The Palace of Westminster is one of the most recognisable buildings in the world (even when parts of it are hidden under seems like acres of scaffolding). With Big Ben's Elizabeth Tower at one end and the Victoria Tower at the other, its striking façade stretches for 287 metres alongside the River Thames. The palace … Continue reading Tour of the Palace of Westminster
Tucked away in Zone 3, just 15 minutes walk from Ealing Broadway station, is Ealing Abbey. The monastery at Ealing was founded in 1899 and now sits in the heart of a residential area. It was severely damaged by a German bombing raid in 1940 and the restoration was finally completed at the end of … Continue reading Weekday Walk | Ealing Abbey
The Shuttleworth Collection is a private collection of historic aircraft and vehicles based at Old Warden in Bedfordshire. Run as a charity, the Collection is open to the public and runs flying events throughout the summer months. Spitfire In a complete contrast to RIAT, the air shows feature aircraft from World Wars I and II … Continue reading Families Air Show at the Shuttleworth Collection
Keeping our Summer Check List in mind and the idea of a slow summer, several outings these holidays have been to a bookshop. The Boy Child was lucky enough to receive a generous amount of book tokens at Christmas and for his birthday - so many that he still had a fair bit to spend. … Continue reading Slow Summer #1 | Bookshops
We have long-wanted to take The Boy Child to the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire but were deterred by the size of the crowds. This year, however, my best friend came up with a workable plan ... we rented car parking space in a farmer's field just north of the runway. … Continue reading The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT)
A lady I see regularly at the gym's pool surprised me recently with an invitation to join her for the second day of Wimbledon, as she had a spare ticket for Number One Court. I was both unbelievably touched that she'd thought to ask me and unbelievably excited. The tennis lovers in place for the … Continue reading Wimbledon 2019
The lovely Mary-Lou of Patio Postcards blog pointed me recently in the direction of Brené Brown‘s new weekly gratitude practice, TGIF. Most of us would recognise TGIF as an acronym for Thank God It’s Friday, but in Brené’s world it stands for Trusting, Grateful, Inspired and Fun. Seven bundles of cuteness Trusting: that mummy duck can keep her … Continue reading TGIF | With a Difference #3
The Gown by Jennifer Robson: Historian-turned-novelist Robson sets her latest historical release in 1947, when times are grim: so many have lost so much, war rationing continues, Britain is in ruins. But in a bleak year, there’s a bright spot: Princess Elizabeth’s royal wedding captured the hearts of a nation, and was a beacon of … Continue reading For the Love of Books | Currently Reading June 2019
We took a run out into the English countryside recently to visit the beautiful Pitstone Windmill, which dates from the 17th Century (visitors can see the date 1627 carved into a wooden beam). Now belonging to the National Trust, the design of the mill is what is known as a post mill, which means the whole … Continue reading Pitstone Windmill
Queen Victoria in front of the Guernsey Museum Above the financial district in St Peter Port are the 19th Century Candie Gardens. Once part of a private estate, the Gardens were bequeathed to the islanders and turned into a public park. The statue of Queen Victoria is diplomatically separated from a more flamboyant statue of … Continue reading Guernsey | Candie Gardens
