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Sunday 18 August 2019

A visit to one of my most favourite places

Oliver will be in year 2 when he goes back to school in a few weeks time and they are going to be learning about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot, Jenny said it would be good if he could actually see where things happened so we planned a day trip on Saturday as a surprise for him.  

He loves history programmes and is into reading the Horrible History books, so where better to go than London.  We had a great day, just the three of us, we can get the train straight though to Marylebone from our local station, it takes a little over 2 hours, but it seems like no time at all when you are on a train.

Apart from the sights, he loved the Lego shop (of course!!) and the M&M shop, Jenny had booked us a table at the Rainforest Cafe for tea, which is a fun experience, it's decked out as you would imagine, like a rainforest, complete with sounds and animated animals.  I thought the food and drinks were on the expensive side, (£4.50 for a small bottle of coke!!) and the cheapest adult meal was £20.  
But having said that, the food was good and the portions quite large and I suppose you are paying for the atmosphere.  Oliver loved it, so that's what counts.

Our first stop had been Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the Guard, but after waiting for around half an hour security came and put a board out saying that there was no changing of the guard ceremony that day (boo).  I did feel sorry for an American couple who were getting on a boat this morning so wouldn't get to see it, they said that the people at home wouldn't believe they had come all this way and not got to see it!

There were things we didn't get to do, the London Eye didn't have tickets available for any times we could do that day and we didn't have time to climb the Monument, we have already talked about taking him down again soon and we will get tickets in advance next time.













It was a long day, we got on the train at 7.20am and did't get home until 11pm, needless to say I needed a lie-in this morning!

I have managed to get into the garden for an hour this afternoon just to give the grass a quick mow and tidy up.  Lots of things are now passed their best, but the roses are still giving flowers.  We have had quite windy weather and it's blown my Sweet Peas over, I keep twisting them back but they keep getting blown again!


My one Dahlia that didn't get eaten my the slimies





I had to pop to Lidl this morning and came back with a blueberry plant.
I've no idea how big they grow, Mark planted it up in this pot, it's quite a large pot so should be ok for a while


We've both got next week off work, we are going to Brighton for a few days (until Wednesday), I don't know what we will do for the rest of the week, I would like to have at least one day at home doing nothing but stitching, I haven't picked anything up all week and I really need to crack on with Arthur's Christmas stocking.  It's Bank Holiday a week tomorrow, so it will be a nice long weekend to tag onto our week off, then it will be September, you can already feel a change in the air in the mornings.  
Anyway, this post is already longer than I planned, (will my posts ever be short, lol)

I'm off to have a nice long soak in the bath and start a new book, oh before I forget, I have just finished See You in September, by Charity Norman, I bought the book at a book sale and I will put it in the charity bag to pass on, unless someone would like it?  I really enjoyed it so if you think it's one you would enjoy please leave a comment saying so and I will send it to you.  
(If you look on Amazon or Goodreads you can see if it's something that appeals to you)

If more than one person wants it I will put the names in a 'hat' next Sunday.

Right, i'm really going now, lol

See you soon

-X-

9 comments:

Jane said...

What a super day out! The Rainforest Café looks fantastic. Best, Jane x

Julie said...

Oliver is certainly growing. Looks like he had a fun day in the capital.

Poppypatchwork said...

The grin on Olivers face in each photo, shows how much he enjoyed the day, last time we visited London we went by train, not cheap but so much better. The blueberry plant will get quiet big, but it will take a couple of years, I did not get a crop from mine until year 3, but now I get loadns. My sister gave me a pink blueberry plant this year, which looks the same size as yours, will have to see who's fruits 1st. Book looks good, but I have a huge pile here to read.

Barb said...

What a great family day. That rain forest cafe looked like lots of fun. Oliver is such a cute little boy and I am so impressed that he likes history! Good for him!

Tina said...

What a fabulous day, the rainforest cafe looks amazing, Oliver's photos are lovely, that big smile:)) would love to read the book, my kind of book x

Jo said...

What a brilliant day out and it certainly looks by the smile on his face as though Oliver enjoyed it. A shame you didn't get to do everything you wanted but that's a good excuse for another trip. A very long day though, you'll be glad you're not up for work this morning. The wind here over the weekend blew over one of my blueberry bushes and the pot has broken, I'll have to find another one for it now. Blueberry bushes are acid loving so they should be planted in ericaceous compost, I haven't got any so that's something else I'll have to buy before I repot it. I've read See You In September, I really enjoy Charity Norman books, I think I've read all but one of hers. Enjoy your time in Brighton, somewhere I've never been, I shall look forward to hearing all about it.

Carol said...

Love the photo of Oliver in the phone booth, Maggie--too cute! It looks like a fabulous day--and your garden is looking beautiful in spite of the windy weather :)

Lowcarb team member said...

Although it was a long day, it was clearly a great day. Oliver's smiles are lovely to see, and all of your photographs are fabulous.

Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend and your time in Brighton.

All the best Jan

butterfly said...

What a great day out .
Looked like fun .
It's good to travel by train and quick too.
Your garden looks beautiful even with those gales.
Enjoy the weekend.