Is it June already?

It's been a busy few days for me - visiting with family, doing some sight seeing, dining out, dining in, taking my daughter to Lakenheath for an orthodontic appointment, doing some grocery shopping etc etc etc. But now my time is once again my own to command.

It certainly was nice to have my husband's Mother and his Aunt here for a visit. I gave them the quick tour of the base, took them to a couple of my favorite dining establishments, they got to see the inside of a couple of grocery stores out here on their quest for snacks to pack on their train trip up to Scotland. On Saturday, We (husband and me) took the family (b-i-l, s-i-l, m-i-l and aunt) to Blenheim Palace. The tour was lovely and this time I got to tour the upstairs. I didn't bother bringing a camera as the rule of "no picture taking" is allowed in Blenheim Place. Outside yes, inside NO. It was funny to see tourists getting the feathers ruffled on some of the tour guides and getting chewed out by them as well...when they say NO picture taking at Blenheim Place they mean NO PICTURE TAKING! I wish that more people would respect this rule.

The day was a blustery rainy sort of day, perfect for touring such a grand house. Spending time hearing the various stories of the China dinnerware collection that was on display in one of the rooms, the many oil paintings, watercolors and tapestries and even the rugs that were throughout the house. All of it was to be savored. We ate lunch in the restaurant there in the building, the food was delicious and the room was cosy- all perfect for such a rainy day.

I came out from this day trip with BOOKS. Who could pass up reading about Capability Brown? His landscaping works are still visible to this very day! He's done the landscaping of many a famous "home", the man was a visionary and simply put pure genius! I was recently at a farewell luncheon for a friend and the group gift was a book with the title "I never knew that about England". I saw that and said...ooh that's one I want to get for myself BEFORE I leave England. So when I saw it I bought it! I showed it to my daughter Hannah who promptly ran off with it. And just a few minutes ago I saw it in the kitchen on the table...time for me to go grab it and read a few pages of it before Hannah realizes where she left it, HA!

There will be a few things that will come back with me after our tour here in the states is concluded...tons of photographs of everywhere we've been here in the UK, beautiful English made pottery and heaps of books of the various historical places in England and Scotland that we have visited. Now for me to make a cuppa and curl up with a good book.