Getting Back On Track

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Well things have been looking up since my last entry. I’ve been getting back into the swing of things and having some fun.

Tessa (Monty’s sister) was in town for a few days, so it was great to have some company while Kath and Graham were in Amsterdam. On the plus side, Tessa (a trained hairdresser) did my hair while she was here - so kind of her!

One of the really great things about being in London is having the chance to hang out with my mates from uni. Last week, we all met up at the Borough markets near London Bridge, grabbed ourselves some French wine, fresh bread and delicious cheeses. We then trekked to Monique’s house for a lunch feast. I don’t think I’ve ever had sooo much cheese in my life before. But gosh it was great! After lunch, Mon decided to have a go at cutting Ben’s hair… luckily Tessa (the trained hairdresser) was on hand to provide some assistance (but it was still pretty funny!). I’ve been really glad to have such good mates here and the next get together we are planning is a weekend trip to Belgium. Can’t wait!!

This weekend saw my first trip outside of London to Sevenoaks to see Knole House, a stately home situated in north-west Kent surrounded by a large deer park. Kath’s uncle very kindly took Kath, Graham and myself on a drive there and it was stunning to get out of the city and be surrounded by green! Knole House itself was incredibly interesting as the rooms that are open to the public have been preserved to their early 17th-century appearance. My inner nanna was completely satisfied admiring the porcelain collection, the furniture and various precious objects. In the very heart of the house, the king's bedroom was absolutely spectacular. The bed itself (made in France for King James II) is covered with gold and silver brocade as are the matching chairs and stools. Then, as if that were not enough, the mirror, console and stands are made of silver! I picked up some very nice decorating ideas for the Riverstone shack! Unfortunately I couldn’t take any photos for you guys… if I even looked like I was about to take a happy snap, a national heritage volunteer was readying themselves to pounce on me. I did manage to take one sneaky photo though!

I’m really looking forward to the next couple of weeks. This weekend is the Belgium road trip and then on Sunday, my aunty Kathy from Hawaii arrives for a very fun week!! Stay tuned for my next adventure!

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Photos

Lunch at Monique's
Myself and Ed after having gorged ourselves on cheese!

Lunch at Monique's
Would you trust a social worker with a pair of scissors??

Lunch at Monique's
Luckily Tessa was on hand to help out!

Natural History Museum
Kath, Graham and myself spent a rainy Saturday at the Natural History Museum. Don't they look like they're about to have some fun!!?? Little did they know the horrors that awaited inside. The place was packed with kids all crammed in to see some dinosaurs. I think we lasted about 30 mins in there before heading off to find the local pub which was blissfully child free!

Knole House
Some deer grazing infront of Knole House. The grounds were so beautiful and green!

Knole House
Only from the side view do you get an idea of the size of the house and a view of all the bits that have been added over the hundreds of years.

Comments

[Kathy]

See you Snday
Wow...only three days until I leave Hawaii and jet my way to London. Looking forward to a fabulous week of touring, shopping and whatever else takes our fancy! Love, Kathy