After a Lovely Holiday

It's back to the hectic everyday stuff

I bet there is not many that can go two weeks on this amount of luggage!! AND I didnt wear all that I took 😜

 I spent much of my time here

 Or here

 Or in here.

 You cant see in this picture but whilst I was paddling away, a pod of dolphins swam past. By the time I had swum back to shore to grab my camera, they were well away.


We didn't get as much walking as we had planned, as the weather was several degrees hotter than usual for the time of year.  So unless we saw one of these

Lovely sunrise

 The 10k steps were shelved for the day


We did get out and about 

 But most days ended up on the lovely beach even though we had to walk back up this hill to get back to our apartment.

and it goes on, and on.......

 We had some delicious food

 But most of all a well earned rest

The day after we got back I headed off with some friends to Southend to meet up with

 Paddle Streamer  Waverley

this photo from http://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/

We boarded from the end of Southend On Sea Pier

 

to cruise up the Thames

 

Under the Queens Elizabeth Bridge at Dartford

 

Through the Thames Flood Barrier

 

 Past the Cutty Sark at Greenwich

 Canary Wharf Businesses

 Toward Tower Bridge

 Which opened ,   just for us

 to sail under

 Such a fantastic trip! I was surprised how moved I was as the ships horn sounded and the crowds on onlookers cheered this lovely vessel into dock.

And more water at the weekend as I volunteered to help a The Splash and Dash -  a charity event held at Rushden Lakes for Spurgeons Children's Charity 

 It was hilarious to see all the teams paddle like fury at the start, only to see them all head off in different directions 🤣🤣🤣

The weather had turned much cooler, but it stayed dry,  everyone had much fun, and a good deal of money was raised. 



Not much done on the craft front but I hope to rectify that in the coming week.

It's Been a Crazy Busy Summer....

 But I did get down to London to see the 100 years of the RAF Flypast

Down the Mall

Prime position at the Victoria Monument

 It was a stunning and exciting display. I have never seen so many people!! but all were dispersed within a short time and we had a nice stroll back up the Mall and down to Horse-guards Parade

even the soldiers seem to be getting younger!

 Back to the station to catch the train home, but a quick pit stop at the British Library which was a lovely cool and quiet haven for a couple of hours.

will be back again soon

 A bit of childcare for these monkeys

 

Before heading of to Birmingham to the Festival of Quilts for my annual stint working on the Kids Quilts stand 

I exceeded last years  £1 total spend by splashing out on a reel of thread and some of these very pointy pins

I did not have time to take many photos but I think that this was my favorite quilt 

 Not my thing, but I can so much appreciate the work that has gone into this

 Loved this

 And this one

A day to recover and off we went to Windsor  with our friends from New Zealand 

 

An overnight stay near Windsor and then a day out in Oxford 

 Afternoon tea at Rushden lakes with a good friend and then a trip back to Birmingham before the Kiwi's boarded their flight home

 More childcare.....

 

And a lovely day celebrating the Baptism of Little Miss E.  We had made all sorts of contingency plans to shade the garden from all the glorious sun that we have had all summer.  

but...

IT RAINED

A LOT

All DAY 

but we still had a fabulous time  

A trip to the Miniature Railway at Audley End to handover to the parents

 And of course, we had to have a train ride through the woods

if you go down to the woods today .....

 And then a visit from the French family to finish me off   Finish of the holidays . 😅

I have had such a little time to do any sewing or knitting but a pair of socks are on the needles

 

And some novelty scraps to be made into an I Spy quilt (or three!!) 

We have a few days to catch up with ourselves and then we will be off for a little holiday.

I think that we have earned it 😉