So it finally felt like a bit of a more normal week. A few more social things, at last being in the garden with people and even a day with three – yes three – actual social events. Oh my god how I have missed my former life!
Started with the delivery of our patio furniture, to grace the new bottom-of-the-garden hand-built tiles, enabling us to sit out and bask in the afternoon sun. Only one piece has come so far, the two-seater sofa and table due this week, but Mr H & I (and the dog!) can top & tail on it, and the sun on our backs was a right joy.
And we started Easter proper with a trip up town – yes, actually up town!! Got on one of those long moving things with carriages…. um…. yup, a real train. First one since last October, so its about time. Oddly, I felt a bit nervous before we set off but of course, it was still lovely and quiet, as the shops aren't open so hardly anyone about. Got off at Vauxhall, walked the Embankment to Parliament Square and on to St James' Park. Had a nice cuppa on a bench, watching a small segment of the world go by.
And then past Buck House – rather nice walking down the middle of the Mall, as no cars on it currently – into Green Park (with a stop at the all-important loos at the station – had to persuade the attendant to let me in as who the hell carries 50p in change these days?!). Easily found a bench in the park to have my chosen lunch of Itsu noodles in a box.. And yes, Mr H had his peaky blinders hat on throughout..
Onwards to Hyde Park and a wander along the Serpentine – with the first Mr Whippy of the summer!!! Met a Sikh chap at the ice cream van who was in a pickle as he only had cash (ah, so that's who still carries money), the van only took cards… and his young son was already face down in his ice cream. Felt nice to buy it for him as the Sikh community is so giving, amazing what so many communities have been doing during this past year of horrors, and it was good to be able to offer a little gesture in return.
Popped out finally at Paddington and got the other snakey long rumbling machine – ah yes, a tube – homewards. Definitely worth getting over the mental hurdle of 'can we really do this now and is it a good idea' – we'll be nipping back for another park to park amble next week.
Keeping up the chocolate-counterbalancing exercise, we then cycled over to Claire & Jon's in Epsom on Saturday. Bastard freezing!!!! Took the full coat, hat and gloves in our bags and definitely needed them as we sat out with tea and homemade scones, making the most of being together at long last. And the kids had even knocked out a belated birthday cake for H – how they were in shorts and t-shirts I don't quite know – which was very sweet. Very good to see C&J and have a proper catch up natter – hopefully the next time it will be a tad warmer…
Next stop was a perfect country walk with J&R on Easter Sunday – by which point it was 15 degrees and full ball of sun!! Wandered round a few nooks of West Sussex, having parked outside a nice pub that was of course, still sadly rather tantalisingly shut. But managed to find a cracking picnic bench towards the end of our walk, onto which unfolded Mr H's meat & egg pie and Janine's salads, mini sauces and homegrown rhubarb and ginger flapjacks. Worth the 6 mile yomp indeed…
Legged it home as had next door nipping round for a few glasses of rose on the patio late afternoon, with their very lovely teenage girls, who had each made an Easter cake, complete with coconut green 'grass' and of course a bunch of mini eggs nestling in the cake-y undergrowth.. Forgot to take a photo of the neighbours as somehow the cakes caught my eye instead!
And finished our day with Gin O Clock on-the-line with David & Mands. Good job it was just a quick burger on the menu for dinner, as we were pooped by the time we'd had a good old chinwag and chewed the cud with them over a few more liquid libations..
But how, how, how (HOWWWWW) nice to have several social things on in one day and to finally feel like it was a small snatched bit of 'the old days'. Just waiting now for Margo & Mikey and the kids to come round for a roast chicken and egg-hunting fest – they'll be in the next blog post.
Here's to a few more things opening up over the coming weeks and hopefully, a bit more of life coming back into our days. x x x
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