AhynPWAWA1NW2VewBFdHosi_uFpWdaeikdIf6dt3c-GfWQMMBVw0xEha7B5zyYTM0MTnoWdSVa1luoKhFijMK5y645ds7-IXsdTY_vNdLTictYYCKvB/s2048/IMG_2081.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMbflUiRN-FsgeL0fAkhKWjsU0AhynPWAWA1NW2VewBFdHosi_uFpWdaeikdIf6dt3c-GfWQMMBVw0xEha7B5zyYTM0MTnoWdSVa1luoKhFijMK5y645ds7-IXsdTY_vNdLTictYYCKvB/w400-h300/IMG_2081.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div>On Monday and Tuesday I was working in the office, and I will now be going in every week. Our public service is still very restricted, so not back to normal in that way, but back to a regular routine. Then on Wednesday there was another band practice (still feeling a bit ouchy!), and on Thursday an orchestra rehearsal - there have been three "live" sessions during July to allow us to get back to playing, but no more for that orchestra now until September. Yesterday I went to another orchestra session during the afternoon - this time for an orchestra which pre-Covid rehearsed on Friday lunchtimes. It is affiliated with a local university and can't meet on the premises, so some of the members have now organised a monthly weekend session in a local community hall as an alternative. M has also been working as normal and TG is still hanging in at school. A couple of local schools have had closed weeks due to Covid cases, and most have had to send students home to self-isolate due to cases, but TG has dodged that particular bullet so far. We are hoping that with only three days left to go she will make it to the end of term. The only "normal" thing that didn't happen last week was her dance classes - a student had tested positive and they decided to close the studios until the end of term, so it was back to Zoom classes. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBG8fhk1_odKY8M34MJse5sCGu2Aq5YiWZ_yu5nO1ZSaZ3IAWo8j_kKYLa2ARccKs10Nr0oyv5xHZXDT_MgrPMA6UIHS9Z4WQxBXnQfOSC4HRA2IGhM8vIEXtVeU9FwqXrZjdmcVEISe8/s2048/IMG_2143.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBG8fhk1_odKY8M34MJse5sCGu2Aq5YiWZ_yu5nO1ZSaZ3IAWo8j_kKYLa2ARccKs10Nr0oyv5xHZXDT_MgrPMA6UIHS9Z4WQxBXnQfOSC4HRA2IGhM8vIEXtVeU9FwqXrZjdmcVEISe8/w400-h300/IMG_2143.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div><br />We are now into a heatwave, with temperatures up to 31 degrees today. Yesterday morning we walked over to our friends' house - a two mile walk, as they live on the other side of town - for tea / coffee and cake, and took the photo above as we walked through the town centre on the way back. Saturday is market day, with the market looking very tidy since it got these nice new matching stalls not all that long before the pandemic. It is extraordinary to think that a market has been held in this town for the last 1000 years, and has survived plagues far worse than this one. <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQ-hp8GvHyddh4m9uO2lbZYAxay1FwdR4vk3fSKfNpxHwwi48DtElEEXUkXWSw5-ExPnee8yzkv75Wbmwv-uC0c0kCjrMEwqTMM_qmicruZPcNQuKhIIZWF369v1zZZmpEtB2V873Zid_/s2048/IMG_2146.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQ-hp8GvHyddh4m9uO2lbZYAxay1FwdR4vk3fSKfNpxHwwi48DtElEEXUkXWSw5-ExPnee8yzkv75Wbmwv-uC0c0kCjrMEwqTMM_qmicruZPcNQuKhIIZWF369v1zZZmpEtB2V873Zid_/w300-h400/IMG_2146.HEIC" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">M bought these roses home from work last night. A local store took a load of food and flowers which had hit its sell-by date round to his office for people to help themselves. It is quite common for organisations to donate items for the benefit of NHS staff - it doesn't make up for their low pay, but it certainly makes them feel appreciated. I often read comments on social media by Americans who are scathing of what they call "socialised" medicine, and realise that they really have no concept of how the British feel about the NHS. We don't see it as a government organisation, we see it as <i>our</i> health service - we own it, we pay for it, and we have an emotional connection to it. Throughout the pandemic signs thanking NHS workers have been everywhere, ranging from kids' drawings to banners put up by large companies, and practical signs of appreciation like yesterday's food and flowers have been a thing since long before the pandemic. </p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-41309419381946628302021-07-13T22:40:00.007+01:002021-07-13T22:40:51.336+01:00Thames Path: Chelsea to the Tower of London<p>Last Friday M had planned a trip to London to meet up with friends which fell through at the last minute, so we decided to do another stretch of the Thames. This leg was through Central London, and rather to our surprise we found it less enjoyable than the previous walks. We decided this was because the earlier sections had been through places that were new to us (or at least long forgotten), so it felt more of a journey of discovery, finding unexpected delights along the way. This central section was through areas we already knew well so didn't have the same joy of the unexpected. Lots of iconic London sights, but for us familiar ones. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzTtqtJULETqMRCHrNy3kWtsviz-rU3yiFTTYiMuq4VbQU6ZcP3OJwo9ZJmi58BYzSibC99QNNSnfCaFR0ezeLYzEjAWv3ikqlZmZXwNw3A_vKKdNrqbmTRFoTaDQMkd0B50jI7gR981O/s2048/IMG_1947.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzTtqtJULETqMRCHrNy3kWtsviz-rU3yiFTTYiMuq4VbQU6ZcP3OJwo9ZJmi58BYzSibC99QNNSnfCaFR0ezeLYzEjAWv3ikqlZmZXwNw3A_vKKdNrqbmTRFoTaDQMkd0B50jI7gR981O/w400-h300/IMG_1947.heic" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>We started off at Albert Bridge and found the first section through Pimlico rather dull. Once we reached the Tate Britain art gallery it started to get more interesting. Tate Britain was the original Tate Gallery, which now has offshoots in different locations - St Ives in Cornwall, Liverpool, and the Tate Modern in a converted power station on the South Bank opposite the City of London. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-PG5xOZXSk5DAwrh0w2tVugqXyOrXNHuaIjWLAvMOHGibSynV5naNZDlViZxzJi-MD6JML6HbP2QLqEkzGtRhTY_4RtYXq8RpEHOc_DwMu2iWM21msFCnJfGchqfVAMpTIWNPChINrxC/s2048/IMG_1962.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-PG5xOZXSk5DAwrh0w2tVugqXyOrXNHuaIjWLAvMOHGibSynV5naNZDlViZxzJi-MD6JML6HbP2QLqEkzGtRhTY_4RtYXq8RpEHOc_DwMu2iWM21msFCnJfGchqfVAMpTIWNPChINrxC/w300-h400/IMG_1962.heic" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Next up was Victoria Tower Gardens in Westminster, just to the south of the Houses of Parliament. This rather splendid Gothic water fountain was built as a memorial following the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1834, and to commemorate the role of the Members of Parliament who worked to bring it about. Victoria Tower Gardens also gave us the best view of the Palace of Westminster - not hard as this iss the only side which is not currently covered in scaffolding! This tower is the Victoria Tower, which houses the Parliamentary Archive. When I was an archive student a tour of the archive was organised for us, but disappointingly I wasn't well and had to miss it. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYGzI9qCjL5EMo6QZtI6KKyoSTLZIDDEaMkrYN9nGRI59wWm1BZuT-oEwq5wyZQdgW93Twt9JHaYwZe83HvxtQ0qczlIhKz-42m1tbaXFb_Eq3ex2CDhWlnabgHMnRCQv2OV1doT7Tc4t/s2048/IMG_1959.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYGzI9qCjL5EMo6QZtI6KKyoSTLZIDDEaMkrYN9nGRI59wWm1BZuT-oEwq5wyZQdgW93Twt9JHaYwZe83HvxtQ0qczlIhKz-42m1tbaXFb_Eq3ex2CDhWlnabgHMnRCQv2OV1doT7Tc4t/w300-h400/IMG_1959.heic" width="300" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">We walked past Westminster Abbey, round Parliament Square and up towards Horseguards as Google Maps told us there was a cafe and we wanted lunch. The lunch jinx struck again as we found the cafe was closed and undergoing building work. Plan B turned out to be Greggs as Westminster tube station - vegan "steak" bake for me and non-vegan steak bake for M. At least the failed lunch attempt gave us this view of the north door of the Abbey. M, who is far better at recognising faces than I am, also spotted the Education Minister, Gavin Williamson, walking past us. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7z1X2pJ0CkOLemdFUsoeiy3iPz0g7vfy8B7eDYZqaVGI2lPWWtdkNeLumr1D7ZZc1iG9sj2ukNoSv2PMy6wXz2mkSXsgWf6BLSWOw_KlUROBEET-FN34lgn56-27PB8E8U1iy1mqFycd/s2048/IMG_1984.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7z1X2pJ0CkOLemdFUsoeiy3iPz0g7vfy8B7eDYZqaVGI2lPWWtdkNeLumr1D7ZZc1iG9sj2ukNoSv2PMy6wXz2mkSXsgWf6BLSWOw_KlUROBEET-FN34lgn56-27PB8E8U1iy1mqFycd/w300-h400/IMG_1984.heic" width="300" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We sat and ate our lunch on the Embankment looking across to the London Eye. At this time of year this part of London would normally be packed with tourists and the emptiness was very noticeable; the number of former commuters who are still working wholly or partly at home also contributed to the quietness.. In one way it was good to be able to avoid the crowds, but also dispiriting to think of the difficulties suffered by all the people who rely on the tourist trade and commuters for their income. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcMbfO4mJrGR597InIX_Z1TJ0gPAir2cd6ZuUUy0bRe2ZNibxWPBzasgvFH-j5vJV3OKHFGhv288P86gVsJhnkM9PLM7o0BFA8tsLfWNRAETXCVFF1a5tF9vy3lJoegI41TxQy4YxL4Xm/s2048/IMG_2002.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcMbfO4mJrGR597InIX_Z1TJ0gPAir2cd6ZuUUy0bRe2ZNibxWPBzasgvFH-j5vJV3OKHFGhv288P86gVsJhnkM9PLM7o0BFA8tsLfWNRAETXCVFF1a5tF9vy3lJoegI41TxQy4YxL4Xm/w400-h300/IMG_2002.heic" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>One new discovery was that the boundary of the City of London is marked by two of these silver dragons, one on either side of the road. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh683Cz8KYApQDztZWJy8KgvByvsVscmuBNBWmStIBs3sTyHHqRH854k_igNukCJEQwzkuSlqz0z6e9IQYe_PMY-SrULxf-4eeYX2GJS8VyiUZ6BpEmAAdrwHxYoONUMgDymEZYei1AhU7B/s2048/IMG_2016.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh683Cz8KYApQDztZWJy8KgvByvsVscmuBNBWmStIBs3sTyHHqRH854k_igNukCJEQwzkuSlqz0z6e9IQYe_PMY-SrULxf-4eeYX2GJS8VyiUZ6BpEmAAdrwHxYoONUMgDymEZYei1AhU7B/w300-h400/IMG_2016.heic" width="300" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">At Blackfriars we were diverted away from the river for a short section, so decided to go in search of tea or coffee and cake and after M decided that the first couple of coffee shops we found did not have any cakes he liked we ended up in Starbucks. A bit further along we caught a glimpse of St Pauls peeking out from behind the Millennium foot bridge. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje82rBV_BzifzN0ScCVdK-ZweMY5QlfyRhhPfkoujgtRlCN7UQm3acbDyI0OlYlgEWoNF9vIGWH2ioW36BtejhH-cusj1DV9Gg45JSskDudJkCzcj88SPm-MhBeLHn3iDJmJ1DXvdBHY9O/s2048/IMG_2040.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje82rBV_BzifzN0ScCVdK-ZweMY5QlfyRhhPfkoujgtRlCN7UQm3acbDyI0OlYlgEWoNF9vIGWH2ioW36BtejhH-cusj1DV9Gg45JSskDudJkCzcj88SPm-MhBeLHn3iDJmJ1DXvdBHY9O/w300-h400/IMG_2040.heic" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">As we walked along the southern edge of the City we had good views across to landmarks on the Southbank - the National Theatre, the Globe, Tate Modern and the Shard. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthTzN3OTRxhjvpWoKMWGHgLU2TtrQnR7nuf4kxo0aFWjasKkKqsXH0KKo6s9YmYrWKy__BfRhc_ISriN1Q_66MzonCCQdstgM_T9enEJswrV0Ve06KOI3QkqZwDNjyX15XDMkjkm3JYmn/s2048/IMG_2041.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthTzN3OTRxhjvpWoKMWGHgLU2TtrQnR7nuf4kxo0aFWjasKkKqsXH0KKo6s9YmYrWKy__BfRhc_ISriN1Q_66MzonCCQdstgM_T9enEJswrV0Ve06KOI3QkqZwDNjyX15XDMkjkm3JYmn/w300-h400/IMG_2041.heic" width="300" /></a></p>Another discovery was Walbrook Wharf, a working freight wharf in the heart of the City. When we reached it a container was being moved onto a barge so the footpath was temporarily closed and we were able to watch the crane in operation. When we were able to walk across and get a closer view we guessed (rightly) that the containers were being used to shift refuse out of the City. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mtqVQa6dAoKxV3ptz1aZ1PAsvsHF2j47fAf7Thvlen3iWtvnuasp5Qclyb5DnL73F8zqeTleagMtzC_PdjZJEaHMYZPqxi-OpDKyaJWCxYKrwC40tMeCqEVZigsOTTwWOZo0odGAMv-e/s2048/IMG_2050.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mtqVQa6dAoKxV3ptz1aZ1PAsvsHF2j47fAf7Thvlen3iWtvnuasp5Qclyb5DnL73F8zqeTleagMtzC_PdjZJEaHMYZPqxi-OpDKyaJWCxYKrwC40tMeCqEVZigsOTTwWOZo0odGAMv-e/w300-h400/IMG_2050.heic" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We ended our walk at the Tower of London. The last time we were here was in 2018 to see the extraordinary art installation set up to commemorate the end of the 1st World War - a ceramic poppy was made for each British serviceman killed in the war, with some spilling over the walls of the Tower like blood and the rest planted in the moat. After the display was removed the 888,246 individual poppies were sold to the public - demand was so high they could have been sold several times over. <br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuxHGlPDVZ-bia6W3ri-H9ne1ZvwkoJnkYXrOydrgSju2HBi4-ktL6586Hj_pIZqmoVlGWRAo58EpCNWpgHrhHdqRb1SIH_XP4hVnhL_IpeVx-N_Wkj6SNdakuud3jDHxZNQDvVlrdVDA/s2048/IMG_2074.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuxHGlPDVZ-bia6W3ri-H9ne1ZvwkoJnkYXrOydrgSju2HBi4-ktL6586Hj_pIZqmoVlGWRAo58EpCNWpgHrhHdqRb1SIH_XP4hVnhL_IpeVx-N_Wkj6SNdakuud3jDHxZNQDvVlrdVDA/w400-h300/IMG_2074.heic" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">This section was 6.5 miles long, but with detours and the walk to and from the local station we ended up walking 10 miles in total. Only one London section left to go now, from Tower Bridge through Docklands to the Greenwich foot tunnel. </p></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-19908120793935929642021-07-12T22:30:00.007+01:002021-07-12T22:30:48.604+01:00Thames Path: Fulham to Chelsea<p>I have got very behind with posting here ... since my last post we have done two more legs of our walk along the Thames Path through London. I want to record them both here so will do them as separate posts to keep them straight. A combination of a busy couple of months and doing All The Things since everything started to open up again makes it look as though we are never at home, whereas in fact I just haven't got round to writing about the ordinary days. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVA0swgR0lLEqR1IEIOn_zhIw_Ucm2NMKjJ0ssl4sodZlxFjHlXNs08RR422zqmUmaDd77v8PwQi1LGpEV48kD2QkiRUMHnK6BmQw-UnNvkBO3Ehw8dRrjNnskKEBKqYivNPSqY_3yPAMB/s2048/IMG_1806.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVA0swgR0lLEqR1IEIOn_zhIw_Ucm2NMKjJ0ssl4sodZlxFjHlXNs08RR422zqmUmaDd77v8PwQi1LGpEV48kD2QkiRUMHnK6BmQw-UnNvkBO3Ehw8dRrjNnskKEBKqYivNPSqY_3yPAMB/w300-h400/IMG_1806.heic" width="300" /></a></p><p>The first of the two Thames walks was on the Friday before last. Friday is now the best day for a longer walk as TG does not have any dance classes in the evening and is happy to let herself in when she gets back from school, so we do not have to be home at any particular time. We caught the train down to West Brompton, then took a bus to our starting point at The Crabtree pub in Fulham. Not far into the walk we had to divert inland and walk round Fulham Football Club's stadium, which sits right on the river. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0N2pYj0x3JTRr0F3AT1bOq3h6rzswzBqObVTXIlrTiSn50BRALvd-9vq2X_7zUdBU94OB1G0atl4ASKfMKph_NgExuYmNHonoFcxluY8x1no5NLVz_xfWxEwVjCmM1zAJTt7Cwe273VFz/s2048/IMG_1801.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0N2pYj0x3JTRr0F3AT1bOq3h6rzswzBqObVTXIlrTiSn50BRALvd-9vq2X_7zUdBU94OB1G0atl4ASKfMKph_NgExuYmNHonoFcxluY8x1no5NLVz_xfWxEwVjCmM1zAJTt7Cwe273VFz/w300-h400/IMG_1801.heic" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After the football ground, we cut back to the river through Bishop's Park, where I spotted this duck and duckling on a rock by the lake. We hoped to pick up lunch at the cafe in the park, but it was closed for renovations. There was a stall outside, but it was only selling ice creams, drinks and cake, which wasn't what we needed. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dMhdTCyolFYzsgQvmT43hkJbFeOyv7ohW-8oRY6UzaqvjYT3SyrPnqGlxBcNYKJPV3dkOAmiQvlm_0tVcidzqPMiFZ8wyyD1ldoe-H4ComROGFMzVU5xYhpHjwiKZjK0To9GPXLiAgDd/s2048/IMG_1811.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dMhdTCyolFYzsgQvmT43hkJbFeOyv7ohW-8oRY6UzaqvjYT3SyrPnqGlxBcNYKJPV3dkOAmiQvlm_0tVcidzqPMiFZ8wyyD1ldoe-H4ComROGFMzVU5xYhpHjwiKZjK0To9GPXLiAgDd/w300-h400/IMG_1811.heic" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After failing to find lunch in the park, we spotted a sign for a cafe at Fulham Palace, the official residence of the Bishop of London which has an entrance into the grounds from the park (the gardens are open to the public and free to enter). The cafe was very nice, the squashy sofa variety inside, with tables on a patio outside, but the food mostly involved cheese or bacon, neither of which M eats, so we decided to wait and find somewhere else. The part of the Palace we saw wasn't particularly inspiring, but I loved this quirky Gothic style lodge at the entrance. Just look at those twisty chimneys! <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsR72WRRe-pNwijOY5lNvNa9GJwVBKEandb8k5mReUgerwHclpjT1g-Y6EWajcVIqVtSXn-LujlHKn7Qk-qWNKSW-R1_RyPjWITvxsvJSRIM4SO3quPsbNnGKynpcfE0gKa0vLt_WSrT6D/s2048/IMG_1826.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsR72WRRe-pNwijOY5lNvNa9GJwVBKEandb8k5mReUgerwHclpjT1g-Y6EWajcVIqVtSXn-LujlHKn7Qk-qWNKSW-R1_RyPjWITvxsvJSRIM4SO3quPsbNnGKynpcfE0gKa0vLt_WSrT6D/w400-h300/IMG_1826.heic" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We finally found lunch at a cafe just round the corner from this bookshop. Just look at this window! We didn't stop, as lunch was definitely the priority by that stage. We bought filled baguettes and took them to Hurlingham Park to eat. Compared to the pretty Bishop's Park, the public section of Hurlingham was definitely more functional - tennis courts, cricket / football pitches and a children's play area, rather than lawns, flowers and ponds. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0Mi5G4KJNVpd51i9mMFsEzcRS2imHwc_32ngavFTI5hlj8U7jACg5CtJvsT-ixNyIhSWhiTZO8U9Baaor_tNS2h1AV6TOOcsGA1SFz-eKusf77zC3AVjNGhv2-__l8qIP4x-m6YE37qG/s2048/IMG_1830.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0Mi5G4KJNVpd51i9mMFsEzcRS2imHwc_32ngavFTI5hlj8U7jACg5CtJvsT-ixNyIhSWhiTZO8U9Baaor_tNS2h1AV6TOOcsGA1SFz-eKusf77zC3AVjNGhv2-__l8qIP4x-m6YE37qG/w400-h300/IMG_1830.heic" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>By the time we got back to the river again after lunch, it was definitely getting more city like, with high rise buildings like these on the south side of the river at Battersea. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPOYhzoab1S2CvwSLoxqR0PXYRVMKHpahFM0YWtvH37R2b58NaMgAUAQvA5NGMHpsJugj_bhEVcsDsvVdz2mx-zKgjGf4pRFMEfauxlepoKvdqKe6a29Haw-FJusd8iRDb5q0oq3M40Xp/s2048/IMG_1843.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPOYhzoab1S2CvwSLoxqR0PXYRVMKHpahFM0YWtvH37R2b58NaMgAUAQvA5NGMHpsJugj_bhEVcsDsvVdz2mx-zKgjGf4pRFMEfauxlepoKvdqKe6a29Haw-FJusd8iRDb5q0oq3M40Xp/w400-h300/IMG_1843.heic" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We walked past new blocks of flats at Imperial Wharf, with a green public park between the buildings and the river, and on to Chelsea Harbour. Again, lots of modern and extremely expensive flats. I just browsed properties for sale - £15 million for a 9 bedroom, 8 bathroom apartment, or £400,000 for a small flat. House boats are more affordable! </div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQxLmF-dlTIMSIs6dYCCxpp6n4QBKLxilBto5P0g5jqqGn0sEaMBADjOOyrfoaot-mWc-abUIsMlP-cda55_WcRfpzWjvesTGYqWwUBDzzyXkm4hKvlaZ5uv5pZ-f6JsP75RRe6G16dJh/s2048/IMG_1856.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQxLmF-dlTIMSIs6dYCCxpp6n4QBKLxilBto5P0g5jqqGn0sEaMBADjOOyrfoaot-mWc-abUIsMlP-cda55_WcRfpzWjvesTGYqWwUBDzzyXkm4hKvlaZ5uv5pZ-f6JsP75RRe6G16dJh/w300-h400/IMG_1856.heic" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The last stretch was along Chelsea Embankment to Albert Bridge. I was intrigued by the sign on this old tollbooth - "All troops must break step when marching over this bridge". It is near to Chelsea Barracks, so I presumed that must have something to do with it. Google tells me that a general order that troops must break step when crossing a bridge was issued in 1831 after a suspension bridge collapsed when 74 soldiers were crossing. The reminder on this bridge was indeed due to the proximity of Chelsea Barracks. The Barracks closed in 2008, but the sign remains. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAptEiMrTPWxOTJaG5HM0dTAy7j2hMEHRH-pKWDZPbN61Niu1XMJotNEn315po8EVDK4SGTV0ArdRQFeWkTr4hE_JnDUd9i42FZ7IWLR4atwoOPnAMuCWgapc_fEMwVfeH7Y2Yj9RMWk_/s2048/IMG_1878.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAptEiMrTPWxOTJaG5HM0dTAy7j2hMEHRH-pKWDZPbN61Niu1XMJotNEn315po8EVDK4SGTV0ArdRQFeWkTr4hE_JnDUd9i42FZ7IWLR4atwoOPnAMuCWgapc_fEMwVfeH7Y2Yj9RMWk_/w400-h300/IMG_1878.heic" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">We hopped on a bus to Victoria, then the tube to Euston to catch a train back home. The official length of the walk was 5.5 miles, but in practice it was more due to occasional diversions, and walking to the station from home and back adds an extra 1.5 miles. It was a warm day, so by the time we got home we were quite tired. We anticipated this and decided just before we reached the Chelsea Embankment to order fish and chips to collect after we got home. Amazing that it is so easy to pull out a phone and place an order! </p><p><br /></p></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-53616572467918625412021-07-01T23:02:00.002+01:002021-07-01T23:02:16.591+01:00The Cotswolds: Day 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We started Day 2 of our short break with an hour or so exploring the town of Banbury. Our hotel was only a few yards from Banbury Cross, which I assumed was the cross mentioned in the nursery rhyme ("Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross ...") but apparently not - the rhyme dates back to the 18th century, and this cross was built in 1859 to commemorate the marriage of Queen Victoria's eldest daughter. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwp17r_Bv5sGr9WtlwuXPNtPRSBS6-y14UHjUmu7IplJvd1BmdCM4y9yqIBEQRXva5qMHupw2zXhnfXR-mIBaHeISX0kAclukX15e9y1WVDwlnjydFy-rulMPuhuc4DJRm36k6IKLFw0n/s2048/IMG_1687.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwp17r_Bv5sGr9WtlwuXPNtPRSBS6-y14UHjUmu7IplJvd1BmdCM4y9yqIBEQRXva5qMHupw2zXhnfXR-mIBaHeISX0kAclukX15e9y1WVDwlnjydFy-rulMPuhuc4DJRm36k6IKLFw0n/w300-h400/IMG_1687.heic" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We then headed south to the small town of Woodstock, near Oxford. Woodstock itself is very pretty, with lots of golden Cotswold stone. We wandered around in search of a light lunch and stumbled across the Oxfordshire Museum, where we had a quick look round the galleries before M had a sandwich in the cafe - they didn't have any sandwiches I fancied and I had seen a nice sandwich bar earlier so I waited and got a takeaway baguette there later. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RqekGqt1tnISj4lv2Lj3tWggL7QdW5kyM_Ow_L1VqPrgG4yS-3md0HTo0H2DIc0l7ZMs93U1r_x5NkEWNT6-mzY4MS1J0sGwNDNjtuV1nRboH-i_oEPyMxXy-UNvJRRtrgWnEe5BA6MQ/s2048/IMG_1702.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RqekGqt1tnISj4lv2Lj3tWggL7QdW5kyM_Ow_L1VqPrgG4yS-3md0HTo0H2DIc0l7ZMs93U1r_x5NkEWNT6-mzY4MS1J0sGwNDNjtuV1nRboH-i_oEPyMxXy-UNvJRRtrgWnEe5BA6MQ/w300-h400/IMG_1702.heic" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Woodstock is on the edge of the Duke of Marlborough's Blenheim estate. Tickets for Blenheim Palace itself are quite expensive and have to be booked in advance, but it is possible to explore some of the park without needing a ticket if you stick to public footpaths. We walked a five mile circular route through the park and the surrounding farm land, before ending up near the Palace where we made an unexpected discovery - the Whomping Willow! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHL1mtjDOXscKDKLAe64sH5P8sMSf-1hzsqNYusYYA-KOBXIpOdv_xo57aDqF7BHM3rR4vcUbc5AvanVTZdZg4AxR32ZelOHr-AfZyEdiZ8mueafeZ2-RtIPauyTsPE-BDMmq2R017AfJ/s2048/IMG_1740.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHL1mtjDOXscKDKLAe64sH5P8sMSf-1hzsqNYusYYA-KOBXIpOdv_xo57aDqF7BHM3rR4vcUbc5AvanVTZdZg4AxR32ZelOHr-AfZyEdiZ8mueafeZ2-RtIPauyTsPE-BDMmq2R017AfJ/w300-h400/IMG_1740.heic" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The tree used as the Whomping Willow in the early Harry Potter films was at Ashridge in Hertfordshire, but it blew down in a storm and was replaced for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with this hollow tree at Blenheim. From the tree there was a good view across the lake to the Palace. It is one of the largest stately homes in England, built by the Duke of Marlborough in the early 18th century when he was given land and money as a reward for his military victories (including the Battle of Blenheim, from which the Palace gets its name). Winston Churchill, who was a cousin of the Duke of Marlborough, was born at Blenheim, and visited frequently throughout his life; he is buried just outside the park in the churchyard at Bladon, a village near Woodstock. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieHphVpMe3lmGYhFimP-omOPMEiN7dvU4QYd6oYWEIaTaRZkBFLX5ks0a1u44zVHjAj0kIRPEOIt989CMrRaFRZhPV3Clrr7HzQmBdSyJdfpqsGQ9jzLm07UEr095-Eh7xbMRJ7MsuJ-wz/s2048/IMG_1745.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieHphVpMe3lmGYhFimP-omOPMEiN7dvU4QYd6oYWEIaTaRZkBFLX5ks0a1u44zVHjAj0kIRPEOIt989CMrRaFRZhPV3Clrr7HzQmBdSyJdfpqsGQ9jzLm07UEr095-Eh7xbMRJ7MsuJ-wz/w400-h300/IMG_1745.heic" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After our walk we sat outside a cafe near the Town Hall and had tea / coffee and cake. There may also have been an ice cream on the way back to the car. It took us about an hour to drive home, and we got back shortly after TG. She had had a good time with R, going on dog walks and doing lots of eating. They met up with H on Saturday morning and all went out for breakfast. It makes me so happy that our daughters all enjoy each other's company (it wasn't always that way when the older two were teenagers!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JDG0EOROQStiz19jqOiRG-GL4di8iP1PEhWwR6ngZyJspHDq1Mtlmpdrv4chEEIrd9cHjvekC5Azzc5wGB6F5bJ7WsyYsm1dKnTmXKCpVqd61b6l8c9D8PWFQ1Fa2ZnFhnUuQBFo8May/s2048/IMG_1715.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JDG0EOROQStiz19jqOiRG-GL4di8iP1PEhWwR6ngZyJspHDq1Mtlmpdrv4chEEIrd9cHjvekC5Azzc5wGB6F5bJ7WsyYsm1dKnTmXKCpVqd61b6l8c9D8PWFQ1Fa2ZnFhnUuQBFo8May/w400-h300/IMG_1715.heic" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This week has been a bit hectic, with things feeling a bit out of control. Some major issues have developed at work, with structural and management changes and a colleague handing in her notice. It shouldn't affect me personally too much, but means there is quite a lot of stress sloshing around in the office. Covid cases had increased significantly in our local area, with outbreaks in several schools and many children being sent home to self-isolate because they have been in contact with kids who have tested positive. Fortunately TG hasn't been affected (so far!), but has had to go back to wearing a mask in school, which isn't much fun for several hours a day - she was very relieved when they lifted the requirement after half term. There is only three weeks left before the summer break, so we are hoping she makes it through until then. The country as a whole now has a weird mix of high vaccination levels and exponentially increasing Covid cases. The vaccines are doing their job and hospitalisations and deaths are staying pretty low, but because younger people were left until last for vaccination the virus is spreading most among the under 30s. We really should be very close to herd immunity now (85% of adults have had at least one vaccine), so the hope is that the surge in cases will soon burn itself out. The official plan is still for all restrictions to be lifted on July 19th, after delaying the last stage of reopening for four weeks in June. </div><br /> <p></p></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-51983455566234254172021-06-27T22:54:00.005+01:002021-06-27T23:07:28.193+01:00The Cotswolds: Day 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVysMq1TLwX26u96YsOc6wO4pBNG6G98HNmzR9rqt1PZu1OunRJ40t9cMHshTbsfVI-8s-xBsbZgGzyDTkJdHn1_phKwKHb9rPIEYsssSvs0l2GeGqunNgyINYwsCMNOYWG9P1dsL1tkTg/s2048/IMG_1620.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVysMq1TLwX26u96YsOc6wO4pBNG6G98HNmzR9rqt1PZu1OunRJ40t9cMHshTbsfVI-8s-xBsbZgGzyDTkJdHn1_phKwKHb9rPIEYsssSvs0l2GeGqunNgyINYwsCMNOYWG9P1dsL1tkTg/w400-h300/IMG_1620.heic" width="400" /></a></div><p>Over the last month we have done a lot of playing catch up with things that had been postponed due to lock down. The last of them - I think! - was a night away, using a gift voucher that R gave for Christmas 2019. Yes, that long ago! The arrangements turned into something of a saga. We decided we would like to go to the Cotswolds - not too far from home, so no long drive, but always lovely. The first hotel we booked cancelled as they had double booked. We rebooked into a Holiday Inn near Warwick, then on Thursday night decided to look at Trip Advisor reviews. It was a good thing we did, not because there were bad reviews, but because there was a review posted the previous day complaining that a booking had been cancelled because the hotel was being used as a quarantine hotel for people flying in from red list countries. M phoned and the hotel verified this. It also turned out they did not have any record of our booking. Oops! We had booked through the voucher company, and something clearly went very wrong. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SDdwIkUVt2VvhrAYcZtzDmAMPrVxF3UFqqyvrnMMmyNi3f6RFNdASOVCCZjoMNQkVMxc-x446Fw6kL066gTIiUHcomMzGe4UhuPaYriKgXOdphY5KzuqwYts6H6zJYEIDIkCtELDaBbV/s2048/IMG_1647.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SDdwIkUVt2VvhrAYcZtzDmAMPrVxF3UFqqyvrnMMmyNi3f6RFNdASOVCCZjoMNQkVMxc-x446Fw6kL066gTIiUHcomMzGe4UhuPaYriKgXOdphY5KzuqwYts6H6zJYEIDIkCtELDaBbV/w400-h300/IMG_1647.heic" width="400" /></a></div><p>We decided that as we had already arranged for R to have TG to stay overnight on Friday we would make a last minute booking of our own and then try to unravel the voucher mess later, and booked in to a hotel in Banbury, about an hour's drive from home. We stopped off on the way for a wander around the town of Brackley, where we found a nice park with a lake and a group of geese pretending to be statues - we had to watch closely to spot any of them moving! After that we headed for Upton House, a National Trust property about 15 minutes the other side of Banbury. We had lunch in the cafe before exploring the house and grounds. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEKfUZpqlY08wD1NRANBSs7v0zUoykxsftlmZwrFxsN4D2Rg2KO8h2RsezRAnNW2oJ22YJGGB6oa3bAD4lLwjEAZt4_9snv06A8_rsbYFCOjrIt4-6vvMPhl2qZ9QrkREuJAqqOBx_1iL/s2048/IMG_1661.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEKfUZpqlY08wD1NRANBSs7v0zUoykxsftlmZwrFxsN4D2Rg2KO8h2RsezRAnNW2oJ22YJGGB6oa3bAD4lLwjEAZt4_9snv06A8_rsbYFCOjrIt4-6vvMPhl2qZ9QrkREuJAqqOBx_1iL/w300-h400/IMG_1661.heic" width="300" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">It was bought in the 1920s by the owner of the Shell oil company, who decorated it in Arts and Crafts style, filled it with collections of art and china and bequeathed it to the National Trust in his will, with the provision that it should be left as it was so that the public could share his own enjoyment in the house and its contents. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHaZyIj8YCOUD-pzGaooMUQcQa24UYbxVP2nIiIWfyOGFV_ASusH1sR_hzxiJry_qF9ULVawCKWYmrqZRxH24OKBMzpFRE-CkBokZA22Pm0pffRR_IoJou6qkPcYD0Wx8E_KozINmWh-U/s2048/IMG_1666.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHaZyIj8YCOUD-pzGaooMUQcQa24UYbxVP2nIiIWfyOGFV_ASusH1sR_hzxiJry_qF9ULVawCKWYmrqZRxH24OKBMzpFRE-CkBokZA22Pm0pffRR_IoJou6qkPcYD0Wx8E_KozINmWh-U/w300-h400/IMG_1666.heic" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After puttering around the garden we went back to the cafe. Fortified with tea/coffee and cake we then went for a walk in the local countryside. Most National Trust properties have suggested local walks of various lengths - this time we picked the shortest as it was already mid-afternoon and the car park closed at 5.30. The highlight was this view from an escarpment looking over the site of the Battle of Edge Hill (the first major battle in the Civil War between Royalists and Parliamentarians, which took place in 1642). Apparently on a clear day it is possible to see 40 miles across to the Malvern Hills. </div><div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVvIneeccK-jl5iM7o5DJWPQttLm3Wg2On3dFCF0zvs0uqN8yLKKjr_A9kJjFyOHbrPWPW1-yIDUMttOcbCVQW8DkQ6VJYw_1rvpR0QqC-UFteLhyphenhyphenTlb9BUV6icRKhF1KS-dpS6Baxv3O/s2048/IMG_1672.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVvIneeccK-jl5iM7o5DJWPQttLm3Wg2On3dFCF0zvs0uqN8yLKKjr_A9kJjFyOHbrPWPW1-yIDUMttOcbCVQW8DkQ6VJYw_1rvpR0QqC-UFteLhyphenhyphenTlb9BUV6icRKhF1KS-dpS6Baxv3O/w400-h300/IMG_1672.heic" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">After our walk we headed to Banbury and dinner at our hotel, which was originally an inn built in the 17th century, now much extended but still with the old inn at its centre. The hotel has quite a history. King James II stayed there in 1687, and Jonathan Swift stayed there while writing Gulliver's Travels - he took the name of Gulliver from a tombstone at the church on the opposite side of the road. Also one of the rooms was used as a secret meeting place for Catholic priests during penal times. </p><p style="text-align: left;">We packed quite a lot into Saturday, so I'll put that into another post. In other news all our young folk have now had their first dose of Covid vaccines, except TG who is too young as the UK is currently only vaccinating over 18s. R and H and R's boyfriend all had Moderna, which hasn't been widely available in the UK until recently, and H's boyfriend had Pfizer. H came over this evening to watch the new Disney movie <i>Luca</i> with us. It is set on the Ligurian coast of Italy, where H spent her year abroad in 2018/19, so that was quite fun, although as it was an animated movie with a fictional location we didn't exactly recognise anywhere! It did mention H's university city of Genova though. She brought strawberries and chocolate with her, and we have concluded that strawberries with melted chocolate may be the ultimate movie snack!</p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1519011404806655055.post-24413345573654008262021-06-19T22:53:00.005+01:002021-06-19T22:53:55.476+01:00Weather Extremes & Afternoon Tea<p>This week has been very much a game of two halves as far as the weather is concerned. Monday and Tuesday were hot, and the forecast temperature was so high on Wednesday that we decided to set off early for a walk while it was still relatively cool. We visited a stretch of the Grand Union canal we had never walked before, starting at Cosgrove in Northamptonshire, walking down to Wolverton at the northern extreme of Milton Keynes and back. We parked up at Cosgrove and were slightly startled to find that our route to the canal towpath went under the canal through this tunnel. It was built to be wide enough for horses, so not as narrow as it looks in the picture - we were glad we were not tall though! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMz6QzWuSwbSl2jHMoQWXOjygZWX8Stbm7D5kJd-jPanazYAJg0oGruIKSOQfC6CN0QM_4NRRclnBJSJSqt-eaASy068badvTCy2dUJSsWdZzdgiHPAdPGS9kpt9XzbLK7QdBvdFDdGf7f/s2048/IMG_1513.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMz6QzWuSwbSl2jHMoQWXOjygZWX8Stbm7D5kJd-jPanazYAJg0oGruIKSOQfC6CN0QM_4NRRclnBJSJSqt-eaASy068badvTCy2dUJSsWdZzdgiHPAdPGS9kpt9XzbLK7QdBvdFDdGf7f/w300-h400/IMG_1513.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The canal is carried over the river by a short aqueduct. The "Iron Trunk Aqueduct" was built in 1811 after the previous brick aqueduct collapsed, and was a pioneering piece of engineering at the time. Lovely views, particularly on a sunny day. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzFBisN5mM7qUB8pbYMAdg8QWaamF4SaiqvMGYCtoEByAUjdqWJjgq9pEziMZvtX2r7AhtSSCdleCFHyyJdHg0Dj45ZrlSVxb0exzSvUkwhLj8zupMgcJL4ZYirifsck9cNDk4uwWWaAV/s2048/IMG_1518.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzFBisN5mM7qUB8pbYMAdg8QWaamF4SaiqvMGYCtoEByAUjdqWJjgq9pEziMZvtX2r7AhtSSCdleCFHyyJdHg0Dj45ZrlSVxb0exzSvUkwhLj8zupMgcJL4ZYirifsck9cNDk4uwWWaAV/w400-h300/IMG_1518.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">We got as far as the derelict buildings which were once a huge railway works before turning round and adding in a loop round by the River Ouse back to the aqueduct. This pool where the river widened looked as though it could be good for wild swimming - nice and clear, though I don't know what the depth would be like. I have a friend who goes swimming in the river a bit further upstream, but I'm not sure I am brave enough! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0nFcOLhe96_ufeOpxEX-IWBZRybY2vvjxjItiunrW9nq-aMinoOJRYSrh9EfLbTBHllbUvAlM8rUVPcc_MQ5LhECRFz1nzpqTwSkvJIlyesDAxhSZ3lJvLEnCQC3C3XeEGfLVKd4KByF/s2048/IMG_1534.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0nFcOLhe96_ufeOpxEX-IWBZRybY2vvjxjItiunrW9nq-aMinoOJRYSrh9EfLbTBHllbUvAlM8rUVPcc_MQ5LhECRFz1nzpqTwSkvJIlyesDAxhSZ3lJvLEnCQC3C3XeEGfLVKd4KByF/w400-h300/IMG_1534.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p>By Wednesday evening it was both very hot and very humid, with a sticky night making it difficult to sleep. We bought a fan for TG's room as we could only find one - an old one disintegrated last year and I thought we had replaced it, but apparently not. Thursday was cooler with some rain, then Friday was chilly with heavy rain all day. Hard to believe it had been so warm only two days earlier! <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1PfntcY5wBcy_HhvMtUubvo1bRcl1y562JPif3LEJqdauvxQgaF7OhQd95YQOkeXTpF1PH9cGXjRxPqzo4kZoH_JzAocFRnDN6OXgUKMbvgrzZMER9ahMUup7Ra2PoLmWM4RGUlAo83y3/s2048/IMG_1563.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1PfntcY5wBcy_HhvMtUubvo1bRcl1y562JPif3LEJqdauvxQgaF7OhQd95YQOkeXTpF1PH9cGXjRxPqzo4kZoH_JzAocFRnDN6OXgUKMbvgrzZMER9ahMUup7Ra2PoLmWM4RGUlAo83y3/w400-h300/IMG_1563.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>R had given us a voucher last Christmas for afternoon tea at the Luton Hoo Hotel, which we had booked for Friday. Built as a country house by the Earl of Bute in the 18th century, it is now a 5 star luxury hotel. M had been once before, but this was my first visit. I had the vegan tea and M the standard one with slightly tweaked sandwiches (he doesn't eat ham or cheese). There were four sandwiches each, two scones with jam and cream, and four little cakes, and of course plenty of tea! We were too full to eat all the cakes, so brought the leftovers home for TG. When we finished it was raining fairly heavily. As the car park is a few minutes walk from the hotel, the doorman offered us a lift to our car in the hotel taxi, which was driven round and we were courteously ushered into it under the protection of a golf umbrella - definitely the luxury touch. We are not used to chauffeurs and uniformed doormen treating us like royalty! Getting back to the car dry was definitely a bonus. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWWToCwuPr1bFcvd3u72ic-HGm0EReSqucHoVN8grM7TtBzQbZgoSib17uMv7mxeYOp1yafLqRRMahIzL9uLGtfxKlxYi5eSIeSOc4G29ocz2tm4la-GHW7fbFYN-Tx3jkWL_sIFBsLYA/s2048/IMG_1585.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWWToCwuPr1bFcvd3u72ic-HGm0EReSqucHoVN8grM7TtBzQbZgoSib17uMv7mxeYOp1yafLqRRMahIzL9uLGtfxKlxYi5eSIeSOc4G29ocz2tm4la-GHW7fbFYN-Tx3jkWL_sIFBsLYA/w400-h300/IMG_1585.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><p>Today has been mostly dry, but it is still cold enough to have needed extra layers. We managed a short walk this morning without getting rained on, and this evening M is working. TG is studying hard as she has exams at school all next week. The school are calling them mock (practice) GCSEs, though I suppose in reality they are pre-mocks as she will have another set in the winter before sitting the actual exams next spring. I think she is mostly bogged down in science, as she is taking physics, chemistry and biology as separate subjects and each has lots to remember. </p>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793409309119054539noreply@blogger.com0