Annual Leave

My annual leave got off to a good start with my first Saturday off for several weeks:

After a body pump gym class, swim and sauna, a visit from my friend who has the allotment eating eccles cakes and chatting.  I also had time to make a start on my wreath - the hydrangea heads I dried recently make a nice base and I will add to it gradually over the month.

On our Sunday walk in the woods we noticed the fairies had their washing out to dry....

sheep were hanging out in large groups in nearby fields

and I found plenty of seed heads/grasses for my wreath, which I will spray silver and gold.

Recently we had the most fantastic evening out at the (travelling) Circus of Horrors who were at The Harlequin, Redhill, for one night - considering what a small stage they had to work with they crammed a huge array of talent in and, the moment I had been waiting for:  lady in the glass bottle, was fun but over in seconds as she stepped out as soon as she was brought on the stage in her bottle!  We go to their show every year and are never disappointed, there's always something new, apart from the entertainment they have fantastic rock music performed by their live band throughout the show.  This is a human circus of acrobats, fire eaters, illusionists, jugglers and contortionists.

GALLERY (circusofhorrors.co.uk)  

#circusofhorrors

On Monday I did a core class at the gym and some rowing then popped in the nearby garden centre - there was a large collection of shrubs on the 'free to take' stand so I took five hebes and an unknown withered thing that deserves a chance :)   I think they will provide some nice structure and colour to my border when they are established.

On Tuesday I had three inches cut off my hair to get it down to a nice blunt cut and an Olaplex conditioning treatment (bonding for damaged hair).  The afternoon was spent clearing the garage of clutter and taking things up to the recycle centre.

On Wednesday we took the 45 minute train to London. 

Borough Market

Borough Market

 We could probably be black cab drivers as we know London so well.  I worked in the West End and City for 16 years (pa in merchant bank and moonlighter at various nightclubs in the 80s).  It's often a lot more fun and quicker to walk than to get trains and buses as there is so much walking up and down stairs and escalators for the tube that you can get bogged down with the underground system and miss all the sights - walking is so much better ....

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  Borough Market

  
  
  
  
  

  

  Borough Market

  
  

  

  Cafe/living wall, Borough Market

  
  
  
  
  
  
• Took the train at 11am into London Bridge
• Walked through Borough Market
• Coffee and lemon cake stop at Starbucks
• Passed the Globe Theatre (reconstruction of original)
• Walked along the Embankment 
• Tate Modern Gallery  (most of the exhibit area is free entry and they have the nicest toilets in the area which was our main objective)
• Over Waterloo Bridge up Kingsway
• Coffee and shared cookie at Pret a Manger
• Walked into Covent Garden Market and saw the hourly snowfall and Christmas decorations
• Toilet stop at The Opera House (very nice toilets and seating to rest our weary feet)
• Walked into Leicester Square for drinks at Moon Under the Water (Weatherspoons) 
• Walked to Chinatown for a meal with oldest son , London Chinatown, 27 Gerrard Street, 
• Walked to the Adelphi Theatre to see the musical:  Back to the Future (took boots off to rest feet!)
• Retraced our footsteps to Blackfriars for the train home

Covent Garden

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The Golden Hinde 
This is a replica of the galleon captained by Sir Francis Drake 

fairy light tunnels and christmas trees galore and snowfall on the hour every hour at Covent Garden Market.  There were street entertainers around but we avoided the crowds and kept going....

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Seeing Back to the Future was wonderful and hubby's first experience of a musical and of a  London theatre, it was his birthday treat.  The show stopped for about 15 minutes in the last set as one of the cast fainted but apart from that it was a wonderful show and fantastic effects with the famous time machine/car.

Below is London's Chinatown - where you can find some fantastic restaurants and Chinese supermarkets, lanterns are strung across the streets around the main area (Gerrard Street)  We like London Chinatown as it has a clear price menu and 5 scores on the door (hygiene rating).

Our train terminated at Gatwick Airport (South Terminal is closed so was deserted, no taxi).  Gatwick now charges £5 for traffic coming into the airport (which taxis will pass on to passengers).  A kind van driver gave us a lift  to a safe spot where we could avoid the tarrif, we caught a taxi for the last 2 miles home at 12.30am.  After kettle crisp sandwiches and a cup of tea, we were exhausted and asleep by 1am!

London was a birthday treat for hubby who'se birthday is today .... back soon!