Catching Up with Friends

Catching up with friends was last weekends theme. On Saturday we were joined by Lisa, Bob, Jake and Joe in Woodstock. The boys had organised the day so that they got to watch the Australia v's Lions rugby in the local pub. In true sporting fashion, Andy cheered loudly when Australia scored a try much to the surprise of the rest of the occupants of the pub who were supporting the home team. Brought back memories of the 2003 Australia v's England World Cup Rugby where we were in the absolutely packed Walkabout Pub in Southampton cheering for the opposition...lucky for us we lost on that occasion.

While the boys were occupied with sport, the rest of us wandered the streets of Woodstock, a quaint little english village. Passing upon the Oxfordshire Museum, we were attracted by the dinosaur garden poster and went inside. The girls spent some time in the dinosaur gallery, dressing up as dinosaurs and completing dinosaur puzzles before exploring the garden. We were greeted outside by a 10m megalosaurus as well as real dinosaur footprints!

Meeting back up with a happy Andy and not-so-happy Bob, we had a quick bite to eat before heading off on a ramble through the Blenheim Palace Estate. The weather was beautiful with lots of blue sky (for a change) as we meandered past the Column of Victory, through the grassy fields (which didn't agree with poor Joe who ended up with hay fever), over the Grand Bridge and competing the circuit along the banks of the Great Lake with Blenheim Palace as the backdrop. The afternoon wouldn't be complete without an ice cream.

On Sunday we ventured further afield to Egham, a stone's throw from Heathrow to spend the day with Anita, Keith, Kyla and Finlay. We drove a short distance to Windsor Great Park. Parking at Savill Gardens, we enjoyed a picnic lunch overlooking the Obelisk Lake. Kyla and Finlay introduced the girls to the rhododendron dens and they disappeared. Andy and I were enjoying this new found freedom and ability to finish off conservations, when Ella emerged saying they'd lost Kyla and Katy was crying! Mum to the rescue...the dens (more like mazes) are fun but in some parts are quite difficult for an adult to get through.

After exhausting the dens, we began a short walk past the polo fields, through a gatehouse on to the Cow Pond before turing for home. The children played hide-n-seek in the long grass before the boredom and tiredness of walking set in. A horse and carriage past us on the way which provided a little distraction as did the water lilies on Cow Pond. Just after this point Anita realised that Finlay's eye was extremely swollen. A few quick phone calls to Anita's Dr friends revealed no A&E visit was necessary and was highly likely to be an allergic reaction to hay fever.

Back at their house the children continued to play together on the trampoline and in the treehouse followed by a quick meal of pasta before heading home to Oxford.