The Queen was home but didn't come to see us...

Windsor Castle, Stonehenge & Bath

So today was bitterly cold, like seriously the coldest day I have experienced so far. London was warmer than where we went sightseeing today. The wind chill factor I do not know but Stonehenge was freezing, interesting to see but too cold to really take it all in and enjoy. Poor baby had wind burnt cheeks after the day out & about outside.
We left at 7:45am from the flat to be at our pickup point to leave at 8am and off we went on the bus trip first we went to Windsor Castle. The state apartments at Windsor Castle were of course gorgeous as to be expected. The Queen was there but we didn't see her :(
What made the WHOLE trip to this castle simply awesome for me was that I saw the original painting of Queen Elizabeth I when she was still a princess around the age of 14 or so (I have uploaded an image of it below)

I have wanted to see this painting pretty much since I was about 14 or 15 myself and first saw a copy of it in a book I read. I was standing just a foot or so away from it and it was totally stunning.

Then onward we went to Stonehenge. There was snow here in London (it didn't stick) but it was sticking a bit out in the countryside where Stonehenge is. I am affected by the damp and wind here quite a bit and was very cold and wasn't able to enjoy myself properly at times today because of it.

Then we went to Bath. Which was really good. I would have liked more time to wander around the town of Bath. I would defiantly go back there and spend a night and a couple of days visiting. The Roman Baths themselves are very beautiful and I really liked it I think Ben would enjoy it. Oh well next time I guess.....

I am beyond exhausted today after all our sighting seeing and yet ANOTHER NIGHT of being up with the baby pretty much the WHOLE night. I nearly killed her at around 4am. I think I cried around 5:15am when we both fell asleep finally only to hear Ben's alarm go off for work :(
Seriously I need some sleep tonight.

Also most of the day today I carried the baby around in the ergo carrier since it was pretty much all NOT baby stroller friendly. So I can really feel it in my back right now, and just that general feeling of irritation I get with everything and everyone around me when I am overtired. So it's 10:45 and it's really past my bedtime.
Not sure what we are doing tomorrow yet, I need some sleep tonight, and I think the baby needs a rest day and Kristen kinda deciding what she is interested in. Okay I will try and post some photos tomorrow.

Long & cold but good day sightseeing....

So Kristen arrived on Friday and we basically just rested, went grocery shopping and she got adjusted to the time zone difference. Saturday we went shopping on Portobello Road and we went to the Organic Kitchen for lunch. Kristen surprised me by ordering fish n chips I didn't know that she ate fish! Anyways she loved it surprise surprise. (for those who don't know Kristen she's a pretty picky eater)

Sunday Ben had the day off we so went for a drive out to Hampton Court Palace, it's a little ways out of London, so was nice that Ben could drive us all instead of taking London transit and the overground trains. Hampton Court was really good I really enjoyed it quite a bit. Although I think Ben is a bit "castle/palaced out" by now...

Then we went to a pub for a late lunch and then drove back to London. Ben and I went out for a late dinner at Nobu which is a Michelin starred restaurant here in London, it's Japanese and was really incredible! Kristen was nice enough to babysit for us.

Today there was a tube strike here GRRRR.... it really cramped our day :( but we finally made it to Westminster Abbey which was really interesting and both Kristen and I enjoyed it alot. And we also did The London Eye Kristen loved that and I liked it too we went at a different time of day then when I did it with Jeanette, and also it was a lot less crowded so I was able to enjoy it a little more. Plus I just saw different things than the first time.

Tomorrow is our bus day trip to Windsor Caste, Bath & Stonehenge. We have to be up and going pretty early so I really hope the baby sleeps tonight. I was up with her from 1am until 8am EVERY hour rocking her/holding her etc... she is getting over a bit of a cold, teething like crazy and she didn't eat properly yesterday so decided in the middle of the night that she was starving to death. It was a rough night to say the least and I have a bad feeling about tonight too.... still a cranky baby, and still not eating/napping like normal :(

Today was pretty windy and cold, I guess it's the damp here that makes it seem colder than the temperature reads, and also the wind off the river is very biting.

I think tomorrow I will also dress a little warmer than I did today, I didn't expect to be so cold! But although the temperature read a couple degrees above freezing Ben even agreed with me that it feels more like -10 because of the dampness. Also we are all feeling the lack of daylight here... the one thing about home is that it's actually to be daylight for longer! YAY for that :)
The darkness just makes you feel bleh. It's seriously dark here by 4pm right now. Streetlights on and DARK. The shadows get long at 2pm so you feel like heading home and curling up into bed.... weird feeling so early in the day. I am not a fan of such a lack of sun.....

Okay I should really see to the baby and try and to get to bed for our big day ahead....

The last guest arrives...

So I was SO sick Monday & Tuesday. Wednesday started feeling much better thankfully.
I am currently waiting at the flat for Kristen to arrive she is currently in the taxi on her way here from the airport. And then the 3 of us are flying back all together one week from now...... but I AM NOT TALKING about it. That's the official response when anyone starts to ask me questions about going home. I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT IT. Possibly because I get really emotional and stressed and start to cry so ya...

So tonight I am having some people over for a simple dinner just to hang out and whatnot because next week is SO busy. I am looking forward to tonight it should be nice a nice and relaxing night in!

Yesterday I took Evelyn to see Santa... it was very disappointing... the santa the setup and the photo omgg horrible gold lamme a flash ick.... and to top it all off the most smiley people loving baby ever cried ! I think I will take her again when I get home to Canada at Yorkdale or something early one morning when other kids are at school and hopefully avoid very much of a line....

Tomorrow we are going to Portobello Rd shopping and have lunch. Then on Sunday Hampton Court Palace. Ben can drive us being his day off. It's out of the city a bit I've been wanting to go for a while and this should hopefully be a nice day out.
Then next week we will do one day- Tower of London another day, Westminster Abbey, The London Eye, Big Ben
We have one special day trip planned to Windsor Castle, Bath & Stonehenge.
and Thursday I need to stay home and pack and get organized so I will help Kristen plan her day and I will stay back with Evelyn.

That's pretty much the plan....

Mundane Monday

So I am suffering from a very sore throat and slightly congested... I just hope I don't give it to baby since Ben gave it to me...

Saturday night was a very nice night for dinner with Demitri and his wife Laarni. I really like her, Laarni and I also went out during the day to Portobello Road Market and I started Christmas shopping!

Sunday I woke up feeling like crap as this newest version of the cold hit me... I spent pretty much the whole day in bed. Ben looked after Evelyn which was nice I think for him & her.

Today I managed to get motivated enough to go out and do a much needed grocery shop and came home and started to do a bunch of laundry. Exciting eh?

I will say that I just bought myself a copy of Hello Magazine's souvenir edition of The Royal Engagement! And it has now been carefully packed away with the rest of my England loot to ship/send/pack home as I seriously have not got that all figured out yet.

And also I saw canned hotdogs today in the grocery store ummm ewwww?

The Meltdown....

So being alone today meant I had WAY too much to over think things, get anxious and practically have the hugest meltdown about going home... I think it's going to be very difficult adjustment. I think I will be missing Ben way more than when he first left in May or when I came home from the the first visit in July.
I know my weekends will be busy and many evenings too if I desire to book in visits with friends and family... it will be the weekdays I think that will get me the most and be the loneliest.

I am worried about Evelyn and I adjusting to the time difference. I am worried about the upkeep of the house and the driveway and the SNOW that will be coming! I am worried that the car won't start after sitting in my garage so many months... or just breakdown entirely. I think that these last few months have felt like a holiday in a lot of ways and going home to real life will be a big smack in the face and it's going to kick my butt :(

So to all my friends in the Toronto area distractions (especially during the weekdays are MOST welcome!)

So I forgot in my earlier post to write about my trip to Ben's film set yesterday!
It was awesome AS ALWAYS!!! Sacha Baron Cohen is VERY tall and he looks great in this role, I think the movie is going to be really good. Seriously. Watching him on set yesterday working with Marty was pretty awesome :)
Evelyn stayed at the flat with Hannah being babysat by Amy. Only Henry came along with us cause obviously Chanda is still nursing him. I didn't get to talk to Marty or SBC but that's okay I didn't expect too. So that was a pretty good way to spend the day! I doubt I will get back out to set before going home. Technically the set is "closed" which means you can't just have random visitors so Ben doesn't want to press his luck.

Tomorrow night I am excited about our dinner out... although slightly nervous because I am leaving Evelyn with a new sitter since my reg girl Amy is home for the weekend it's her grans 80th birthday. That might make me not enjoy the dinner out as much then if I knew she was with Amy... but we'll see. Likely my last nice dinner out with Ben until he is home at Christmas....
Well hopefully Ben is home in the next 20 mins or so...

Quiet Again

So Chanda, Nathan & kids got off this afternoon for their flight back home. I home everything goes okay and they have smooth travels.
I think Evelyn already misses Hannah... She seems to love older kids and is really excited by them. The flat was too quiet this afternoon, Evelyn & I had a nap but it wasn't very satisfying. I guess we were both tired but it was a really warm sunny day and I feel that we should have gone out an done something to enjoy it...

So I finally went to Kensington Palace and saw the Enchanted Palace Exhibit the other day. Turns out it was a good suggestion because Chanda LOVED it! It's not a very popular exhibit because it's temporary exhibit while the palace undergoes renovations and it's quite modern. I thought it was okay. It was a nice easy outing close to the flat and different than anything else I have done so far.

We went to the orangery afterward for lunch which was very yummy. I love their tea! Turns out you cant buy it in loose leaf but I was able to buy the bags... I know it won't be as good as when I am at the organery but maybe it will still be enjoyable?

So as it turns out we are not moving from the flat now to the cooperate housing. The sale of the flat fell through, (we were beginning to suspect as much) but we didn't know we would be able to extend the lease. It turns out we can. So I guess that makes my life a bit easier and I don't have to move all the stuff we have accumulated. And Ben will live here when he comes back here in Jan. I was kinda looking forward to the new place though because it has maid service everyday! That was defiantly a bonus. And even if we don't move I have to still pack and decide what we are shipping home to Canada though etc...

What day is it today?

I honestly am loosing track of time these days... I think today is Wednesday...
So lets play catchup since last week when I posted about our Castle weekend.
Last week I mostly recuperated from a very busy last few weeks of guests and Evelyn and I were fighting off a slight cold/sore throat. So there wasn't much exciting to report I suppose it was daily life living here in England, resting and gorging myself on cream desserts and clotted cream with berries :)

I cant believe that I only have 16 days here left :( Kristen arrives in 9 days as her facebook countdown keeps reminding me....

Nathan, Chanda, Hannah & Henry all arrived here Saturday early afternoon. Since they got here they have been on the go, Evelyn and I have taken a more relaxed approach and joining them only when I feel like going on an outing and if it's something I haven't done before. Right now they are at Buckingham Palace watching the changing of the guard.

Sunday we all went (including Ben!) To the Churchill War Rooms & Bunker Museum. It was pretty interesting to see how parliament lived and worked in this underground maze of rooms during WW2. And of course there was lots of information about his personal life etc... I think Ben enjoyed it the most of all of us. Which is good since he hardly gets to do/see anything when he's been working so much.
Sunday night we went out for a nice dinner at e&o. All 3 babies were incredibly well behaved during the entire meal, it was a really nice relaxing dinner out.

Monday Nathan & Chanda plus kids went out to the London Eye & the Aquarium which they had a very good time at. Monday was also Chanda's birthday so she & Nathan went out with an old college friend Ruth & her finance for dinner an I stayed home with Evelyn and Hannah (who was sleeping pretty much the whole time) Ben came home at a decent time and we had delivery food and a nice quiet nice by the fire.

Yesterday Chanda went to Cambridge with Henry to have lunch with her cousin and Nathan, Hannah, Evelyn & I did the Tower of London. This time I did the White Tower Tour which I hadn't had a chance to do last time. And of course I saw the crown jewels again :) Who can get tired of seeing of 530 caret diamond???
And for dinner we went for Indian Food.

Not sure what is on for this afternoon yet, it depends on the weather and how the crew feels when they get back here from Buckingham. Hannah gave them quite the sleepless night last night to they are pretty run down today.

Tomorrow afternoon we are going to visit Ben on set! I am excited to go again. And no before any of you ask Johnny Depp will NOT be there :( Amy my babysitter is coming to watch Hannah & Evelyn and the 3 adults and Henry will go to the set mid afternoon and come home in the evening with Ben.

Friday afternoon Nathan, Chanda and the kids go home. Saturday I am going to Portobello Road (I plan to do some Christmas Shopping!) with Demetri's wife (who is here for a week and a bit visiting) and then the 4 of us of going out for a nice dinner. Evelyn will stay home with the babysitter.
And that's as far ahead as I have planned yet....
Okay I have to get dressed and get ready for my day!

Castle Stay

So my castle stay was amazing.. too short of course but amazing. As predicted Ben was utterly exhausted by the time we got there and we had a late dinner and he basically crashed out by 10pm. Baby & I enjoyed the fire and had some cuddles...

We stayed in the Henry the 8th Suite. I got to see 3 rooms I had my choice of the Pembroke Suite, The Mary I chamber or the one we took.
Photos of the castle & our room are up on facebook.

Sunday morning we explored the castle and the garden, then we went for a Sunday drive through the countryside stopping mid afternoon at Cirencester known as the unofficial capital of the Cotwolds. We had a late lunch at a pub there, walked around the town, viewed the church and the abbey grounds, saw the old Roman Wall and enjoyed the views. The town was the 2nd largest Roman settlement besides London during it's time and there is an amphitheater, town wall, arches, stone remains of a church from 300 AD and a large villa.

Unfortunately Evelyn didn't exactly cooperate during our Castle visit and was up every 2 hours screaming her head off during Saturday night...I don't know why :( Which really tried my patience and ran me down and my body gave in getting Evelyn's cold.
At first I thought it was teething and it could have been, but then I think it turned into a little cold and when I got overtired and run down with stress and having so much company recently I couldn't fight it off. Not that I am complaining about all the company who have come because without them I would be lonely and it's been wonderful to have so many visitors. But this week my body is making me rest and take a break....

Nathan, Chanda, Hannah and baby Henry arrive on Friday so hopefully I am better and over it by then.

Okay bedtime for me....

Thornbury Castle from the driveway

Thornbury view from the gardens

Not perfect but hopefully still enough time to be fun...

So our castle adventure was supposed to begin last night, but at the last minute Ben (and the rest of the crew) got called into work today. BIG BOO. So we had to cancel our reservations for last night and we are going up tonight after Ben is done work instead. I worry that he will be too tired to enjoy any of it and that we will so late arriving this evening that we wont be able to enjoy any of today and really I always feel so rushed the day of checkout when you have to hand in your key by 11am. It seems a shame to drive all that way to be there less than 24 hours....

To help out a little we packed the suitcase and car up last night and I am going to take public transit as far west as it goes to Richmond Station where Ben will pick us up. That should help Ben not having to drive into the city to come and get us and then basically back track.

I told Ben it was okay to cancel but he really wants me to take me to a castle since he knows it's always been a dream of mine since I was little and he has no more weekends off for the rest of my time here in England. Which is really thoughtful so I am trying to not be too disappointed about the sudden change in plans. I just hope Ben can enjoy it too and that work doesn't exhaust him too much today... its not like I can help by sharing the driving!

We plan to drive straight there tonight and enjoy the castle and then tomorrow take a leisurely drive back through the Cotwolds. I hope to see many thatched cottages, picturesque farms and old lovely churches as we drive from village to village stopping for lunch hopefully at a English pub somewhere along the way....

Well I better get going baby needs a bath, need to buy more baby food & diapers and then I need to pack the day bag and catch my bus!

Halloween....

So here is a photo of Evelyn in her Halloween costume. Mummy never did find any wings so the fairy princess became a ballerina. Special thanks to Natalie who picked out and got Evelyn her tutu in Canada and brought it here!




AND in other exciting news Ben booked our stay at a castle today! As it turns out his only weekend off between now and when I go home is this weekend so on VERY short notice we were actually able to book a room at Thornbury Castle. www.thornburycastle.co.uk

We are staying in a Deluxe Suite (because that is what was available at the when booking 4 days ahead) So it's a bit more than we expected/planned to pay but Ben said he really wanted to take me a castle and this was the only weekend left so it was okay :)
YAY SO EXCITED FOR THE CASTLE!

On Saturday I think we are going to go to the town of Bath for the day and see that... I have to do a little research on what to do tomorrow.

A great day in London! (and busy)

Natalie & her crew left this morning at 5:15am. They got off okay from here in the car we booked I hope the next 3 parts of the journey home to Leamington the train, plane & car part of the journey aren't too difficult!

So as it turns out tomorrow my Grandpa's cousin Derek and his wife Sue are coming to stay with us for 2 nights/ 3 days. They arrive tomorrow late afternoon. They are the couple my sister went to visit near Lancaster. I am really looking forward to their visit and for them to meet Ben! So I guess I won't have time to get all lonely and homesick this week lol... I am running around today like a crazy person cleaning the flat, washing all the sheets & towels and grocery shopping.

I will try and post some more photos to facebook tonight (if Ben feels up to helping with the baby for a bit tonight when he gets home) or it will have to wait until naptime tomorrow.

So today has been a lovely fall day here in London! It was a bright sunny day and a balmy 16 degrees! I hear that Ottawa has snow (SUCKAS!) and it's been quite cold back home and many a frosty morning. Today has been just gorgeous here... I think I am still waiting for all that cold, damp weather everyone told me to expect??? Maybe the sunshine follows me around lol...

Okay more housework to do and Evelyn is telling me she's hungry RIGHT NOW!

A weird morning...

So Saturday night the clocks changed here. Obviously I didn't really notice it yesterday but today here I am 6:30 awake... Normally the baby would be waking up about now for her morning bottle. But she's still sleeping !!! Why am I up? I need a sleepin day but the other way that is going to happen is a night without the baby.
Ok so who wants Evelyn to come and have a sleepover? Any takers....?

I think tomorrow (Tuesday) will be really tough my flat will be empty and I can feel the dread of homesickness creeping in... It's always the worst right after the flat has been full of people and then goes to empty.

As much as I am looking forward to going home and being in my own house with my things it will of course also be hard because Ben isn't coming with me. I am already torn wanting to be in 2 places at once...

Caden is really good with the babies he is 3 years old. He seems quite attached to Evelyn. And she loves Caden. Marcus is somewhat interesting to her but I think she finds Caden more fun to watch and interact with.
I am "the other mommy" Ben is "egglans daddy" Caden can't actually pronounce her name yet but his version is pretty cute. Egglan is Evelyn. Lol

okay might as well get up and have a coffee...