Buckinghamshire (Bucks) England

Bucks – England

There’s something wonderful about staying with family, even family you don’t see very often; it’s a place you can kick back and relax and that’s exactly what I did. The first couple of days I don’t think I got out of my PJs until the boys got home from school. Just skyped, watched movies and did a little ironing for my sister to ensure I didn’t feel guilty about doing diddly squat J

The weekend though brought on a funny road trip with my sister and my nephews, Harry (14), George (9) and Jimmy (6) in the car that everybody encourages to go up hills and to change lanes and pass another car – very funny…though apparently Simon has a heavier foot on the outset and has more luck so I was informed J Games of course were part of the fun – the ongoing Mini/Bugsy Bagsy game: this is when you see a mini cooper, mini or vdub bug. This I have to say takes a little getting used to but once it’s in your head, that’s it; so much so that I am in Turkey at the moment and was walking down the street when a mini passed and out from my mouth shoots Mini Bagsy!! Megs just giggled but it does get stuck in your head. We did get a little creative – Harry took me into London and we were on the Big Red Bus and we saw two Lamborghinis one after the other and were talking about what the chances were and whether we should add it to the game and call it Lambsy Bagsy etc – I tell you it’s addictive!! I also came up with one that I hope is included in the game – Barbie Bugsy Bagsy because you do have that newer Vdub that Barbie also has…I thought it was cool anyway. There is also Mini Flagsy Bagsy; that’s the cool cooper with the flag on it’s roof!! AND ok this is the last one I promise – whilst in Twickenham a mini was parked with a picture of an xray on the side of it – you know … what it would look with a man inside – you can imagine with the guy sitting there ,you can see his top half and then skeleton (photo included) He was very good humoured about it when I asked the lovely man to get back in his car so I could take a photo!! This has to be Mini Bonesy Bagsy for sure!!!!!!

There was also a game called ‘Which of Granny’s houses am I in?’!!!!!......hhhhmmmmm Quite funny really especially in the fact that this trip was leading us to one of Margaret and Tim’s homes – actually it’s their main home and just lovely. We were there for the local Garden Party held at their place to raise money for the church. Everyone was a little dubious about this whole affair not being the churchy type but have a church on their estate – last year apparently was a lot of work for very little financial result and of course for money for the church not the community as a whole but all the work the Blackmores put into it and the way they see the humorous side of everything made it fun none the less. On arrival to the estate (no other word for it really!!) it was a mass of ‘busy’: Blackmores getting organised with Tim running about with sound equipment etc but soon all came to a halt and we exited to another very lovely home owned by Simon and Jacqui for dinner and a break from the chaos.

Dinner was fabulous, dinner conversation hilarious at times and of course I have to tell you about the toilet visit with my brother in law Simon and my nephew Harry. Sounds weird??? Well no not very because through my travels I have found out that the toilet is the room where the most interesting paraphernalia is found … this is so true!! Think about it … lots of people tend to put the old cork board with a mass of photos that have accumulated over the years therefore is a wonderful visual history (Both Michele and Simon have this – it’s great!) But of course for Simon and Jacqui it’s a tad different 1. You can swing a cat in there and still have room for a small crowd to watch!! 2. The smart ass has framed each of his photos and finally 3. The man is a professional photographer who takes daredevil bloody pictures!! For example he has a number of photos that he has taken after jumping out of a plane with all his equipment and before he is anywhere near ground! There is one that I have included here but it’s not fantastically clear: it’s of two guys who are in mid air (after jumping from a plane) and are both on snowboards– this is fun in itself and then you add that one has a laptop attached to the front – hilarious and incredibly clever. I will add a few of the other magnificent Simon shots below J

After a wonderful dinner and fabulous company it was back home for sleep to be up and ready for the Garden Tea Party. It actually went off without a hitch – and more than 7 people turned up as Simon (my brother in law) predicted. Tim being ‘the voice’ big career in radio did all the PA stuff and he put out a lovely display of old radios and photos – the man has an amazing history J The day also involved doing exercise with my nephew and a personal trainer (??? She was in one of the stands), eating lots of cake and having a nice half pint (they truly think I’m such a girl when it comes to drinking!!) oh yeah and there was also ways of getting Simon to avoid a delightful man selling photos …these are NOT the words Simon used to describe the man by the way – very funny.

It really was a fabulous weekend with a wee bit of culture when Margaret and her sister Glen played piano for Harry and myself … well truth be known we were just happened to be there, it wasn’t a performance for our benefit – but thoroughly enjoyed none the less. I said a sad farewell the Backmores (seniors) and said I hoped it wouldn’t be another 17 years till my next visit. In fact I’m thinking that it may be a lot sooner; Michele being my closest relative to Sudan.

Back to my sister’s place and back to my PJ’s J Well actually that’s a lie because I did get to go on a lovely day out with Harry in London (see the photos), spent some great play time with George and Jim and also got to experience a half marathon that both Shel, Simon and their running mates were in. Check those photos out – some of these people get well outfitted!! I have to say though they did a great job and I thoroughly enjoyed the day especially the wonderful sunny weather - they didn’t enjoy that so much on the run but was much appreciated at our BBQ afterwards. I do have to write here that maybe the weather, the sunny weather is not a hugely common thing after my sister brought out the ironing board and iron and began ironing outside!! No way was she going to miss out on the sun – ‘You go girl!!’ Photos there for proof people!!

Gosh there is so much more but I’m just going to list and put in some annotated photos below otherwise this will be more than a novel. There was so much laughter, fun, new experiences, drinking some fab wine, great conversations and quality time with my family especially the boys; homework, play, and climbing – yes people climbing!! My gorgeous Harry showed off his prowess not only at his climbing gym but took me up the backyard tree!!! Bless his cotton socks he scared the crap out of me but I thoroughly enjoyed it!!

A huge thank you to Shel and Simon for allowing me to stay just over two weeks and I hope I didn’t push that ‘we love you but you’ve stayed too long’ boundary. A much - needed break and a wonderful way to catch up – I'm hoping not to leave it too long for my next visit.

My ever so creative nephew Jimmy - he is always making or drawing something

This is an aero bar in a cute little lamb form! Fantastic car trip food.

The Car Trip

Arriving at Margaret and Tim's Manor House

My very very fashion savvy nephew George

Simon and Jacqui's kitchen

Jacqui being Australian has Vegemite!!

Simon and Jacqui's house - gorgeous home

Bathroom Photos - framed no less!!! This is the show off

toilet photos :)

Sorry it's fuzzy but you can see they are great shots

The snowboard with the lap top is my favourite

Some lovin in the toilet!! This is my brother in law Simon and 

my nephew Harry

H and me 

My sister Michele and me

Simon's Mum, Margaret, Jimmy, Simon and Shel

Simon

Simon's Dad, Tim and me - smile Tim!!

Much better - well kinda?!?!

Jacqui, the Aussie who is married to Simon AND is also a fabulous artist!!

Tim has a fabulous sense of humour!!

My cropping skills aren't bad either!!

Jim and Simon having a giggle

The dinner party

Georgey Porgy and me

H and Jim

This was a little funny - we were sent out on this drizzly morning of the Garden Tea 

Party to collect snails - George being clever grabbed a bucket for said

snails and we began our search which lead us into the little horse paddock.

The horses just saw the bucket and thought food and just ran for that - little George saw

the horses trotting right to him and he ran in the other direction...and of course they

followed...at quite some speed. He did eventually hide behind me where I informed

him it was the bucket they were after and he promptly dropped it...very funy.

This is a Dove Cote in the background which is also on the property

- I will tell you a little more about this in an inside picture.

Shel at the next door neighbours gate where we were

having a little look see

Shel at the Manor House gate

Harry preparing to hoist the flag

Simon arrives with his pride and joy

The bloody thing still runs!!

This is the Fairy Room - one of the many beautiful bedrooms

of the manor house. Harry and I shared this one on the promise

I wouldn't publish a photo of him in it!

This is Tim's CD collection - impressive wall!! It reminded me of a wall of CDs that Simon had years ago in an apartment of his before he got married that I decided to just take out every tenth one

and replace it with the following tenth one and so on till the end. Who knew people who kept their

CDs in alphabetical order were so particular about stuff?!?! And no I didn't do this to Tim - it would

have taken me way too long and I definitely would have got caught doing it!!

Fabulous window by the stairs -and if you look closely you will see a wonderful

collection of John Deere tractors on the sill.

This is the church

This is Simon ringing the bells of the church

And Shel - she had to stand on a box to do it though ...yes yes yes

so did I... we are about the same height - she's a bit taller than me :(

View of the Manor House from the front drive

View to the left of the house

Fabulous old radio, nice jams and a horrid face (sorry Simon - it was the radio

I was after!!)

And look at this baby!!

The boys on the tractor

Like father like son

Shel and I sharing a pint ... ok yes me with a half pint!!

Front driveway garden bed has some very arty bird boxes!!

Harry and the personal trainer

Harry showing off his prowess

A weighted hoola hoop!!

Very talented my Harry is!!

and no matter what my little Georgey Porgy does he

does it with style!!

Of course you cannot have a garden tea party without a band!!

Fantastic old mike

Margaret and Glen giving us a wonderful show

George on his motorbike - bit of a speed demon actually; Shel says

she can't watch when he's on it.

I sooooo wanted to take these home; the sheep not Simon :)

Ok this is the inside of the Dovecote that Tim showed me and told

me some interesting history: Because construction of a dovecote was one of the privileges associated with lordship, they are often found near castles and manor houses. By the middle of the 17th century there were more than 25,000 of them in England alone. This one on the property is believed to be older than the 1660's due to the fact that they filled the lower holes to keep the rats out due to the black plague ... god I'm hoping I'm remembering this right or Tim will be very disappointed. Now dovecotes were a ‘living larder’ like  large fish-ponds (stews) that were also a feature of medieval life. Doves were a source of fresh meat in winter and also provided eggs and fertiliser but the most interesting thing that I honestly didn't know is that their dung was used for gunpowder making, tanning and removing hair from pelts. Who knew?? I loved my history lesson with Tim and on a return trip I am going to sit down with

the man and have him take me through the photo album he has of the house renovations - sure to be some stories there!!

Simon introduced me to this amazing chocolate - thanks Simon

just what I needed; addicted to another chocolate that I can't get in Sudan!!

Ok yes I had a turn on the motorbike - good fun but difficult to turn corners

when your knees are up at your elbows!!

Hey how come he got to wear a helmet!!! Simon!!!!

Shel; the horticulturist, doing some gardening for Margaret

What every house needs!! I'm soooo crap at this I had to team up with

one of the boys or the game was over way too quickly!

A beautiful Sunday lunch at the Blackmores - a fabulous weekend!!

This is the 'Day out with H' and we started this day with a promised breakfast;

egg and bacon sandwiches - and I'm telling you they were the best I have ever had!! Unbelievable!!

Great way to start our day ... well we did have to walk a different way to the station to avoid school mates as this was a school day but would you believe we got seen at the place where we got breakfast - ooops!

The London Eye - our first stop!

Got to take some touristy shots of Big Ben first of course

Before heading up on the eye you can go to a 4D presentation which was brilliant.

It had wonderful day, night views and the feeling of being a bird and took you through all the seasons - winter was hysterical and people walked out with foam all over them!!

Harry with his Eye map that shows you what you're looking at -

we were very keen to find MI5 and MI6 both of us being into

this kind of thing!

Udderbelly theatre - how cool is that!!

Great views!

Just amazing height

Ok now it's time for the Big Red Bus!!

Westminster Abbey - huge crowds lined up to go in since the wedding of Kate and William

This is the turny thing that has Scotland Yard on one side and Metro Police on

the other - this was pretty cool I thought

The living wall - well so my informed nephew tells me; these are the latest in gardens

The street I'd like to live on!!

I love this statue a bronze horses head at Marble Arch in London as part of a £2 million pound refurbishment of the area.

Lambsy Bagsy!!!!!

My climbing nephew!!!

This has some connection to a show that H watches and apparently it is

the reason people now climb up and shove their hand in the lion's mouth.

It's not an easy climb guys!!

Countdown for the olympics

Ambulance Motorbikes - hhhmmmmm 'Oh not feeling well?'

'Just hop on the back love and we'll go to the hospital!' !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Right!

What does my nephew want for lunch when we go into town for the day?? You got

it Maccas!! So I get a McFlurry which was not bad I have to say and then H gives me

a chicken nugget to try .... hhhhmmmm

Ok I'll give it a shot...

Hhhhhhhmmmm that's why I don't eat McDonalds I knew there was a reason!!

But it was giggle anyway ... especially with where we were eating our McDonalds!!

Right in front of Jamie Oliver's restaurant!!

Coventry Flower Market - My Fair Lady flashbacks for me!!

Harry of course didn't know anything about that - I must educate him on that .. he'll

love that I'm sure!!

Lots of people enjoying the street entertainment and we ended the day with lots of

visits to climbing/adventure stores where we both scored some bargain clothing and stuff!!

I do have an aside here ... during this day trip my ITouch decided to not work - it lost it's brightness and became impossible to see even turning it on full brightness so H and I head to the Genius Bar at Apple - well we made an appointment left did some adventure shopping then back to the Bar and still waiting ...more waiting and after I asked the lovely young geeky man how long, we waited some more and then I pulled out my ITouch and the bloody thing worked perfecctly. I turned the thing off and then on again - nothing perfect. Bugger ...now what says H? I promptly told the geeky upstart; the man at the Genius Bar not Harry, that I just couldn't wait any longer and we left in a fit of giggles!! H said the ITouch just needed to go home to Apple - maybe it was homesick!

George ensuring his hair will be perfect!

A Barley crop just near Shels; a lovely walk to unwind after a

day of sitting in your PJ's watching tv!!

George, Shel and I went for a lovely walk through picturesque scenery not 5 mins

from home - brilliant!!

This is what every good sister does; takes a really embarrassing photo - this

is Shel after putting a treatment in her hair and then a bag secured nicely with a clip to keep it toasty!!

Again this is what you do as an Aunt - Now H I didn't say I wouldn't include this one in the blog

hence here it is ... this is me plucking my gorgeous nephews eyebrows ensuring he is neat and tidy for school oh and the girls of course!!

He's very good at accessorising too!!

Harry pulling Jim up the tree in a harness - the boys love this!!

George up the top with Harry

Good Fun

My turn ... not so easy for Harry and involved me climbing having said

that ... he had to get me to let go of the tree to do it ... serious - there were moments where I just thought "You know ...no I'm all good ... I'll just hang on thanks!'

But he was brilliant and looked after me telling me it was all fine he knew what he was doing etc and made me feel very safe - I was still scared crapless but that's ok. This is a photo of me and my hero Harry!! He admitted to me after that he was a little nervous! Bless his cotton socks - glad he didn't say that before!

Ahhhhh the marathon runners! Make sure it's straight Simon!! No people,

I'm serious the man took his shirt off to do it right - bless him he is very particular!

Whilst the adults were off running I had the kids. They also did a little race - well it wasn't that

little if you ask me!!

The runners before

Heading out - check out those socks on 942!!!! That's a friend of Shel's - she's

got all the accessories - actually apparently they worked well to stop cramping!!

The boys after their race - they got lots of goodies and a medal each!

The gang at the end of the day!

My Hero

Jimmy taking advantage of the brilliant warm summers day

a swim and yes now I think a bit of Slip n Slide!!

Hooo Hoooo!

Ok people I told you there was evidence - my sister enjoying the summers day also - no way she was going to waste the day by ironing inside!!

BBQ!!! I gotta say though those sausages although very yummy looked a little like dog turds!!

My Georgey Porgy

My Jim

Simon, me and Shel - My Family :)

This some fashion artsy fartsy guru bag person but I think it qualifies for Flagsy Bagsy due

the fact it is a bag as well!!!

Here it is ladies and gentleman the 'Mini Bonesy Bagsy' absolutely bloody fantastic!!!

Sarah's birthday lunch - Tapas yum!!!