A week filled with joy and love

In my last blog I announced that I would be taking time from here to celebrate my daughter’s arrival from the States for my 70th birthday.

I can now report that the last week was the best ever – a week filled with joy and love.    I think this is the most wonderful birthday I have ever experienced:)   Yes, big smiles all round.

Everything flowed from beginning to end…..

Christie and her friend Jen arrived last Wednesday and on Thursday, we attended Virginia MacGregor’s book launch for ‘The Astonishing Return of Norah Wells’     I have started to read the book and am completely hooked.     I will write much more when I finish reading.

Loads of people attended the book launch in Reading and it was lovely to hear Virginia read from, and talk about the book.    Coincidentally, my daughter Christie had met Virginia several years ago in the States.

Virginia MacGregor 

On Saturday 23rd we had the actual party in ‘The Jolly Coopers Pub, Hampton‘ – and it could not have gone better.       So many friends attended from far and wide…people who I love so much.    I was reminded of just how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends.      From all those who I love and care for who couldn’t be with us on that evening, came so many lovely messages.    Even my postman was amazed!

Everyone was too busy having fun to take lots of pics, but fortunately Jen took these.    A group of us met in my flat prior to walking to the pub….and there we are standing in front of The Jolly Coopers.       The staff at the pub were fabulous and the tapas they served was to die for….as they say:)

The following day the party continued at my flat…..Monday was a day of recovery!     Jen was able to get a flight back to the States on the Monday and then on Tuesday, Christie and I met with more dear friends at The Shard – where we had a beautiful lunch, which morphed into a long and wonderful afternoon/evening –

A view from The Shard after dark….very beautiful and again I will write much more about this later. 

On Wednesday, after a lovely breakfast at Bill’s in Kingston – Christie visited her Grandmother again and then we saw the superb film ‘The Danish Girl’ – I highly recommend…

That evening, we sat, talked and watched some TV which was when I did this quick watercolour of my darling daughter.

Yesterday, Christie flew back to Boston in perfect weather…..and so one of the most beautiful weeks imaginable was completed.

It will take me a few days to get organised….however, for now I will enjoy a sense of great wellbeing.

A Bientôt

A walk around London

To get into central London from where I live is very easy.    I walk to the local train station (4 minutes) and then go direct to London Waterloo.   From there, I can walk to just about everything including museums, galleries, etc.

Last week was half term in the UK, which meant that everything seemed a little quieter than usual, and so it was when Claudia and I spent the day in central London.

This was one of those lucky moments when I photographed Claudia in font of this group of men in bowler hats and umbrellas preparing to be ‘information’ people in and around London.

Claudia standing In Trafalgar Square in front of the National Gallery.   

 

From Trafalgar Square, we walked to Covent Garden and then along the Strand to the City and St. Paul’s Cathedral.   The actual City of London is only one square mile.      When going there, it is key to explore behind the buildings into the ancient squares and alley ways that make up this centre of commerce.

We went into St. Paul’s Cathedral where I took this photograph, and as you can see the man heading towards me to say….’no photographs please’!   I always forget.

As a very young child, I remember vividly going up to the Whispering Gallery, and being too frightened to come down the windy narrow stairs.   I think Health and Safely has prevented people from enjoying this today!.

After leaving St. Paul’s we walked across the Millennium Bridge which connects the City with South Bank.

Leaving St. Paul’s and the City behind.

Half way across, I took this photograph of Tower Bridge.   London is full of new construction, and it’s fair to say that the skyline is totally different today from when I was a child.     I was born in London and so have known it all of my life.

 

Here we see the Globe Theatre, where you can enjoy Shakespear’s plays in an authentic setting. 

At the South Bank end of the Millennium Bridge, we find Tate Modern, and this walkway which takes us from the Bridge onto South Bank.    I love the constant mix of old and new, and in this case the way the walkway seems to hang in the air over the river.

Now on South Bank, with the City behind us we see more clearly the old and the new.

 

The Shard. – I believe the tallest building in London today….

As we walked along South Bank the sun began to shine…   There is of course so much more.    Each small area of london, as is the case with many cities, has so many hidden surprises….not just the main attractions.

http://www.janetweightreed.co.uk

A Bientôt