Autumn Long Walk

Driving home from Staines yesterday at 5:15pm in the dark got me thinking that I really must make the most of every opportunity to spend time in the sun.

Recently I have been getting a lift in to work with one of my colleagues. This morning was crystal clear. So I made the most of it by walking to my lift which is about 10 minutes away - accessible via the Long Walk. And I'm so glad I did. It was cool - if not crisp. There was a slight breeze causing a few stray leaves to drift to the ground. On the grass lay pools of leaves. I guess it was this sight that I loved. You see, the Long Walk is so well maintained that a tractor towing a slasher is sure to clean them up every day or so. So I strolled along just enjoying the morning.

Looking back the castle was bathed in the low sunlight. And the cows in the paddock (sorry - field) adjacent to the walk were busily muching grass; the sunlight catching their outline.

I gave Merrilyn a call and urged her to come out and see for herself. She did. And I've posted her photos here.

By lunch time it was cloudy again. We're expecting around -2 degrees overnight for the next few nights. And if you don't believe me here's proof!

Blenheim Palace

Today was a stunning Autumn day. Whilst only about 15 degress it was a perfectly clear blue day. Perfect for adventuring. Perfect for a drive to Blenheim Palace just north of Oxford.

Last night we set the clocks back an hour to mark the end of daylight saving. There were no complaints this morning for the extra hour of sleep.

After breakfast at Carluccio's we set off about 11am. The satnav replaced what would likely have been a stressful drive with a straight forward set of directions after entering in our destination. (On the way home - I promised myself that no car I have will ever be without one again!) Before we knew it we arrived at the Palace. Delivered right to the door!

Whilst we came prepared for a picnic no-one was in the mood for food. So we made our way to the Churchill exhibition. But perhaps a little bit of history first. (For those with an apetite check out the wikipedia entry)

Blenheim Palace was constructed by the first Duke of Marlborough - John Churchill - following his victory over the French commander Marshall Tallard at Blenheim. This victory apparently halted French domination in Europe. So in gratitude Queen Anne granted Marlborough the Royal Manor of Woodstock.

You would have recognised the Duke's surname. Winston Churchill is a direct decendant of John and was born at the Palace on 30th Nov 1874. So its not suprising that a big part of the experience at the Palace are exhibitions and memoribilia related to Winston. It was interesting to learn that Winston had a real fascination with the military, and in particular history and service. He joined the army via the Miltary Academy Sandhurst. And did you know he was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 for his English and world histories?

The Palace is set on large grounds with a number of different gardens; all immaculately presented. James, of course, loved the fountains! We enjoyed a stroll by the lake and past the rose and secret gardens. In the afternoon the low sun cast an orange light that just lit the autumn leaves. And with the light warmth it was a very enjoyable afternoon. You'll see from the photos that there is some indulgence to autumn.

We finished up about 4pm and it was dusk 45 minutes later! Traffic home was horrendous - particularly around Oxford. Tonight we enjoyed Don Beni italian. Stuart is packing for his early start tomorrow morning. His train leaves Windsor at 7:20am and arrives at Gatwick (from Chatham) about 9am. It been fun!

Photos are here - hope you like them.

Stuart visits & fireworks at Windsor

This afternoon Merrilyn's cousin Stuart came to visit. He lives in Dallas and is on business in the London returning on Monday. So we're lucky he's taken to opportunity to spend the weekend with us.

This afternoon we visited the Great Park via Bishop's Gate. Of course, no visit would be complete with seeing the Copper Horse. On the way, James made good use of his "wellies" by jumping through muddy puddles.

Whilst James scrambled over the rocks we saw a heard of deer approaching. In their midst was a buck. They were a bit skittish and ran up and down the bridle path.

We returned home about 5:30pm and decided to visit the Windsor Racecourse. Its Halloween weekend, and with Guy Fawkes next week, bonfires and fireworks are in plentify supply around Windsor. Tonight, there was a carnival at the Racecourse complete with the bonfire at 6:30pm and fireworks at 7:30pm. So we all quickly gathered our kit and made our way to the venue.

On the way I called Gary. He and the family were on the way home from an adventure but agreed to meet us with Liam.

We arrived about 6:15pm and grabbed some dinner. There were rides, music, a pumpkin competition, and plently of people. Come 6:30 and the bonfire was lit. It was huge and only took a few minutes to quickly build. (A little different to the fires I try to light!)

Walking though the carnival James was constantly saying "Can I have a ride?" Most rides were suited to the older kids (one was ridiculous - it lifted and spun occupants until they were a blur of legs). We did find a sort of merry-go-round with buses. Liam and James shared a bus. James was thrilled and laughed every time we saw us.

At 7:30pm the fireworks started. Mind you, earlier we saw the fireworks over Legoland, and there were another two session kicking off over the Thames. Amazing. Our show went for about 15 minutes and featured a mix of ground level and high level fireworks. James was entraced.

I bought him a green glow stick which he loved. Its sitting behind his curtain in the bedroom as I type.

Now - we're listening to jazz and kicking back with some drinks. Very relaxing. Tomorrow we plan breakfast at Carluccio's and then more adventures!

Photos from today are here. Check out the fireworks on YouTube here and here.

Another visitor!

I opened my email this morning to find a note from my cousin, Andrew Bennett. He is back in London for a short stay having been driving and surfing around France, Spain, Portugal and Morocco for the last month or so. As he is leaving for Canada next week we decided we could fit in a flying visit to Windsor!

James and I met Andrew at the station and we spent a good couple of hours catching up on what we'd both been up to. It has been a year since Andrew has seen any family - he has been a very busy boy and is having an amazing time traveling! The time of his life. Martin came home from work and we all headed off along the Long Walk to our local pub, The Windsor Castle, for dinner.

So we had a good time together, short but sweet, and Andrew sends his love to our Bennett family back home.

Rome Day 4 - Fini

I can't believe this is our last day in Rome. Mum, James and I have packed so much in but continue to find the energy to seek new adventures. The thought of missing something really amazing around the next corner is just not on!

This morning we had dedicated to visiting the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. I knew the queues would be long and the sheer volume of treasures to see could easily take all of the day!

We were walking our usual route to St Peter's when we rounded the corner and saw that something was obviously afoot . There were police, security, motorbikes and cars everywhere, just outside the Piazza columns. The nearby policeman couldn't talk to us as he was 'on guard' but an event was imminent. Sure enough, a command came over the radio and all security sprang into action! Off raced the bikes, sirens blaring, and along came black cars with tinted windows and along comes THE POPE! Seriously! There he was waving to the small-ish crowd (nuns and tourists!) who clapped and waved back. He was dressed in white robes and was on his way to St John's Basilica University, a 10 minute drive away (I made the policeman talk, after all!) Mum and I just stood there and looked at each other and asked if that had really just happened? She had caught it on video, of course! We went to Rome and saw the Pope! We felt blessed!

We were still spinning when we joined the queue for the Vatican. Luckily we had an hour-long wait ahead (!) so we could pinch each other and take in what we had just seen!

It was an 'interesting' experience navigating the museum with the stroller! A couple of people ahead of me got their heels whacked but what could I do? It was very crowded and I wanted to see some of the pieces on show and not just the floor and people's legs! At some less crowded points I let James out for a run. He especially like the Big Pine Cone in the courtyard, and once again we traipsed on grass we shouldn't have. The museum trail eventually wound its way via many, many steps to the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo's masterpiece. I love this room and was not so overwhelmed as I was last time. This time I knew what I was long for ie. Genesis and the flight from Eden.. My task now is to read up on some of the other panels in the Chapel, a near impossible task when you're in there!

Mum was truly taken with the Map Galleries. The corridors, more like a series of never-ending rooms, were adorned with 16th century cartography. I commented that the Romans would have to re-do the maps every time they expanded the empire, so the paintings were plentiful! I, too, could have spent much more time here.

After 2 and a bit hours we had to 'step on it' to get out of the museums and back to the hotel. We had been lucky enough to be granted a late 2pm check-out as our flight was not until 5pm and I knew our last day would be curtailed if we had the normal check out of 12 noon. We changed and packed in about 20 minutes then caught a cab to the airport. My original plan was to go back to Piazza Navona for one last caffe and gelato but it was not be. We raced along the Autostrada at 130 kms an hour! Roman taxi drivers...!

So the rest of the afternoon was spent getting something to eat and checking in and waiting for our flight. I was sad to be leaving wonderful Rome, but looking forward to coming home to share our adventures. One Daddy was very happy to see his little boy at the airport, I can tell you!

Ciao Italy, until next time...

Photos are here.

Rome Day 3 - Shopping and Saints

Our hop-on hop-off bus tickets proved useful this morning. It was a 24 hour ticket and we still had 2 hours left so we hopped one at 10am and got off at the first stop after St Peters. This was a piazza and street I had seen from atop the bus yesterday and I wanted to explore the shops more closely! My wonderful mother entertained my son while I popped in and out of nearly every shop in the street! Mum bought James a gorgeous top and I bought a fantastic dress and belt. Some of the fashion was way too outrageous for me and I could feel my credit cards cringing but I had a great time anyway!

The next bus came along an hour later so we took it to the stop near the Trevi. In the crowd yesterday we had forgotten to throw money into the fountain to ensure our return to Rome someday! This we did - James took all our money and 3 goes to get any coins actually in the water! It was hilarious. There are a dozen photos of his attempts!

I promised James gelati and we walked the short distance (slightly impeded by so many shops and photo opportunities) to the Pantheon. This is my most favourite building in Rome. I love the hole in the roof (occulus) and the beautiful marble floors. Apparently rain coming through the occulus is a sight to see. Before we entered I popped into a pizzeria and bought a ton of food (see these photos too!). We had 3 types of pizza (eggplant, mushroom and sausage), arancini (risotto balls) and potato croquettes. We sat on the step of the great Pantheon and sucked up the atmosphere and the mozzarella!

Consulting my map we headed for Caffe Giolitti, THE BEST gelateria in Rome. Martin and I had been there before and I was really looking forward to it. To entice James away from the fountains at the Pantheon I promised that now we would get a gelato. My map was decidedly misleading and we actually walked away from Giolitti. Sob! James gave up and fell asleep.Mum and I consoled ourselves with a caffe latte on the Corso Vittore Emanuele. We splashed out and paid 1 euro extra to sit down at a table! By this time we were pretty weary so we caught a cab back to St Peters.

To our surprise the queue to get into St Peters was relatively short (only one quarter around the piazza, as opposed to three quarters!) so we joined it and only queued for about 10 minutes. We had to go through security and park the stroller but it was a fairly quick process. Carrying 14 kilos of exhausted sleeping child (lucky he didn't have that ice-cream!) we entered the amazing Basilica which was very crowded, due to a large area around the altar being roped off. As Mum and I were sitting in a side chapel (silence for praying only and no photos allowed) James awoke suddenly and pointed out the 'huuuuge candles' around him. He followed that with a furtive look around and 'are there any little ones we can blow out?' I had to laugh, quietly though!

We passed a deceased pope in a glass case (Pius, died in 1911) in another side chamber. I explained to James that this man was once the 'boss of the church' but not anymore. He later relayed to Ninny that this man was asleep and not the boss anymore. I wonder how much will sink in?

Home again and another bath. We had dinner at the nearby restaurant Vittoria. Not as good as the previous night due to the staff being in-undated with large hungry groups, but we enjoyed our spaghetti vognole (clams) and ravioli with spinach and ricotta and antipasto. I felt not even a twinge of guilt ordering tiramisu again!

Photos are here.

Rome Day 2 - Rome in one Day

James was eager to get dressed and downstairs this morning after a good sleep. I told him there may be croissants for breakfast, but here in Italy they are called "cornetti". He stuck to the French version. The hotel breakfast was wonderful and I think I ate 2 cornetti myself! I needed them for energy!

We purchased a 15 euro hop-on hop-off bus ticket so we could see the sights of Rome without walking every cobble. It was well worth it. James was thrilled to be back on a bus with no roof. The great thing about being up top was the traffic was so congested that you could get heaps of photos without whizzing past! Mum went mad! First stop for us was Piazza di Popolo with it's twin churches. James was free to run in most piazzas we visited and run he did! He was fascinated by two men cleaning a fountain. Mum and I saw a shop with some nice clothes in the window so we went in and flicked through some racks. I was a little surprised to find an op-shop in the heart of the city but thought I might find a designer outfit in decent condition...imagine our surprise and horror when the amused Signor kindly told us this was a Dry Cleaners! We were mortified! We apologised profusely and got out of there as quick as we could!

Once we had stopped laughing and spluttering we found lunch at nearby cafeteria (look at the photos of this!) and Mum and I swooned over plates of vegetables! James didn't think much of vegetables so I bought him 3 mini pizzas with olives, prosciutto and tomato toppings. That kept him going for ages! It also made him very sleepy...

Reluctantly leaving the cafeteria we walked toward the Spanish Steps. I saw a dress in a window and bought it! The steps were unfortunately blighted by scaffolding and too many people, so I sat with James asleep in the stroller at the bottom and Mum walked up. Not as lovely as the postcards but a must see on the Roman tour.

Next stop was the lovely Fontana di Trevi, Trevi Fountain. There was such a lively atmosphere here that despite the crowds it was fun! I bought gelati (vanilla, hazelnut and coffee) from the place Martin and I visited last trip. We had to wake James up for this but he did so willingly!

We were having such a good time here that we had to run to catch our bus on it's way through the crowded streets! It only came by once an hour so to miss this one would mean not enough time for the other sights. We ran one way. It was the wrong way. I spotted the bus coming and we chased it up the street! Well done Mum for managing the stroller over kerbs and past pedestrians to get there! James was shaken, but not stirred.

We leapt on and settled down. Our destination was the Colosseum and Forum and I knew that would take up the rest of the afternoon. At the Colosseum James immediately took off and I found myself running everywhere after him. We didn't go into the Colosseum but headed under the Arch of Constantine and up the ancient cobbled Via Sacra, Sacred Way. This was tough going with the stroller, I can tell you! James announced he was being 'Hadrian' and headed for any elevated platform of wall he could find. That boy has no fear when it comes to being a Roman! He really enjoyed the Forum, especially the drinking fountains. He'd drink then wash his blackened hands. He fell flat running downhill (audible gasp from doting Japanese tourists!) but was placated with a nice hand wash! He was filthy when we left! And I'm not sure his once-white shoes will recover from his one!

Our final bus stop was near the Piazza della Bocca, the ancient drain cover where you see people sticking their hands in the mouth. I was too scared but James insisted he'd like to do it and Mum gladly offered to take the photo! Chicken!

We nearly got locked in the attached church (guess who led us in there?!), and the bus was late but we made it back to the hotel unscathed. We all had baths (a real luxury after a day like this) and went out again in the rain to the nearby restaurant Osteria dei Pontefici. This was recommended by our concierge and we had a ball! Something to do with too much energy, a carafe of white wine, a jovial party singing songs and a digestive Amaro! The waiters once again were charmed by James who ate a bowl of rigatoni with tomato, all the breadsticks (grissini) that were on the table and most of the tiramisu. Mum and I had the most wonderful fettuccine with mushrooms and what was left of the tiramisu.

We staggered home full and tired. When I asked James what his favourite thing was today, he answered 'the tiramisu'. Mum's favorite was the Forum. Mine was the lunch!

Photos are here.

Rome Day 1 - Ahhh Roma!

It’s a funny feeling – waking up before the sun and realising that today you’re going on holiday. And you have to get out of bed right now and get to the airport!

James woke up on the right side of bed at 6am and was chirpy and happy to be clothed and fed and bundled into the car. Martin drove James, Mum and I to Heathrow in time for our 9.25am flight. We were delayed one hour so I bought James a book and a fruit salad. The book was firmly dismissed but the fruit polished off in no time. Finally we were on our way. Like the flight from Melbourne in May, James amused himself and us by ‘making coffee’ from the arm rest on the plane. He was also pressing the channel buttons and counting the numbers. He did really well on the flight and ate all his foccacia and drank as much red orange juice as I’d let him!

We arrived at Rome Fiumicino airport and the first adventure was taking a bus from the plane to the airport terminal. James was excited to receive (another) stamp in his passport. And so was I!

We took a cab to our hotel, the ‘Michelangelo’,just 200 metres from St Peter’s Basilica. I was silently praying that the hotel would be good and as soon as we rounded a corer and saw the dome of St Peter’s I was praying for the cab to stop! We were really pleased when it did! The hotel was wonderful – a quiet room, 3 single beds, bath, bidet (more about that later!) and friendly staff who understood my Italian. I had done a 10 week Italian language course in 2003 and I must say it proved to be very useful and worth every cent!

We didn’t hang about the room long, eager to get out and explore the city. Mum and I couldn’t believe how close we were to the dome! We walked through the columns and out into the piazza and the sunshine. James immediately spotted the fountains and took off! By this time I was feeling a bit numb and a bit teary; it was so good to be back in this beautiful city and I was just so happy to be sharing this part of my life with my Mum. So the tears were close but I was truly happy!

We strolled down past Castel Sant’Angelo, the ancient tomb of the Emperor Hadrian. I decided that James had earned a treat and he was rewarded with a strawberry gelato. He made noisy “mmmmm” sounds as he slurped and licked – it was so funny!

We crossed the Ponte (bridge) Vittorio Emanuelle II where artists sat and painted and sold their works. The watercolours were lovely and Mum and I were very tempted. Meandering around and trying to absorb the atmosphere and dodge the crazy traffic, we eventually came to a street that brought us into the southern end of the Piazza Navona. This is Martin’s favourite place in Rome and I was a little sad not to be sharing this experience with him. Here too, were many artists and their works. As one would expect, travelling with my mother, we went into the most prominent church in the piazza, St Agnes in Agone (Agony). There, James and I lit a candle and said a little prayer. It was a beautiful little church and very spiritual and hushed.

By this time lunch was a distant memory so we started looking around for a place for dinner. On the way we walked down a street that was crammed with parked cars. For those of you who know Roman traffic, you’ll know what I mean! The cars were parked so close together that at the end of the street I had to get James out of the stroller, fold it up and walk through the tiny space between two cars sideways! Mad!

We found a trattoria at the Piazza Panico, almost opposite the bridge we had crossed earlier. It was early for the locals, about 6.30, but the waiters were only too happy to serve us and they just adored my little blonde James! We ate mushroom pizza, antipasto, bruschetta, white wine, James had a whole bowl of green olives (mostly!) to himself. We finished with tiramisu and cappucini. Food always tastes better on holiday and Mum was amazed!

We strolled home back across the Tiber and through the Piazza San Pietro. After we had collapsed on the beds and James had done a wee in the bidet (what an experience!); we called Martin who was green with envy but very, very happy to hear from us. He and James had a good long chat about the days’ adventures. As I wrote my blog notes James was ‘writing’ on a hotel fax header sheet at the table beside me. Very serious business!

It was so wonderful to be back in Rome and I am blessed to be given this opportunity by my husband. Thank you, husband!

Photos are here.

Our new car

We've finally received our new company car - after being here for almost 6 months! It's a Zafira. But don't think of the family car stigma. Its fully optioned and loaded with high tech such as: climate control, parking sensors, xenon headlights that turn corners, 150bhp diesel, and SATNAV! Oh - and its black. (That's Merrilyn's call!)

We took it for a spin to Yattendon on Sunday. Just entered the location and the satnav guided us right to the door. We love it! I'm sure it will save the marriage :)

And there's plenty of room for family (!)

Home from Rome

Well - this is a short blog to welcome home Merrilyn, James, and Lynne. They arrived home tonight from Rome exhausted - but exhilarated. I have to say that I missed them all; but James especially. He saw me when they exited customs and ran into my arms. All the way back to the car he wanted to look straight into my eyes and tell me all about his adventure. He recalled details like dropping the coins into the Trevi - and that he'd be back one day with a brother or sister (have to talk to Merrilyn :) )

James fell straight to sleep in the car. Its less than 30 minutes from Heathrow to home so he was soon in bed. Looking in on him just now - he hasn't moved. Understandable. Its always good to be home.

Merrilyn, Lynne, and I have spent the past few hours talking about the experience. Its wonderful to hear about the places they've gone; the food they've enjoyed; and the shopping! I guess you'll have to wait for Merrilyn's blog for the details... :)

Merrilyn, James, and Lynne travel to Roma

Today was very exciting. Especially for little James. This morning Merrilyn, James, and Lynne flew to Rome for a four day holiday.

It was an early start; up a 5:45am to be out the door and at Heathrow Terminal 2 by 7:30am.

Last night Merrilyn and Lynne went to Windsor Royal Theatre to see Entertaining Angles starring Penelope Keith. So I put James to bed. But not before reading to him a book called "Going on a Plane". We talked about him imminent adventure and rolepayed checking in at the departure desk, going through the metal detector, and getting settled for takeoff. He was so excited I thought he'd never go to sleep. But of course he did:)

So when he awoke this morning he didn't stop talking! All through getting dressed. All through breakfast. And all through the trip to Heathrow.

We parked easily at T2 and made our way the short distance to the departure terminal. The flight wasn't due to leave until 9:30 and the queue was short at Alitalia. Happy days. Everyone checked in ok - only a single suitcase and a few small carry on items. I followed through to customs to see them off. James said he'd see me in Italy. He didn't quite understand. I told him I'd miss him and that I'd be waiting here to see him when he returns.

When I got to work I received message from Merrilyn that the flight was delayed an hour. Damn. Every minute in Italy is precious for us! But they were away at 10:30am for the 2.5hr flight. At about 3:30pm (its +1 hr difference to Italy) I received another message to say they'd arrived at the hotel safely.

Tonight - after they returned to the hotel from dinner - I spent a wonderful 20 minutes talking to all of them. Whilst I'm sure Merrilyn will blog on her return she told me of how they'd already walked to St Peter's (their hotel is only a few hundred metres away!), on to Castello Sant'Angelo, across the Tiber and on to Piazza Navona. They had a wonderful meal at a Trattoria - apparently James as a hit with the waiters. He apparently enjoyed the olives!

I am so happy for them as I know they will have some wonderful experiences.

Leeds Castle (in Kent!)

On Sunday we visited what is billed as "the most beautiful castle in England" - Leeds Castle.

Despite the indication in the name it is located to the East in Kent. It’s about an hour and a half drive although this is via the M25 so can be variable. True to form we did have a hold up of about 20 minutes due congestion caused by an earlier accident.

We arrived at the castle at lunch time and headed straight for the picnic grounds towards the back of the venue. On the way we walked through beautifully maintained gardens and a duckery. James - full of energy - ran around and around. To our surprise we saw black swans. This is a first for the UK. We noticed their silhouette everywhere: from weather vanes, to embossing on drain pipes. Lady Baillie, the last resident, was very interested in exotic birds. She introduced the black swans to the castle together with an extensive Aviary.

Past the duckery we caught sight of the magnificent castle itself. Its located on a small island in the middle of a lake and is approached via a medieval Barbican. The castle itself is listed in the Doomsday Book and has been a Norman stronghold and a royal residence for six of England's medieval queens. It was a misty day (as I understand is common for Autumn) which I think only added to the view. I like to imagine how people saw the castle as it appeared out of the mist.

Continuing the walk to the picnic ground we passed through a cottage garden that still boasted flowering roses. James found a wheel barrow filled with pumpkins. He lifted a few of the smaller ones on to the path so he could sort them :)

As we approached the picnic ground we passed a falconry display. Although no doubt interested we decided to continue on to the now empty tables and play equipment. James played as we set out the sandwiches Merrilyn had made.

After lunch we made our way to the nearby maze. It was planted in 1998 with 2400 yew trees. There is a central mound (your target) that leads down into a grotto. Of course we got lost staight off the bat. Fortunately we had assistance from a couple that we up on the mound and could see us and the path we needed to take. Even then, we still managed a few wrong turns! Having reached the mound we descended into the grotto. This apparently represents the spirit of the castle and contains underworld creatures made from shells, and rocks. James loved it. Merrilyn couldn't wait to get out!

From there we headed to the castle itself. It is approached via the barbican and a stone bridge that provides access to the island castle. In its earlier history this would have been a wooden drawbridge. The castle itself was bequeathed to the Leeds Castle Foundation upon her death. There are many public rooms that are maintained just as she left them. One of my favourites was the Henry VIII banquet hall. It has an ebony floor and a magnificent stone fireplace. Although not a cold day by any means, the fires were lit. James showed me how he could stick his hand out and feel the warmth. (That will no doubt come in handy as winter kicks in!)

Another interest were some of the rare tapestries; some dating to the 16th century. A feature of this castle is that most items are fully accessible. So you can spend time looking at the details to get a real impression of what life must have been like.

By about 4pm we had walked just about every inch of the castle. James, as soon as he was outside, set off down the stone path pretending to be a train. Of course, a trip was inevitable, accompanied by the sound of his forehead hitting the ground. Not too much damage though - a bump as a souvenir :) James and Merrilyn took the car/train (4WD pulling a series of carriages) back to the car park whilst Lynne and I made our way back via the duckery and castle grounds.

It was a very enjoyable day. And our tickets remain valid for a year so I think we'll be back to explore the grounds and Aviary.

Photos are here. Well worth a peek!

Toilet training

Well, we have finally taken the plunge and convinced James that now he is 3 it’s time for BIG BOY’S UNDERPANTS! With robots on them. After a couple of false starts we are now underway with toilet training. Don’t worry – I won’t go into too much detail! It has been cause for a few funny moments though.

So far James and I have been to Sainsburys toilet (2 times each trip – shopping today took an hour), the National car depot, Heathrow, Savill Garden and Carluccio’s. All very exciting but he is getting the gist of what goes on. Had a few accidents but generally he is good and lets me or Ninny or Daddy know when he needs the loo.

He got a fright when you-know-what happened and it fell out the bottom of his pj’s. When we put him to bed that night he commented that it looked like a croissant. Hmmm…yummy!

So that’s it and wish us luck and fingers crossed please!

Mum & Dad off to Dubai

Yesterday we said goodbye to Mum & Dad as they left Heathrow for Dubai. It was sad to see them off as we've enjoyed our weeks together. Although it had been years since we lived together under the same roof it really was a pleasure to have them with us. And we certainly filled the time with adventures - or simply walking the streets of Windsor.

As you can imagine they were sad to be leaving. Particularly saying goodbye to James. But I guess now that I've set up Skype we look forward to some video calls!

Safe travels...

Carluccio's Fungi Festival

Another bright, crisp and sunny day, and another lovely Sunday morning spent at Carluccio's for brunch! We really enjoy the breakfasts there and have our favourite dishes. James always has a croissant with fig jam and an orange juice. Mum enjoyed her eggs and mushrooms on ciabatta (my recommendation!) and was grateful for the strongest coffee she's had in England yet!

At 2pm we returned to Carluccio's to see the owner and 'great man' himself, Antonio Carluccio, do a cooking demonstration using mushrooms and all types of funghi currently in season here in the UK. Even after our huge breakfasts our mouths were watering and tummies grumbling! We got to sample the food he cooked - funghi tempura and funghi on crostini, but the hordes swarmed around him for the fresh papardelle pasta with mushroom sauce so we let that one go. It smelt sooo good!

After the demonstration Mum and I got to meet Antonio and have a quick chat. He signed an autograph for me which I will put into one of his recipe books when I finally decide which one I want! We commented on his recent visit to Australia and his TV shows. He is a very genuine and kind man but obviously a very busy one!

Photos here.

Roman Palace - Fishbourne

Saturday was another lovely sunny day. To make the most of it we decided to head to the Roman Palace at Fishbourne. I'd heard of this Palace during the week from a colleague at work. It was constructed in the first century on the site of one of the main bridgehead of the Roman invasion of Britain in AD43. It is well known for the mosaics.

We arrived at about 2pm after lunch on the beach at Bognor Regis. (Well - when I say beach I really mean pebbles with water!). We were fortunate to discover that the Ermine Street Guard were about to provide a demonstration of Roman soldiers performing battle tactics and cavalry maneuvers. They are a society dedicated to living the Roman legionary experience and are fully kitted out with authentic armour and weapons.

We witnessed a terrific display of tactics including the tortoise (shields placed in front and over the advancing army) and the wedge. One of the main strengths of the legion was their training and cohesiveness. Essentially they acted in concert to defeat an enemy; often when outnumbered. Each soldier had a sword (gladius) and javelins (pilum). These were deployed according to circumstances. For example, we witnessed an advancing tortoise formation with only the gladius exposed. It was hard to attack such a formation, and even if a soldier was struck, another was always there to take his place.

James was less interested in the demonstration and enjoyed himself running and jumping up and down the grassy hill from which we watched the action!

Fishbourne itself was believed to be a strategic base in support of the Roman invasion in the west supporting the bridgehead established at Richborough in Kent. Fishbourne is located on a harbour ane used as a fort to supply soldiers and store food.

The palace (actually an elaborate villa) was built in the first century and is believed to be the residence of Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus, a pro-Roman local chieftain installed as regional King following his support for the invasion. Regardless of the history, there is no doubt about the splendor of the mosaics. Most represent the oldest such Roman mosaics in Britain.

The museum is a covered building that provides full protection to the excavation. Although the colour was mostly lost in the tiles, I did find some hint of colour particularly in the masonry that I guess represents our modern skirting board; joining the wall to the floor.

In addition to the mosaics, there was a reconstruction of the extensive gardens. As part of the Ermine Street Guard demonstration there were stalls and displays showing everything from Roman food (eg bread and mead) to Roman use of herbs as medicine. We all found it fascinating.

To top it off there was an exhibition showing many of the original artifacts uncovered during the excavations in the 1960’s. The Palace itself was destroyed by fire in AD270. In the exhibition was pottery that was blackened by the fire. Coins, broaches, and part of soldier’s attire such as belts and helmets were also on display. To me – the display of the fragments of fresco and ornate wall marbles harked back to memories of Pompeii.

You can see the photos here. You’ll see the mosaics in detail. Oh – and the soldiers!

Hotel Windsor

Today saw the checking-out of Darren and Gill and checking-in of my Mum, Lynne. The changing of the guard!

James and I dropped Granny and Papa off at the car rental depot for their trip around England this week.Then it was off to Heathrow at lunchtime. Mum's plane was right on time and she was through the doors in half and hour! James and I were sooo happy to see her!

James enjoyed the second day of his birthday celebrations with more presets from Ninny's suitcase!

After soup and toast for lunch we took Mum through the Long Walk gate with our 'golden key' and did the walk up to the castle to see bollards and boom gates. Carluccio's is having a mushroom festival this weekend so we went there and purchased some produce for our dinner.

Martin was in Birmingham today but was home in time for dinner. James was exhausted. Even too tired for more birthday cake!

The Big 3

Today was our James’ 3rd birthday! It has been a very exciting build-up, what with Granny and Papa staying with us and Ninny arriving from Australia tomorrow. James has a good idea of things he is able to do now that he is a ‘big boy’. I did have to remind him that underpants are a good idea, but asking to drive the car is not!

After breakfast James was allowed to open his lovely gifts. Thank you to all of you who sent cards and presents! Martin and I were touched that you went to the effort and James was just thrilled with them all. It has been fun and games this last week waiting for the postie to arrive!

James is one very content 3 year old with a Bosch workbench, cash register (with groceries and Amex), DVD’s, toys and books. He played all day amongst the chaos which is good because it rained for most of it! This afternoon his new friends Tom (nearly 2) and Will (10 weeks) came for a play. The boys played really well together, except apparently 3 power drills in the house aren’t enough to go around!

We had a celebration dinner at home tonight, followed by chocolate cake with smarties and candles. He was totally exhausted and went to bed without a peep! Granny and Papa have gone to their B&B before they hire a car and take off touring for a week. My Mum is on the plane as I write this. Welcome to the Pittard Pensione!

Happy birthday, our beautiful boy.

Photos are posted here.

Duxford - Imperial War Museum

Today Mum, Dad, and I visited Duxford Imperial War Museum. Its far and away one of the most impressive military aircraft displays. I've long held an interest in military aviation so this was a trip I've been looking forward to.

Upon arriving we made our way to Hangar 1. This is nearing completion and houses aircraft such as the Concorde, Vulcan strategic nuclear bomber, Canberra bomber, Typhoon, Harrier, and Jaguar. Whilst the hanger is not due to be opened until summer 2007 it is, for all intents and purposes, complete. Still under construction is an educational section on the mezzanine floor. Looks great and focuses on teaching some fundamental flight and aerodynamic principles.

I know that Mum and Dad enjoyed touring the Concorde. I'm amazed at the relatively narrow cabin - really only sufficient to place four seats and a centre aisle.

The Vulcan has a truly huge wing chord. The surface area is amazing. Its bomb bay doors were open showing a cavity that could house the Blue Steel 1 megaton thermonuclear missile.

We also spent time at the warbirds hangar viewing the Spitfire and Hurricane. These aircraft give you chills. On display are a number of aircraft and, of course, examples of the Rolls Royce Merlin engines.

Duxford also has an impressive Battle of Britain history display. We all found this interesting with plenty of video footage and memorabilia.

But you can't help but be impressed with the American Air Museum. It contains some classic and rare examples of mighty aircraft such as the SR71 (see photo of me with this engineering marvel), B52 (Dad's favourite), U2, F-111 (probably my all time favourite), Mustang, F4, and A10.

I've posted some photos here.