Just back from three days at Caddington – possibly the last time we go to David’s house there, as he is getting closer to selling it. A couple came to view it while we were in St Albans on Monday, having lunch at Loch Fyne with Oliver and Amy – David was at Peterborough on business – and apparently they only turned it down because the garden was too small for their dogs. Not sure if the estate agent pointed out the field opposite and the long walks easily available.
Loch Fyne was really good, though surprisingly empty. After an initial alarm on the M1, Oliver navigated to a car park more or less opposite the restaurant, and afterwards we went and had a look round the abbey, which I hadn’t realised was so near the centre of town.
On Tuesday, with the weather almost as good as Monday – it’s gradually getting warmer – Dot and I took Oliver and Amy to the Shard. We drove to the Luton Parkway rail station and took a train to Blackfriars before walking along the south bank, which is one of my favourite parts of London. We were totally oblivious of the “climate change protesters” disrupting the West End, though we did notice a lot of stationary buses on London Bridge. I am thinking of organising a gravity protest next time I’m there.
We had some tasty instant food at Pret a Manger and then walked on past the Golden Hinde and Southwark Cathedral before drinking tea/coffee by the river, though Amy was a bit bored by this, largely because she had neither tea nor coffee. We then decided the Shard would probably accept us early, and so we walked on, eventually finding the right entrance, getting through security and reaching the top two viewing floors.
Naturally most people, including us, gravitated to the highest one, though in some ways the view was better from the lower one (three floors below). Although the outlook was somewhat misty it was still superb, and it was fascinating to see how the London jigsaw fits together, which is by no means obvious at ground level. I noticed that the Shard was built opposite Guy’s Hospital, presumably in case someone falls off.
We spent some time up there, and Dot had a small Pinot Grigio. We all took a considerable number of photos, and I took a video, though not a good one. On the way out we ordered some free photos of ourselves imposed on Shard backgrounds, refusing the opportunity to buy a book of them for the reduced price of £15. (They had taken a group picture or two as went in.)
On the way back to Blackfriars we went in to the amazing Borough Market, bought some unusual Swiss cheese and decided we’d like to come back for a longer visit. We then walked back to Blackfriars past the Globe and noticed the tide was going out; so Dot took a picture of footprints in the sand.
We caught the first available train, which turned out to be semi-fast – or slow, as anyone else would call it. It took an hour to reach Luton Parkway, visiting such exotic spots as Radlett and Harpenden. Retrieving our car, we got back to Caddington around 5pm. David cooked us a really good meal, which was mainly Indian but quite unusual and extremely tasty. We the watched a bit of Antman, though not the full of it. (This is a new phrase invented by Amy which I really like and hope to use a lot.)
Yesterday was sunny and warm, and while the others did some work, Dot and I went for a walk across the fields and into a bluebell wood, which was lovely. After a small lunch David took Amy to visit her friend Chloe at Harpenden, and when David got back, Dot and I left for home. It took us rather longer than usual because we called in to see Joan at Baldock. Unfortunately she was out, but we enjoyed the lanes to Ashwell.
Later on we decided to call in at Peter Beales and had a cup of tea and cake before wandering around the gardens, which were in the process of transformation. Hoped to see Ian and Tina, but had given up until we ran into them as we were leaving. They seemed really pleased to see us, and we had a good chat about what had really happened.
Got home about 6pm after deciding (wrongly) to enter via Postwick and getting a bit tangled up. Still, not too bad.
This morning is again sunny and warm. Dot has already (11am) been to see the nurse about her absence of diabetes and is even now having her hair cut by Linda. It will be my turn in the chair shortly.