Australian Visitor - Week Five

Monday 22nd October
I wasn't well today so didn't go to work. We spent the day at home chilling out. Vickie and I took Pixel for a walk over the park. Sam came home from work and we all watched tv together before bed.

Tuesday 23rd October
Back to work today - Vickie had a day at home with Liam - they did some cooking together. Once everyone was home for work we all went for dinner at the Wigmore Fish Bar then did the shopping at Asda.

Wednesday 24th October
Vickie and I did some bits and pieces today - which included going into town and popping down to Marsh Road. We had dinner here together and spent the evening at home.

Thursday 25th October
Liam had an interview for Harrods today and Vickie went off to stay at her cousin Carol's house for the night. Before she went Vickie cooked a lovely vegan shepherds pie which Sam, Pip and I shared. We went to PC World to buy Pip's Christmas present - a new laptop.

Friday 26th October
 Vickie spent the day at Carol's. I took Pip to the station after I had finished work. Sam and I had KFC for dinner then drove over to collect Vickie from Carol's house. We stopped in to say hello before driving home.

Saturday 27th October
Vickie came with Sam and I to collect my new Audi A1. We spent an hour at the dealership while Adam showed us all about the car - I am so pleased, she is a lovely car!

I drove the car home - very tentatively at first.
We had breakfast then dropped Vickie at the station. She was going to watch Pip in a bout.

Sunday 28th October
Vickie and Pip had a day at the spa today. They and Liam came back this evening. This is the start of Vickie's last week with us.

 

Walk at Ashridge

Sam and I took Pixel for a lovely walk at Ashridge Country Park. It was a good excuse to take the new car for a spin. Pixel was generally very good - until he met a horse! He has not seen a horse before and he barked and completely ignored the recall command. I eventually managed to tempt him back with a treat. It is a good job the rider was experienced as she kept
the horse calm.


 

 

New Car Day

Vickie, Sam and I went to Bedford to collect the new Audi. It was a really lovely experience - the car was covered up when we got there and Adam did the big reveal. He then spent about an hour showing me how everything works. I drove her home - but very tentatively! I am very pleased with Cloudy The Audi - she feels very luxurious after Kiwi!

 

Australian Visitors - Week Four

Monday 18th - Wednesday 17th October
Vickie and Jerry drove from Herne bay to Bournemouth with Frank to visit some friends and relatives.
They also went to Southampton and Portsmouth. Here are the photos from their stay-

 

 

Thursday 18th October 

Vickie and Jerry are back when I get in from work - Sam collets me as she has been working in Letchworth today. It was a full house as Pip and Liam are staying too - Pip is doing a rotation at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital. Pip goes back to London as she has a roller derby practice - sadly she has forgotten her house keys so Liam gets the train down to collect her skate stuff for her. This leaves Sam, Vickie, Jerry and I to meet Charlotte and Ian at Balti Nights for a curry. We have a lovely evening - great food and great company! A nice thing to do on Jerry's last evening.

 Friday 19th October - Sunday 21st October

Jerry left today to go back to Australia. He took the coach to the airport - which worked well. He sent an email to say he had arrived home safely. 

Pip and Liam go back to London for the weekend as Pip has a match which she is captaining.

Sam and Vickie go to Nottingham for the weekend. They stay at the Crowne Plaza and go for dinner on Saturday night at Sat Bains - which they said was delicious!

Australian Visitors - Week Three

Sunday 7th October
After showing Robin round our house we go for lunch at the Warden Tavern. Lunch is a little slow arriving but very tasty. Sam and I then take Robin to the airport ready for his flight back to Jersey.
We spend the evening watching  episodes of the new series of Downton Abbey before going to bed - were all pretty tired after the weekend - especially Pixel!

Monday 8th October
Vickie and Jerry take the car to go and visit some old friends of Vickie's - Keith and Barbara. They get home in time for me to go dog training. Once Pixel and I are back we all have dinner together and watch an episode of Downton Abbey before bed.

Tuesday 9th October
Vickie and Jerry drive to Newark to visit Jerry's friend Jackie. They stay overnight at her house.

 

Wednesday 10th October
Vickie and Jerry drive from Newark to Milton Keynes to have dinner with another friend of Jerry's.They go to the beautiful Rockingham on the way. Jerry goes to his favourite shop - John Lewis on the way back too.

Thursday 11 October
I work today and Sam works from home for the morning.Sam goes out for lunch with Vickie, Jerry and Vickie's friend Dawn ( who is Pip's Godmother). They pick me up from work and we have dinner together - Vickie cooks some delicious pasta.

Friday 12th October - Sunday 14th October
See Whitstable Weekend Post

Whitstable Weekend

Friday 12th October
We start by taking Pixel to Appledown Kennels for the weekend - he goes off happily which makes us feel a bit better about leaving him.
We drive to Whitstable - Sam does most of the driving then I take over for the last part of the journey. We go over the Dartford crossing - which was impressive.

Once we arrive in Whitstable we have a little walk around the harbour and then go to a nice little pub to have lunch - the food was great. Sam and I have panga - which we hadn't tasted before and was delicious. Vickie had a jacket potato with crayfish.

The girl in the pub gives us a contact for a B and B to stay in - sadly full, but she directs us to another pub, the Duke of Clarence. There are no rooms there either but the nice guy who runs the pub gives us the number of someone with a house to let. We walk round to see it and it is perfect - two bedrooms and a sofa bed for Frank the first night. It is well equipped and located centrally so we can walk to the sea front and into town.
As the landlady had just redecorated she had a few bits to finish off we walk along the seafront and have a drink at the Neptune - which has great views of the sea. We then walk into town and buy some bits for breakfast and lunch which we take back to the house.

 

We decide to go out for dinner and start at the Cheesebox - we try some delicious cheeses with some very nice wine. To start with we were the only customers but it filled up quickly and the tiny space became quite crowded with people happy to stand and eat.

  We move on to find somewhere to eat our main meal and after trying several places end up in Prezzo and have Italian food. We then potter back to the house for a drink and a chat before bed.



Saturday 13th October
We cook breakfast before pottering down into town to have a wander round the charity shops. we all pick up a bargain - I find a nice monsoon dress which, with the addition of a new belt looks great. Vickie gets a few tops and some lovely shoes and a pair of boots and Sam some monsoon trousers and a Per Una shirt.
We walk along to the pub for a coffee and watch the yachts in the bay - they looked lovely in the sunshine. We can see the wind farm in the background.

 Then we pop back for lunch - delicious wraps. We walk back into town as I want to go to Boots - it rains heavily but soon stops. Jerry and Frank ring to say they have arrived so we go down to meet them and show them the house. 

We walk along the beach for a drink at the Neptune and a second one at The Duke of Clarence. We have dinner at the place we had lunch on the first day - which we all enjoy. We potter back home and sit chatting - Vickie is keen to go to bed - at 8.15, although she eventually manages to stay up until nearly 10.00!

In The Duke of Clarence

Sunday 14th October
After cooked breakfast Vickie, Sam and I set off for Canterbury. We spend a pleasant few hours exploring the town centre - which is very pretty.
We then join Frank and Jerry in Herne Bay - they have collected Sister Rose from where she lives so she can have a day out. We find a funny little restaurant serving roast lunch and enjoy a meal together. Sam and I leave around 2.00 as we want to collect Pixel from Appledown before they close - we have missed him so much. It was a real shame we didn't take him along as the accommodation and beach were dog friendly - as were many of the pubs!

 

50th Birthday Celebrations

  

Friday  5th October
My Birthday weekend started on Friday afternoon for me - but for Sam and the others involved with the planning it must have started long ago! I went to work as usual on Friday morning - Sam had 'things to do'!
Once home from work I packed for us both and we left at about 3.30. The drive was not very long - about 45 minutes, and after some directions by phone from Charlotte we arrived here!

The beautiful Tempsford Mill

Tempsford Mill is a beautiful house with nine bedrooms - which by Saturday were all filled with family.

Charlotte, Ian and Mum and Dad were at the Mill when we arrived. Charlotte had decorated with balloons and banners! Mum was organizing coffee and snacks for everyone. Mum and Charlotte were keen to show us round this amazing house!

Sam and I are sleeping in the master bedroom - which is huge and has great views from all sides.

Sam and Charlotte sort out the sleeping arrangements for those staying over - a bit complicated as some people are staying two nights and some just Saturday night.

Sam collects Pip and Liam from Sandy station - they are staying for the whole weekend too. 

 Jayne, Simon and the boys are next to arrive - Jayne really enjoyed looking round the house! Shaun does some fishing with Ian and Liam and Simon and Steven play some pool.

The dogs have fun exploring - Pixel loves playing with Snoop!
Everyone sorts themselves out for the evening meal - we have a lovely curry, Mum and Dad have pizza and salad and Jayne, Simon and the boys have fish and chips. After dinner Simon sets off home as he has to work tomorrow - but he will be back once he has finished.
We had a few drinks during the evening and played cards before turning in for the night. Charlotte and Ian were last to bed - they watched tv using the projector on the big screen.

Saturday 6th October
The weather was beautiful today - sunny and warm with blue skies. Ian, Liam and Shaun take out one of the boats and paddle off to explore. Later Jayne, Charlotte and Steven take out one too. They meet up and go off to explore under the bridge on the other side of the road.

People amuse themselves during the afternoon with various activities - pool, table tennis, fishing, more boating and exploring the grounds. Some other guests arrive - Sally, Michael, Lauren, Louise and Andy. Sadly Claire and Stu can't come as Claire has a bad cold.
The caterers arrive at around 4.30 ready to prepare the evening meal. Mum and Dad go home for a short while and Charlotte goes off to 'feed her bunnies' - well really to collect Robin from the airport - the biggest surprise of the day!

             

The caterers set the table - there were twenty of us eating. We had starters on the table followed by a carvery and fruit and a choice of three Birthday cakes for pudding - Charlotte had a piece of each! The food was delicious - with vegan choices for pip and Liam too.

 

 After dinner and coffee we had a few games of 'hide and seek followed by some of us participating in the great pub quiz - Liam and Mum won!
Darts and table tennis contests followed - and we ended up going to bed around two am.

 

 

 

Sunday 7th October

We don't have to leave the mill until midday - so plenty of time for everyone to have a cooked breakfast - prepared in two kitchens! 

After breakfast there is time for a last walk - and Robin and Ian row a boat back up to the boathouse. 

We all set off home having had a wonderful weekend in a beautiful setting - all arranged by Sam with hepl from Charlotte and Mum.