20-21.08 - Days 218-219 - Chelmsford / Buckingham incl London
Tuesday 20th August - Chelmsford / Buckingham incl London (Day 218)
On Tuesday (Day 218) Corinne brings the girls around to Hilltop where they’re instantly at home with both the dogs and a mixture of new and old (i.e. mine and Corinne’s old) toys.
Late afternoon I take myself off to train from Milton Keynes to Euston, walking onto Covent Garden to catch up with both Rich Campo and Fergus at the Nell Gwynne pub, just another 400 year old pub hidden down a narrow alleyway. Conversation flits between our university hockey days and the 7 children between the 3 of us today, before a late night train back home.
(The grainy photo up top from our UEA days: players from left to right, bottom row, myself, Campo, Fergus, Chris, Dave and Teen in goal - all have seen or hoping to see on this trip)
Kate insert: After schoolwork, Gwyn takes all four kids to Play in the Park, whilst I hop on a bike and head into town for lunch with Matt (tennis Matt as my family like to call him) at Giggling Squid.
Afternoon spent at Grandma’s and Grandad’s feeding fish, cuddling Willow and playing solitaire on the TV.
Pete joins us at Gwyn’s late afternoon for some games of Phase 10 and Kubb. In true fashion Pete’s niece and nephew cry at some point with all the fun and excitement a bit too much at times, thankfully Euan and Ethan have grown out of that now.
Wednesday 21st August - Chelmsford / Buckingham (Day 219)
Wednesday (Day 219) starts with another lengthy dog walk, this time up at Hillsdon, skirting around the farmers fields, the kites now ever present in the sky; they’re blossomed in number since my living here.
Another feature of the countryside this time of year are the swathes of blackberry bushes lining fields and footpaths. In Australia where you daren’t pick anything it’s nice to pick handfuls as you go.
Early evening we welcome Kate and the kids who’d driven up from Chelmsford via stopping in at Hannah’s on the way. Sienna proudly doing the map reading after traffic sends them an unusual cross country route.