Turning back the clock

No trip home would be complete without a look through the albums.  I came across a few crackers and decided to share them.

A few from our first trip to Tuscany

Mamilein and me looking like people in take a break magazine.

Mum skiing in Banff, Alberta

Canada

My seventh Birthday - me in a Dirndl

Baby me in Belgium

Nothing's changed, we still have naps

At Mrs Bell's house

Quality time together 

I remember feeling very I'll rafter trying to eat this.  It took me two days to make.

Zombie apocalypse

It's not what you expect to see when ou go shopping in Reading, but it's reassuring to know that they are there when the inevitable happens.

Wittenham Clumps

After spending the weekend with four of the loveliest people, including one stowaway.

I decided to make the most of the first days of spring by going for a walk.

After dropping of SB an JB at the train station.

I decided to go for a wander to the top of the Clumps, having heard the views were amazing, I wanted to check it out for myself.

After reaching the summit, I Skyped Mamilein and papichen but they were watching TV.

After walking into the valley and then back up again, I was starting to look the same colour as my jacket, RED!

I was definitely feeling the burn, as they say.  I had a chance to catch my breath in the many dens that had been built in the clearing.

It was worth though, the views were spectacular and with such a clear day, I could see for miles.  I could even make out the M40.

My new BFF

I went to visit a very good, old friend Mrs F, who had recently given birth to a gorgeous little princess.

I have a soft spot for children (funny that being a teacher) but I don't always feel comfortable with babies, especially tiny babies.  It's a lack of experience.  

I am the visitor who hands the baby back at the first sign of a grizzle.  I spent the whole day with this Lovely little family, having hugs and kisses and was even able to get the Miss F to fall asleep, albeit for only fifteen minutes.  

It is one of my proudest achievements and has raised Miss F to be my favourite baby and my new BFF.  God bless you little one. xxx

Staying a little longer

So the little village school has asked me to stay until the end of the year. It's rather convuluted but the year three teacher can't return so the plan was for me to stay in EYFS and the new teacher to cover year three and learn the ropes in EYFS while I am there.  Let's see what happens.

Miss B Jr's 30!

It's my 30th celebrate with me.  I couldn't believe that Miss B Jr. was about to turn 30, there was no question that we'd celebrate too.

The plan was to get the Oxford Tube bus together, GO would get the bus in Oxford and would join at the park and ride, but that didn't work out because not only was every bus jammed, the driver didn't take cards and there wasn't a card machine in sight.  I would have to drive into the next village and get back.

So I made a snap decision to drive to Hillingdon and get onto the Underground from there, I would take a train to Marble Arch and meet GO there.

When we arrive at the pub, it was full, as usual but also it had a nice relaxe vibe.  It felt more like an Oxford bar rather than one in the centre of London.

The Birthday Girl was  in fine spirits, no thanks to all the people who bought her extra drinks with each trip to the bar.

It was after a chat that we realised we hadn't seen each other in almost a year.  It is shocking how quickly life is zooming by.

The end of the evening was a muddle of hugs, goodbyes, promises not leave it too long next time and quick dashes into burger bars, a everyone had forgotten to eat.  Nothing says cosmopolitan, like sitting on a bench outside Selfridges at eleven o'clock stuffing your face with burgers.  A good night wad had by all, the following morning is another story.

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.

Old Trafford

RED DEVILS Stadium tour

As well as treating me like a princess this week, G.O threw in a few treats for himself, and who could blame him?  He deserves it.  

I get in on the action - as always

 He arranged for us to take a stadium tour around the home of "The Red Devils" Old Trafford.  

Following in the footstpes of legends

In their own words we took a 'step inside the legend'.  During the the tour we were able to go behind the scenes at Old Trafford, and see it as the players then and now see it.

Soaking in the history all around him

We got to see the stadium from the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand

Taking it all in

Sit in the managers seats (both home and away)

Some of us weren't quite as awestruck as others

I'm heading into the changing room....

Don;t really know who this is, but I know it's a keepers jersey, that's a start!

We soaked up the atmosphere in the players' dressing room.  The 'new' manager, Louis Van Gaal, doesn't like the players to sit where they want, in case cliques start, so he make the players sit in alphabetical order, a man after my own heart.

So impressed he couldn't even smile

Alex Ferguson let the players sit where they wanted, I sat in the corner right between where Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs (still my favourite, even if he was a very naughty boy) would have sat in his day, and I didn't even know it at the time.

I know what the jersey's say but this use to be where Giggs and Rooney sat - when 'Fergie' was in charge

After we had learnt about the television studio, and the history of the club we had the ultimate honour of emerging from the Players tunnel, following in the footsteps of so many legendary reds.

So G.O what do you think the chances of winning the Premier League this season are? - Not good I presume, look at the face.

At the end of the tour we were even given souvenir certificate and photograph. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and the guides were amazing, so knowledgeable and friendly, they made what could have been quite  a dry and boring tour for a none supporter fun and interesting..   

A proud Red Devil

Side Note - should probably post this on trip adviser but I can't remember names.

Although I wasn't happy about how rushed the photographer was.  He just pushed in to place took the photo and pushed us away again.  We were entitled to two photos but only received one and a duplicate.  While I am on the subject of poor service the girl at reception wasn't very polite either.  GO had booked the tickets weeks in advance, enduring that they knew it was half term and was told that is wouldn't be a problem.  When we arrived Susie Jobs Worth told us that our ticket wasn't valid.  GO persevered and eventually was told that we were allowed to go on the tour.  Another fine case of Arse and Elbow not knowing what each is doing.

After this photo hundreds of Japanese tourist copied G.O pulling that pose.

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