Sunday 28 April 2019

One Daily Positive - Week 17. A week in the UK

Peter and I have flown to the UK for a week, it was a bit of a last minute decision. Peter needs to renew his passport and although we could do it via a courier, we decided on a trip over instead.

Our trip to the UK together has made me realise how little interaction I have with the outside world back in Dubai. This week there has been no dog walking, or swimming, or cleaning or sweeping of sand. It's pretty much all I do normally. Instead my week has been full of family and friends.

We didn't get to see child 3 as he's now back in Australia. It wasn't about money it was time and age, but neither of us felt we could manage the trip over to visit child 4 and 4a in the short time we had here, it's only an hours flight but it's all the time spent getting to and from airports also.

We've loved the countryside in Spring, so much has reminded us of our time in South Africa also, but minus the animals. I half expected to see giraffe and zebra as we drove to Cannop ponds and hippos in the lake. The tea room at the garden centre is typical of the ones in SA also. The buildings also capture our attention more than when we lived here.

111 Sunday An early start and flight to Birmingham, collecting car hire and driving to South Wales. After unpacking and a bit of tidying as child 3 had been living in the flat, we popped in to see Mum, our 8 year niece and Thing 1. Pub with friends.
This sign has featured highly in my journeys from childhood, returning home.

112 Monday Off to Gloucester to visit child 1. We stopped for breakfast on route and regretted it all day. Called in to see child 2 on our way home then off to visit the Things, bit of salad for tea and an early night.
View from our flat window.

113 Tuesday Appointment at the passport office and a wander around Newport with mum. Took a nap in the afternoon. Child 2 and 2a came over early evening.
Down by the river, spring time, with bunnies and ducks running around.

114 Wednesday Collected child 1 in Gloucester and drove to Cirencester to visit child 5 for lunch. Afternoon just chilling and dinner out with friends and child 2 and 2a.
Caught in the rain in Fairford.

115 Thursday Pottered around the Forest of Dean went for a walk, had coffee, called in to see friends early evening and dinner out in Ross with another set.
Cannop Ponds.

116 Friday Collected MIL from Keynsham and went to Street for the day, dinner and pub in the evening with Peter's sister and family. We stayed in a B&B.
Drive by photography, Tintern Abbey.

117 Saturday A long day out, took MIL to a local garden centre for a coffee and look round. Drove to Gloucester to visit child 1, due to the weather we took her to Asda for a walk round and some last minute shopping. Into the town for Peter's suit fitting for child 4 and 4a's wedding in September, met a friend for a drink and catch up, home and an early night.
Tea room in Keynsham.

On the blog this week:

My parenting journey and how it went


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18 comments:

  1. Is that a castle seen from your flat windows? How's that for a view! Down by the river looks so peaceful. Cannop Ponds look serene and beautiful. Love the ruins of the Tintern Abbey, would love to visit them one day.

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    1. yes it is a castle, it is a great view to have.

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  2. It sounds like you've had a lovely week catching up with family and friends, even though the weather wasn't always the best! Love the photos of Cannop Ponds and Tintern Abbey. Sorry to hear about the dodgy breakfast!

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    1. I'm missing that weather now we are home, no more rain here till the end of the year

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  3. Sounds like a lovely (but busy) week back home, you must have been delighted to get some rain instead of dust ;-) - lovely to enjoy the countryside, especially now at this time of the year

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    1. we've had our fair share of rain in Dubai also. I love the British countryside, really miss the greenery when I'm away

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  4. You never know what you are going to get weather wise in the UK and I'm not sure it knows it's self

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  5. Wow Cannop Ponds looks stunning, and the Abbey always looks lovely. It's the amount of travelling time that always annoys me when I visit my parents. It takes the whole day to get there with all the hanging around. #365

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    1. next time you come for a visit we'll explore the Forest

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  6. Certainly has been a different week for you, a pleasant change from routine.
    Tintern Abbey is my type of place to visit.

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  7. The river walk does look lovely. I think Tintern Abbey must be one of the few Welsh abbeys I haven't been to - bit daft really as not that far away.

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    1. I rarely stop there other than to take a photo these days

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  8. Oh I love the castle. Can you see that from your window? The river looks so peaceful too xx

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    1. can see the castle through the bedroom window and outside the front door, it's a lovely sight to wake up to

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  9. We went to Tintern Abbey last year on holiday and it was magnificent. Glad you had a busy week socially #project365

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