Wednesday 5 September 2012

The end of the holidays

So the end of the summer holidays has arrived, I feel like I've only just got into the swing of things! The first few weeks were taken up by cricket, which meant the whole family had to travel many miles to play or support. The final weeks have slowed down a bit and we've managed a few days out, as well as lucky number 2 son managing a week in Spain! He arrived home in the early hours of this morning, we have all missed him loads. He's texted us and we've spoken to him on the 'phone several times but it's good to have him back, 7 days can seem like a long time.

The house has however, been much quieter without him. Sometimes that's been a good thing. He can be a bundle of trouble sometimes - is it a middle child thing. What if we had 4 children? Would we have 2 middle children? Or none?!

Number 1 son son started sixth form college today; late yesterday afternoon he thought he might start to gather some things together for the morning! Maybe a little late to give it any thought?! He's travelling on the bus with a girl down the road, a friend since nursery who is going to the same college. As he says, it will save him having to remember where the college is in relation to the bus stop!!

Little Miss will go back to school tomorrow and at about 4pm today we managed to get new school shoes  - that's the only bit of uniform we're missing..... and I wonder why number 1 son leaves everything to the last minute!

On Sunday we took another trip to London. We don't go that often but the builder and had been offered 2 tickets to the cricket at Lords, England vs South Africa (I think!). As they had never seen a match at Lords and as there were only 2 of them he was keen to take them. We decided to use the Olympic park and ride buses again as they seemed quick and economical - obviously designed for the Olympics though and we had a bit of trouble getting on and off the bus as all the volunteers kept trying to guide us into Olympic Park and were a bit baffled as to why we were heading in the opposite direction!

Little Miss and I hopped on a tube and pointed the boys in the direction of Lords; we decided to see some sights - mainly based around some good coffee shops and places that are free to view!




 
 
We enjoyed looking for the Olympic mascot statues dotted around
The Abbey wasn't open for us to look around as Sunday is for worship only.
 
We enjoyed looking at some of the more refined Olympic statues

We also did a mini Thames river cruise, just half an hour from the Eye to The Tower of London
and only £9 for the 2 of us.
 Before getting on the boat we stopped for coffee and a Slush drink for Little Miss. I had a large cookie with my coffee, I asked if there were any nuts in it and was told no it was white choc chip (my favourite). I'm not allergic to nuts I just can't stand them. Anyone 1 bite told me it was full of hazel nuts so I took it back to the counter - customer service was sadly lacking; I was told nothing they stocked was free of nuts! Not even the cheese sandwich? No apparently. But the assistant did offer to change it for a gluten free brownie?? Any logic in that??
 
The river cruise was great though and a lovely calm way of seeing a few famous sights.
St Paul's Cathedral on the skyline
 
 
 

Tower Bridge
The Shard


 

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre


Tower of London
We had a lovely day out and even popped in to Fortnum & Mason before hopping on the tube and sampled the free fudge on the counter!
 






And we happened upon a street circus in Piccadilly Circus, we sauntered by a saw a few acts performing in sectioned off parts of the street. All for free too - you may have noticed I like a freebie!

So then we headed home to get prepared for a new chapter in their school lives, all four of us tired and at least 2 of us with very sore feet!

22 comments:

  1. What a lovely day out! I'm off up that there London in a couple of weeks; coffee stops and window shopping are high on my list of things to do!

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    1. I'll go absolutely anywhere for a good coffee!! Lol!

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  2. I love visiting London - there's always something new to see. Glad you had a good trip - don't understand the gluten free brownie thing either!
    June

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    1. I did tell the lady on the counter that I can eat gluten, in fact I generally love gluten - just not nuts! She didn't seem to understand.

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  3. Wow - you guys were't messing around - you got so much done. Love the look of that street fair, he looks as though he's swinging right out of the clouds

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    1. It was really good timing that we happened to see it as in my usual disorganised way I had no idea what was happening anywhere in London!

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  4. What a lovely trip! You certainly saw lots of sights!
    Claire

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  5. nice day out! My husband would be so jealous though of your boys watching the match at Lords!

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    1. number 2 son (having a ball in Spain) was extremely jealous too!

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  6. You got to see the sights of London so well on the boat trip, must remember to do that one day.
    Mind you a trip to Lords being the other option, I'm not sure which one I would have enjoyed the most, a one day match would have been thrilling.
    Good luck with the back to school day.
    Lisa x

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    1. Despite my protests on here I have done the Lords tour (not on a match day) and have to say it was probably one of the best and most economical days out in London we ever had- well worth booking. And I'll recommend the boat tour too - cheaper if you show them your train/tube ticket.

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  7. Your trip to London looks fun. I do love Fortnum & Mason!

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    1. Yes me too, especially the free fudge!!

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  9. Replies
    1. Thank you for hopping over here, we had a lovely time.

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  10. See, you're getting all adventurous now and zipping around London. I'm the same with nuts, not allergic just can't stand them. Love those Olympic statues of the gymnasts.

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    1. The statues are beautiful, they were at Westminster Abbey. I hate nuts and was shocked the coffee bar were not at all bothered, not sure why they thought I needed gluten free though!

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  11. Hi Jay,
    What another lovely day you had with little Miss. It must have be fun finding the Olympic statutes and the boat trip looks such a good thing to do too!
    From my experience boys are never as organised as the girls! I nag my son far more than my daughter!
    Sarah x

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  12. You put me to shame - I live much closer to London but rarely seem to go up there for more than necessities. I blame work!

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  13. Hi jay, it's nick here. Please can you let me know your email address and I will send you that recipe! :)

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  14. Always find it interesting to see other people's photos of London as I have taken so many myself.

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