This last week of our holiday has gone by pretty quickly. Last Wednesday Dale and the children and I had a great lunch at the Coach and Horses (which used to be his local pub) and then went out to Hanningfield Reservoir to spend a few pleasant hours in the woods and looking at birds in the various hides. Upon returning to the house, Kayleigh and I took a little walk down to the library and then stopped at Costa Coffee on the way back. It was fun to go up to town and stop in at the coffee shop with my lovely daughter.
Thursday morning I got up early and hopped right in the shower, and then I hied myself back up to the library to get the book I’d been unable to get the evening before due to foolishly leaving the library card at the house. I then stopped at Costa Coffee and had a cappuccino in their outdoor seating at the back while I started one of the books. It was very relaxing! I made it back home in time to go off to Wickford with Dale & the kids to spend an hour and a half or so visiting his uncle Colin. It was a very pleasant visit and interesting to see where he lived.
Continuing the nature theme, after lunch and washing up the dishes, we all (including Joy & Brian) headed over to walk in Norsey Woods. It was quite exciting as it wasn’t clear where any paths went (we hadn’t brought along the trail map), but we had a great time being in there. It’s well over 1000 years old and there are some quite old things (a barrow, for one) there, but we didn’t get to see them this time; Dale and I need to go there by ourselves sometime. Even though when we were in it, one felt lost among the trees, it’s only (now) 5 acres larger than the farm in Kansas.
Friday Dale and I got to go, by ourselves (!), to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. There we saw lots of neat planes, pretending to be fully focused on them, when in reality we were both just counting down the minutes until Dale got to ride in—and even take the controls of—a Tiger Moth biplane. (It was his birthday present from me.) In World War II, the British pilots trained on Tiger Moths before they got into the Spitfires. It was pretty neat to see him in the plane. I told him he could get me a ride for my birthday next year . . .
In the evening Dale & I met Nigel up at the pub for a couple of pints and a chat. I always enjoy his company; wish he lived closer!
Saturday was a lazy day in the garden. Dale spent most of it listening to cricket over the radio while lying on the swing.
Sunday was a big day—Eve came over with Ben & Sam around 11 a.m., and Brian cooked a big roast dinner for everyone. After it was all cleaned up (ready for the next round!), Dale and the boys got stuck into a fierce game of Axis and Allies: D-Day, which occupied them until a little past 5 p.m. I enjoyed myself playing harp out in the garden again while Jonathan and Kayleigh took turns with their auntie Eve. Close to 6 p.m. Lee & Ali turned up with the girls (Christopher had left Saturday morning for a week-long Scout camp in Scotland), and mayhem reigned until they left. Sadly, in the evening the cabbie came by to pick up my harp so that he could drop off for me the next day. At least I’d gotten lots of practice in during the day.
Today I started packing; I’m not worried about having enough room for stuff in our suitcases, but I am quite concerned about the weight of the bags. Fingers crossed for us, everyone!
Posted by elizabeth at July 28, 2008 05:29 PM