A quick trip to London

Almost on a whim we took our wheelie cases to the local railway

station, caught a train to Swansea and thence to Paddington.

Out of the station, wheelied across the road, then round the corner to our hotel. Sorted!

Because we were round the corner opposite one of London's iconic gardens,

Norfolk Gardens, it was very quiet but we were right in the centre of London

and easy access to buses and underground with a couple of daily travel tickets.

~

Queen Mary's Hospital, Paddington

founded in 1845

This amazing 35ft bronze horse head statue, at Marble Arch, was crafted by Nic Fiddian-Green 

who chose to clean it up himself after the local pigeons made a real mess of it!

~ 

This fountain is in Hyde Park and called Joy of Life

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Iconic London scenes, that happen most days!

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Boris' Bikes!

Boris Johnson has set up these stations all over the city. You buy your ticket, make a 

note of the bike number, unplug it, go to your destination and then return your bike

to an empty parking place. Genius. You can have a bike for a week or more if you wish.

I think it was about £2 for 30 mins.

~ 

Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park.

We visited this wonderful and very moving memorial in remembrance of

OH's brother, Donald, who was killed on 24 December 1943, 70 years ago.  

He was a navigator, like the one depicted above.

~

We had a wonderful few days in London and I will tell you more about it later.

~

Ann x

Your appointment is at 2.15 ...

 

This is for an MRI for my spinal stenosis

I had one about four years ago

It is horrible and very noisy

 

They will provide earplugs

but you can take a CD

 

I am taking

The Best of Ladysmith Black Mambazo

 

Just the thing for taking your mind of something nasty!

 

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is comprised of three local

families from Ladysmith, a town in Natal, South Africa.

 

If you get a chance, do listen to their music

It is fantastic!

 

They have their own website here

 

Wish me luck.

~

Ann x
~
(6.00 pm. Phew!  Glad that's over. Horrid, noisy thing!
At least the CD helped. Even though it was played very loud
the machine was louder!!
Had to go for a cup of tea and some retail therapy immediately
afterwards - I haven't been in the scanner all this time!
Many thanks for the comments already left.  Ann x)
 

The only thing to do is stay indoors and sew! .....

While it rains, rains, rains outside ...

And rains and rains and rains!!

~

I have been continuing to make some blocks for my sample quilt

~ 

Having a go at the Seminole Block

~

It looked so complicated, but a friend said 'its easy' - 

and it is fairly straightforward, but very fiddly.

I am enjoying the challenge.

Will show you when I have completed it.

~ 

I hope it looks as good as this!

~

Have also been doing some finishing off to my last small lap quilt 

(Sorry about photo quality - don't know what happened)

~ 

Above is my last quilt, a small lap quilt made from one charm pack

~

Hope you have managed to keep out of the rain today.

~

What did you do to keep your mind off the weather?

~

Ann x

Re: The Shepherd's Hut ...

~Because I had problems in my previous post

you could not see the photo I had tried to add of

shepherd's huts being transformed and used a

holiday lets here in Pembrokeshire.

~

Some of them look extremely comfortable and have all mod cons

But there are also those that are completely eco-friendly

with compost loos, open fires for heating and cooking

no running water

One particularly looks absolutely fabulous

If holidaying in eco fashion is for you it is

well worth looking up 'shepherd's hut' in the

self-catering sections.

~

You can find out about Rebecca here

I will try to get a photo for you to see!!

~


~
It is obviously absolutely idyllic
and a wonderful place to go for peace and tranquillity.
~
Ann x



Upton Castle Gardens, Pembrokeshire

Nearly got rid of the lurgy and so went off 

to the lovely Upton Castle Gardens.

Recently shown as part of the Time Team excavations on TV.

(A Time Team book is available and the Upton Castle details

are all in it.)
~
For some reason everything I have entered below this line is coming out framed in white!
Goodness knows why.
Blogger is also hiding all the info I have put in under the photos
So apologies for this rather truncated and odd looking post.
Ann x
~



Upton Castle - (photo from their website)

lovely gardens to walk around with these fabulous azaleas just coming in to bloom

~ 

Monster monkey puzzle tree.

~ 

The delightful 13th Century chapel

Inside the small 12th/13th Century Medieval Chapel

~

A mobile shepherd's hut by the pig enclosure.

Some of these have been carefully done up and are used as holiday lets.

If you fancy one just search for shepherd's hut and you will find something .

~

The piggies next door don't care anyway as long as they have their grub!

~ 

Tranquil paths through the Woodland Walk.

A lovely trip out.

~

Ann x

Laid Low ...

~ 

Not an inspring title I know

but myself and OH are both laid low with a most horrible cough and cold lurgy.

~

We are dosing ourselves up to the eyeballs

with home-made remedies of

hot lemon and honey

hot ginger wine and whisky (highly recommended!)

~

OH took to his bed for nearly two days

practically unheard of.

I had a long lie-in this morning,

but most of the time is spent feeling sorry for ourselves.
~
We're well stocked up with Le..sips, Fisher..an's Friends and Streps..s etc,etc
But any other blogger-tried-and-tested home remedy would be gratefully received.
~
Its off to my Kindle, the paper, the tv
and may be some hand finishing to my latest quilt.
~
Hope you are all managing to keep healthy.
~
Ann x

A trip to Newport - (Welsh : Trefdraeth)

The weather could not have been better for our trip to Newport, Pembrokeshire

Beautiful sunshine, even if the wind was a bit cold.

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Welcome colour in the car park

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One of the many delightful streets branching off the High Street

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St Mary's Church

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With beautiful views across to the headland.

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Some of the beautiful windows in the church

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The Good Shepherd

~ 

My favourite window

This angel looks so serene she makes you feel peaceful straight away.

~ 

I don't know whose skull this would be and have not been able to find out

 anything about the stained glass windows to enlighten me.

~

More interesting stained glass.
~ 

View of the church and castle from the graveyard.

Another visitor told me that they had been told there are 1,000 graves here.

It certainly looks like it as the area is vast.

~ 

Looking across to the castle.

~

I could not go to Newport without going in to the antique shop!

~ 

No room to move for goods and books!

Just as it should be!

~

The Castle Inn - Image taken from their website

~

The morning was completed with lunch at The Castle Inn.

A venue which we fully recommend.

~

Ann x