What a find

Mamilein in full duckface mode

After casting my vote in the local election, Mamilein took GO and I to a park at the other side of town. It was touch and go whether we'd make it, as mamein didn't want to let papichen run his alert ands on his own.  This first time since his accident.

Two Peas in a Pod

We're not sure if it had always been there, and we can only now see it because the schnelly in front of it has been demolished or its brand new.  

Lovely Husband

Whatever the case is its a lovely park with a short circular walk around a pond. Part of the walk is a boardwalk over the pond past the reeds and ducks.

Hidden in Buende

We're leaving on a jet plane

No It's Not Santa's Grotto!

GO and I spent the morning relaxing in the Salz Grotte.  We were escorted to our chairs and wrapped up in our snuggly warm blankets.

All wrapped up

We snuggle down and listened to the relaxing fountains.

Snug as a bug in a rug

Inhaling the salty air, according to the brochure; 45 minutes in the salt room is like a day at the seaside.  At the end of our sessions, you waiting I the recovery room where you are given a cup of tea.

I honestly felt so much better all day after spending time in the Grotte.

James Bond, don't cha know

Grey's Court, a manor house in Bix by Henley.  

Had many owners, all

with their own unique story.  

The most recent being the Brunner family, Swiss descendants, huge in the chemical business.  

The owner that sticks in my mind however,

and I am sure also on GO's, is that one of the previous owners was none other than Lady Flemming, 

mother of Ian, author of James Bond.

Jolly Holiday

We had plans.  

We always have plans.  

We were going to go everywhere.  

The only snag, I was exhausted.  

Even though this has been the least stressful year of my working life, I am shattered.  

So what did we do?  

Nothing, absolutely Nothing!  

Well we slept, watched films, played games, just relaxed.  

Do I feel totally refreshed?  

Nope I could do with more sleep, isn't that the way.  

I'm sure we'll have a day or two out, but for now I'm enjoying the peace.

Bank Holiday Shenanigans - Part 1

Getting some fresh air

So G.O and I had managed to arrange to spend a bank holiday weekend together, sort of (more on that later) and we were going to make the most of it. 

Then as is usual for us, Saturday rolled around and we were both exhaustimacated, we don't often get to spend the weekends together and aren't really sure of the protocol.  Do we go somewhere big an flashy or local, do we stay in and potter?

In the end I decided to just chillax at home, we hadn't done that together in a while.  I went downstairs to make a healthyish breakfast muffins bacon cooked in the oven (for crispyness) and scrambled eggs (eat your heart out McD's), while his lordship caught up on his beauty sleep (god only knows he needed it having worked about 1000 hours in the past few weeks).

While I was waiting for everything to cook (Healtyish and easy) the post arrived. There was amongst the junk and party political rubbish a letter for G.O, I didn't recognise the postmark.  I raced upstairs and have home the letter.  Urging him to open it, it might be something exciting, It was, kind of.

I had signed G.O up on the mailing list for his favourite cider, which unbeknownst to us also sold my favourite garden wines.  The Lyme Bay company.  I've never tried the cider but the wine has a kick and a half and a flavour to suit every palet (no I'm not on commission).  I've had the wine before and a couple of glasses and I am out like a light.

He excitedly looked at the catalogue, while I finished breakfast. After everything had been devoured, and G.O was cleaning up, I read the catalogue.  "Did you know that mead is supposed to help boost your fertility!"  I announced. "Nope!" Came the slightly disinterested reply.  "But they sell the cider I like in the Bicester garden centre you like!" Within the hour were in the garden centre pushing a trolley of exotically flavoured ciders and a garden mead to the check out. Bang goes our chilling out at home time.

As we drove back home, going the country way for a change.  I decided to make a pit stop.  

Beautiful Bluebells

I pulled into the Boarstall Duck Decoy, my intention was only to show Stuart where it was, excitement overtook me.  I changed into my boots and began to show G.O the beautiful sights and sounds of Boarstall.  "I came here before, on my own.  I was driving by and just thought I'd pop in, a bit like now!"

We spent a very long time looking at and photographing the amazing Bluebells, it's a shame I can't bottle the aroma it was intoxicating, sweet but very subtle.

Our first stop was the duck hide, we had the place to ourselves and were able to just sit in the hide and watch the water listening to the birds and take lots of

photos.

As we left the hide, I was shocked to see someone standing about twenty metres away just watching us.  S/he didn't move, wave or acknowledge us in anyway, they just stood on the path hands behind their back.  G.O was oblivious as he was too busy taking more photos of the Bluebells, he must have hundreds of them.

We carried on round the route and came to a fallen tree, which I decided was left for people to climb on, so I did.  

The view from the top of the tree

I felt very high up and wobbly, when I looked at the video G.O took I realise I was about 1.5 metres off the ground, but added to my height that's over 3 metres.  

Alright I climbed a tree that had already fallen down!

I jumped off, retrieved my bag from the natural bag holder and carried on.  I could hear other people behind us and didn't want them to bump into us when I was stuck up a tree, so to speak.

Natural Bag holder

As we scurried away I decided to leave them a false clue, just in case they were following us (you never know). I have been watching a lot of Man tracker and Survive That! recently.  I'm all about surviving in the wilderness and not leaving a trace behind me.  I'm not quite there yet!

Setting a false lead - which way did we go?

We carried around the bend, and bumped into the observer again, I still couldn't tell whether it was a man or a woman.  As we got closer SHE shouted to us "clock tower, has four faces, see!" She grabbed me and pulled me closer to a flower that did look like it had four faces.  

"New princess is a girl, isn't it?" I agreed, and said how I had hoped it would be a princess, nice and even (didn't realise that had happened).  She didn't seem to want us to leave, so I distracted her by asking G.O to photograph the flowers and began to walk away.  I couldn't decide whether she was a guide just passing time or a very weird lonely individual.  Either way I made my way around the pond, sharpish.

We hopped back in to the car.  "Before we go home I just want to check something!"  The last time I had been here I had also been to the Boarstall Tower, it couldn't hurt to see if they were letting visitors in.

Ahh, Bliss in the Cotwolds

After a day in Old Trafford, which was predominantly for the boy.  He has out done himself and organised a spa day for the two of us at the Cotswold House Hotel.  After the journey through all of the beautiful fields and villages on the Oxfordshire border, we arrived at Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, and the beautiful hotel.  

Photo collage made with photos from the hotel website

G.o had arranged for us to have a treatment each (he had a head massage, and I had a facial), we had unlimited access to the pool and then we would have lunch in the brasserie.   It was amazing, so relaxing there clientele ranged in age from twenties to 70+, men and women (mostly women, and a lot of them pregnant) while it was busy it didn't feel crowded.  Although I may have said differently if I hadn't had a lounger to relax on. 

My treatment was amazing, the lady was Australian, she did a facial with hot towels and this warmed almond oil.  And as a little extra she gave me a quick head massage too. When the treatment finished, she began the hard sell, talking me through all of the products she has used and why they would vital for me to use.  But as the lowest price was £30 I knew I would stick with me £5.00 cream.  She showed me to the recuperation room, which had banana sorbet and fruit infused water.  G.O arrived in his white robe, looking totally blissed out.  "I loved that, it was the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me!" He said....   Yeah right, what he actually said was "Yeah , it was good!" I don't know how but I managed to convince him to buy the facial oil that he had been recommended, it was £40 but as my dear friend says, "It's an investment in the future of G.O's face".

After a while the fidget in me got bored and I decided that I was ready for my lunch.  We got dressed went to the Brasserie where we had a lunch of baked Camembert and steak sandwiches, just perfect not too heavy and not too light.

Yomping around the Brecon Beacons

When GO said we were going to the Brecon Beacons. The thing I was most looking forward to was hiking around the hills, and dales with spectacular views all around.  Unfortunately my trek around the waterfalls didn't happen this time.  I did however manage to get some time walking around the keeper's pond.

As we arrived at the car park we were all alone except for the sheep, they are everywhere in the Beacons, rightly so. I got out geared myself up for a wet and windy walk.

"I'll just set off, so I can take some photo's". I yelled.

"Hey, what are you doing?  Hey go away will you!  Stop it!"

I turned around thinking GO was shorting to me, only to discover a local getting very friendly with my husband.

Unfortunately I was no help, I couldn't help but laugh.  I just stood and watched as he somehow managed to escape his little stalker.

He doesn't look too traumatised.

The pond at the top of the mountain.

Still chuckling about the sheep.... What's that I see?

She's back and posing this time.

Lovely panoramic view, blocked by two tourists!

That's better

Look mum no hands, got to love the timer.

Messing around in the stream.

He's not scared of me sheep!

Photobomb.

I look daft, but I was warm.

Aw good times xx