Home a week

Well I have been home a whole week and it feels as if it was a lifetime ago. School is back in earnest with full days and lunch at school (I have a new lunch bag courtesy of Macy's) so that was fun.
This weekend Dad and I went to the beach to see mum who has been there for the week. It was nice weather and I took some stitching but ended up making a ball for my sister in law Cathy and trying out a new pattern today. Not certain if I will make another one or even teach it but it was fun using some different colours. have to think about how the bottom will be finished.

Purl Soho - nice shop lower manhattan

Just thought I would put a couple of pictures from new york on here for all to see. We went to the 9/11 memorial site - very security conscious and long way to walk but it will be incredible when all the new buildings are finished.



Stephanie with new World Trade Centre Tower 1 being built.

From the Empire state down to WTC Plaza

Empire State, WTC from Rockefeller Centre.

Holiday was wicked

Today was our last day so we decided to visit a section of the city called Canal Street as we had to find the Bose shop for friends of stephanie's. Purl Soho was also down this area, so we managed to call in there also. Got two skeins of wool for her. Had a real Italian lunch which was a delight. Bought a pile of presents today, shopping with a vengance today. Bused uptown to Macy's for shopping and bought a Macy's lunch bag, very cute. Onto NHL shop via HBO and more last minute gifts. Back to dead sea scrolls exhibition, which was a nice reflective end to our holiday.
Back to the hotel and commencement of the packing saga. Mostly done and downstairs to happy hour where we spent time talking to a couple from Pennsylvania. Out at 7pm to go to the Gershwin Theatre to see "Wicked". It was fabulous and a fitting end to our holiday. Back to Times Square, visit to Walgrens to get last minute chocolates and pack the bags. Last night sleep and up in the morning to have the last breakfast and airport transfer in the morning.
Thanks Stephanie for a great holiday.
Diane

Day three New York City

Blog notes
16 Jan: mum and Dad wedding anniversary. Went early and did washing. Tried porridge for brekkie but not nice. Booked tickets to wicked for Wednesday. Caught bus to water taxi and to Battery Park to visit 9/11 Memorial. Really cold day today.
Walked along wall street - cut off from traffic then water taxi back to pier 88. Bus M50 to Madison ave and walked up to 71 to Laduree shop. Bought macaroons to take home. On bus to carriage ride talking to ladies about a Sotheby's exhibition. Needlework samplers.
Carriage ride fun but cold, wandered to display centre afterwards, then bus on 6th/m42 to times square.
Did Madame tussauds nice but not crowded. Just photo op things rather than displays.
17 Jan; today was a wet day so we had decided to visit the museums. Got to the metropolitan museum of art and straight in as not too many there. Wandered the Egyptian section and was suitably amazed at the range of artifacts. Found ourselves having a restorative cup of tea and then into the impressionists and other paintings. So nice we like the same paintings. Contact with Ewan so we walked up to the Guggenheim museum and met him for lunch. Went to Lexington grill and had pastrami on rye with a snapper. Nice!!
Around the Guggenheim and was strangest artwork we have seen this trip. Back to the mma for a view if the 9/11 quilt and then hotel for a rest before hockey. More on that tomorrow.
Only one day to go and we will nearly be home.
Diane

New York disaster

Lost my iPod with all blog updates that u had not posted but can say that rest of time in Paris was great. Did lots more walking and we seemed to find metro stations with the furtherest interchanges possible. Musee d'Orsay was fabulous on Wednesday morning and saw heaps of new paintings that had not been on my radar before. Train trip back was food until we got to Ashford.
Here are some photos of Paris to keep you happy as they are of us with the Eiffel tower.

1500 steps and counting

A broken night with a txt and then a false fire alarm meant that the first night in Paris was fun. Up and finding a patisserie for breakfast, then to the Trocadero for Eiffel Tower visit. Cloud meant we caught the bus to the place de la Concorde instead and did the Tuilieres Gardens. Great walk through and into the pyramid-shades of da Vinci code. Queue time was about 20 minutes and then off to find the treasures which were amazing. Looked for Vermeer's Lacemaker and all there was was the mark on the wall.
Once we left and onto the bus again via notre Dame and champ de elysses. Photos then hotel for recharge of all batteries and back on the metro fort Notre Dame. Great photos and dusk bought more shots. Metro again and back to the Arc de Triomphe to climb to the top with a sustenance stop at McDonalds. Macaroons and more steps bought us back to the hotel after a full day of marvels and wonders.

Sacre Coeur and Eiffel tower

A most wonderful day as we travelled on Eurostar to Paris for three days. The train no sooner left Ashford than we seemed to be in the tunnel and on our way. France seemed much drier than England but our arrival in Paris was just after our quick lunch. A taxi to our hotel, check in, txt to Melissa and a cuppa while we waited for her. At 2pm we met in the foyer and went off exploring.
A decision to walk to the Montmartre and Sacre Coeur found us looking at all the artists and their works in the square. We both purchased a watercolour to take home. The basilica was fabulous and our first sight of the Eiffel tower was the realization that we were here!!!!
We caught the Metro to Trocadero and it was dusk so the tower was well lit. Many photo angles later we had crossed the Seine and were standing underneath. Wandering around it was time for Melissa to leave us and we parted. Such a pleasure to see her. Stephanie and I then wandered our way along the Seine, crossed and found a metro station to return us to the hotel. Dinner was at a local Lebanese which was nice. Back to the hotel and the sound of trains to send us to sleep. A great day in gay Paree!!!!

The Ritz and Kettering

7 Jan: today is the Ritz. Most fabulous start to the day with getting up in time to say bye to Peter. Breakfast with Jane and then off to catch another train. Nice trip down with an interesting seat companion - part of Kettering 6 football followers. Almost compelled me to follow him to reading. Got to Charing Cross and met the girls. Wandered along to Twinings shop and then it was time to walk to the Ritz. Met Dawn so went in. Tried out the powder room and checked our coats into the cloakroom. Very refined and seated by frock coated gentlemen. Service was delightful. Tried silver needle tea then plain green tea, both which were nice. Sandwiches kept coming as did offers of cakes and scones. Most delightful conversation with some serious bloopers by whole party. Afterwards a walk around Fortnum and Mason's then onto Leicester Square. Decided no food was needed so had food for the soul instead and went to see "The Artist" which was the most amazing movie. Most expensive train home to Chartham and then to pack one bag between us for tomorrow's trip to Paris.
Many thanks to Stephanie for a great afternoon and lovely to catch up with Dawn again.
6 Jan: John Collett's birthday today. David foster came in for coffee this morning and it was wonderful to see him, just like the year's had not gone by. Dinner with all the family which was nice. Also got a we look at Jenny's granddaughter Emily.

Relaxing before the Ritz

I have been very spoilt for the last couple of days while staying with my cousin Jane and family in Kettering. Jenny, Jane and I went out for coffee yesterday which became lunch and then a drive around the pictureskew villages around Kettering. Tried to get a photo of Boughton House but not a great shot but did get the windymills by Burton Latimer as well as the biggest warehouse I have ever seen.

Eleanor Cross at Geddington

Jenny and Jane at Warkton

We did try to have another cuppa at the various tea shops in the villages but we were not very successful. 

Jane and David

Jenny and baby Emily

Thursday evening we met up with Ben and fiance Alyssa for dinner at Frank and Benny's a chain restaurant which was quite nice.

Ben and Alyssa

Peter, Jane, Toby, John and Jenny

Friday cousin David came for a visit before he started work and he is looking well, just slightly older like all of us. I then went over to Jenny and John's for the day so we had good times sitting and talking, a couple of walks up to the post office and then a look at all Jenny's cards. She has done some beautiful cross stitched cards which are just amazing. She is also doing some papercraft cards and these are great. She is very clever and enjoying her retirement. Jane, Peter and Toby came for tea which was nice.

High winds at Paitshill

had a quiet morning. Slept in again so nearly missed my porridge. Wind outside was horrendous and Stephanie kept mentioning that the wind was dying down. Power outage at 9.30 am so lucky we were at farm and could use the Ava for poking lunch. Lovely hearty casserole and tatties. Got to berwick station to find no trains going from there but they are going from Newcastle. Decided to get a taxi to Newcastle £80 so watt gave us some money (think he wanted to get rid of the wee one). Nice driver, Mark, took great care on drive with winds and rain.  Got on trail with minutes to spare and lots of choice for seats as train set up for Aberdeen. Journey back to Langham and my cloud bed was great. Nice thing about this breaks as I did lots of my Latvian embroidery and have completed the inside border. 2 Jan: Neil's birthday today so sent him an email. Did washing and had to wear my gloves to hang it out. It was blowing a mild gale but not too chilly so day was nice. Went down to the village and gave Ida a surprise so that was nice. After lunch went to visit Dave in his new house, which is really nice and suitable for him. He has done a lot of work with putting in walls, closing up doorways and even a bit of painting. Had a nice cuppa, Dave very proud of the new house and all his achievements.  Back to the farm via Eyemouth and the coast road to take in the sights. A new year's party at Judy and David Morrison's in the evening finished off a busy day. Was a great party really nice to meet some of the new neighbours and catch up with the old. 1 Jan a nice start to the new year wwith a sleep in and leisurely breakfast with David and Gillian. Travel down to Paitshill which was about 35 minutes away. So nice to see Watt and heather again, life has almost not missed the sixteen years since I've been here. A walk along the road feed the hens collect eggs and the Dave came for roast cockerel dinner which was really yummy. Back in the same bedroom not many changes at all.

Family and the new year

David, Me, Muriel and Gillian in the tropical Edinburgh evening

We got to Edinburgh and after a walk along Princes Street to our hotel we hit the shops. I txt David and he had his mum with him so met us for dinner at TGIF. Gillian was in town also so we met her and had a wonderful meal with lots of banter. Not the warmest of weathers but still not raining so that was great. Our hotel is slightly more budget than the Langham In London.

David and \stephanie in the officers ward room

New years eve we were taken to visit the Royal yacht Britannia which was fabulous. check out stephanie's blog for a great photo of us. the yacht must have been a fabulous place for the royal family to relax. not so much for the staff though.

 At Paitshill and all the lithgows real and married. Nice to see some things don't change.

My runner looks great on Heather's kitchen cabinet so I am pleased that she likes it. We did well Marilyn.
Hope that all have a great new year and happy birthday to neil.
Diane