A road trip

Here I am again. It's this new fangled Blogsy thing. It's making life in the blogosphere a whole lot easier I must say.

Last week was half-term, we had a full few days indeed. Usually we like to take it slow and cosy, with a family day out or two. This time I made sure the girls and I were busy seeing friends.

At the end of the week we went on a little road trip. Just us three. All the way down to Sussex for lunch at the De La Warr pavilion in Bexhill to meet two special friends. Penelopemakes I met through blogging and Rainandroses and I met through Vanessa Cabban years back. Over time, many emails and chats later we now just chat on the phone as friends do, but who hadn't actually met up.

In the finest tradition of meeting bloggers, giving gifts is what you do.

These were opened later as we were very busy chatting and eating lunch.

Afterwards we all visited the Ladybird exhibition downstairs.

It was wonderful seeing the original artwork and then at the end all of the books together (this is just a third of them).

Impossible to pick a favourite, but here's one you might recognise from Shopping with Mother.

As it was the greyest rainy day I've cheated and grabbed a blue sky picture to show you this amazing building.

After a few lovely hours Penny had to leave us and so Karen came with us to Hastings. I wanted to show the girls all the places that were special in my life, all visited while I was pregnant with Rosey and living in Brighton.

We walked the streets at dusk in the rain, intrepid explorers that we are. Once we found Mr Foyle's house we made the next stop a cosy cafe for hot choc and cake.

The only cafe that was still open and with two large red sofas couldn't have been more perfect.

Afterwards we drove Karen home and then ambled onwards to Polegate to get lost in the dark and rain trying to find our travelodge. Thank heavens for mobile phones.

The next day we met Karen on the train to mooch around Lewes and have cake and a lazy lunch too.

We found lots to see and swoon over.

All too soon our day came to an end. We took the train back having our sadness at saying goodbye overshadowed by a Masonic wife and then a very chatty, loud but friendly lady sitting next to us.

Later we had a party tea in our room, played cards and laughed at Gogglebox. A rare treat tv in bed to fall asleep to.

The next day we drove on to Surrey through the snow covered Ashdown forest looking out for Winnie the Pooh and friends. We spent a lovely day with old friends catching up on gossip while the girls were hijacked by their youngest daughter, thrilled to see big girls after two brothers.

The last leg of our journey was hairy. The automatic gearbox failed and so it was all in second gear from Ipswich. Fun! But we made it back wishing we could have those days back again.

The next day I soothed my racing mind by tidying and clearing.

Now for some other catch up news. I bought a Nell brooch from my talented friend Lou. You can find her on Instagram as @nooandnell. My other brooch was a kind gift from lovely Erin @coffeekisses.

These are the squares for the Do you mind if I knit blanket? starting to mix up together. I've nearly received them all now.

Fabulously talented Laetitia of the bloggings of mrs bertimus machine stitched this beautiful square to add to the blanket. She's my mate through this world too you know. She's funny, warm, full of joy and creates amazing stitcheries and paintings you know.

Well that brings me up to date in terms of all the good stuff.

Thank you thank you so very much each and everyone of you sending your words of wisdom and support. I really do need them you know. Still having to live together and keep sane can be hard at times. My girls are an amazing pair to have. Thank goodness they're older and so we talk and laugh, occasionally we swear in the car for therapy.

I'm still waiting for my creative inspiration to come back and I know it will, it's just biding it's time for now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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