Wednesday, April 2, 2014

The Bairdbrook's in England

It's the beginning of April and that means one thing...it's our last month here in London!  Just writing that sentence down makes me want to cry a bit.  There is still so much I want to see and do in Europe!  We will get our chance in a few days to add a couple more countries to our list of visited places.  On Friday we leave for Spain and Portugal.  After a week away we will have about a week before my mom and sister arrive for Easter and then just a few days after they go back to America, we will be too.  This month is going to fly by and it makes me slightly sad but happy at the same time.

March has kept Josh and I quite busy as well, sorting out our move and trying to fit in time to do a few things around London.  Sam and Amanda came to visit us one last time (cry!) before Sam deployed.  We had a really fun weekend.  Sam took a Friday off and came down to London to visit a few museums.  I met up with him for lunch and then we explored a bit together.  We ended up visiting Westminster Cathedral, the Catholic sister of Westminster Abbey and took an elevator ride to the top of the tower for a view of London.  Afterwards, we met up with Josh for drinks at a pub near our flat in Islington.  We were lucky to have nice weather and was able to sit outside and enjoy our drinks.  Amanda came down the same day after she got off of work.  The next day we decided to visit Chiswick house and gardens.  Again, it was a lovely day and we were able to soak up the sun and enjoy a walk around the gardens and a tour around the house. Later that night we ate at Amanda's favorite Upper street restaurant, La Davina and then we sadly said goodbye to them.  I can't believe that is the last time we will all be together in England!  It makes me so sad!
Sam and I have a boozy lunch near Covent Garden
Our day out at Chiswick House and Gardens

Last group picture together in England.  Boohoohoo, Cry, Sob!  It's the end of an era!

Chiswick House

Interior Ceiling at Chiswick house

This bust made me laugh - I need to come up with a good tagline for it...

The gardens at Chiswick

It was a beautiful day!

I stole Amanda's instragram collage!  
March also involved Josh and I learning new things!  We have volunteered a couple times with the group Tree Musketeers.  We have been learning how to prune ornamental trees as well as fruit trees.  My favorite workshop so far though has been learning how to graft apple trees.  It was very informative and interesting and I must say, Josh and I made a great grafting team!

The green space in Hackney where we had the tree grafting workshop
Me and our grafted apple tree
Josh and our tree
The last weekend in March, I decided to go visit Amanda for a girl's weekend.  We had a grand time. Eating, sipping tea, shopping, planning Mom and Sarah's itinerary...it was wonderful.  I'm really going to miss being near my sister-in-law, I really hope that we can live near each other again someday!  We spent Friday having lunch at Harriet's, a tea room in Bury St. Edmund's, then did a little shopping and ate taco bell.  On Saturday, Amanda had a baby shower to attend, so I helped her make some tea sandwiches, went to the shower and then went to La Hogue for lunch.  Our lunch was long and wonderful, I think we were there about 3 hours!  It was so blissfully sunny, we sat outside and enjoyed our meal in leisure.  Later that day I helped Amanda prune her apple tree while she mowed the lawn, and finally we settled in for a night of trip planning for Mom and Sarah's arrival.

The most beautiful sight in the world...a fresh British scone with clotted cream and jam

Our lunchtime view

Amanda relaxing in the sun

Just look at that delicious perfection!

Mary and Carrie Bairdbrook - our alternate egos

Amanda mowing with her hilarious hover mower.  It was like a toy!

I stole another one of Amanda's instagram collages...sorry Amanda!
Time to go pack for Spain!  Until next time...
R x

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Aww! Makes me want to cry! Thanks for visitng me Rach, but this is truly the end of an era...I hope we live near each other again because I love our long lunches, chats and Bairdbrook Christmases! England and London wont be the same without you :( Glad I get to spend time with you in April, but I am not looking forward to May...well except for Sam coming home but still May is bittersweet.

Mom said...

I love 3 hour lunches!!! Lucky girls. And the bust statue I think looks like Sam with hair and beard, hmmmm, he is thinking " do not ask me one more questions"
awh, makes me sad too that you are sad Rach, it has made this Mom feel so much better know you Kids had each other, but I am excited for you & Josh to be moving back, and I feel Amanda & Sam are in some really good hands with all the friends she has made there. And Sam and Amanda will be home in June Rach!! for the Doran wedding!!

Can wait to eat that scone and clotted cream and jam soon, yum. And your work on our trip looks fabulous thank you both so much.

Looking forward to see you Foursome in pictures soon while in Spain, enjoy!! Give Sam a hug for me!!

Love MOM

Anonymous said...

Great blog as usual with beautiful pictures. I'm going to miss this. Statue? How about heading, Say What? Three hour lunch sounds Devine. I could talk talk talk. We Pool Pals have two hour lunches. I never get it all said I want to. Lol. Your food looked so yummy. Oh, to have been young enough and have good legs to get over the pond to experience just a little of what you do! Looking forward to our first meeting when you get home. PS: are you bringing the Apple Tree with you? Shhh, send it with your mom. Love you bunches, Granny D