Dog walks, farm visits and punting

So after I left you last week, the whole family went out for an amazing meal at a pizza ansd pie resturant. The view at dinner was so pretty, and it was so nice for everyone to be together for a nice meal out. There isn't much else to say about monday other than that we all ate too much, and then came home and ate even more when we saw the easter eggs... I spent the rest of the night in a food coma on the couch, but I don't regret a thing!

The view with dinner. Pretty pretty right?!

On tuesday the weather was amazing, so Rob and I took Monty into town and met up with Sue (who was at work, and not too pleased about being stuck inside on such a nice day). We all went to the beach and had a sandwich sitting in the sunshine. While it was a lovely day, I wouldn't say it was hot, however some people seemed to think it was tropical and dressed accordingly. No one should have to see that much paleness on a single day..

Because of the lovely weather I spent the rest of the day out in the back garden soaking in the sunshine (and desperately trying to get a tan – no luck)

Yes, that's a cannon ball lodged in the side of a building that was fired in the civil war in 1645.. Lil' bit o'history for you there

Wednesday rolled around, and guess what we did... Took Monty for a walk! Bet you didn't see that one coming!

We dropped Lucy off at her work, and then took Monty for a walk along the beach (we tried to take him onto the wharf but he shook so much it wasn't worth it. Though it was quite hilarious!)

We stopped off for a piece of cake at a cafe on the hilltop, and ohmygod it was amazing cake! (I can't remember what it was called, but it had apple in it and it was divine)

Monty managed to get about 2 meters along the wharf before the shaking got so bad it wasn't  worth it anymore..

Pretty good lunch spot amiright?

 Now Monty has some issues getting into the back of cars because he can't jump very well, so he has to use a ramp. A ramp which he hates to use, which makes it very interesting, and quite amusing when he has to use it. That afternoon we had to pretty much push him up the ramp, and even doing that it took me and Rob a good 2 minutes to get him in the boot. It was such an effort that when he finally got in two people who had been standing next to their car behind us applauded when he finally got in. It was quite embarrassing..

That night Rob had a flashback to his childhood when we watched Calamity Jane. We watched it because one of the songs was in Lucy's show, so we thought we'd take a trip back to 1953 and their amazing green-screen effects. It was quite amusing.

By thursday morning the lovely weather had disappeared and it was replaced by a thick fog. Despite this we took Monty for a walk over some hills near the coast, and then down to a beach. We had cheesy chips for lunch at a cute little cafe near the beach, then walked through a field which had recently been home to a large number of cows (you had to be very careful where you walked)

Apparently you should be able to see Weymouth, but clearly (or not so much ;D ) the fog was in the way

I just thought this was the cutest little gate so ovbs it had to be included.

Again, you should be able to see Weymouth

Once we finished our walk we went to Aunty Irenes for a cup of tea in the (partly returned) sunshine. When we left monty had more issues with the ramp. He doesn't seem to be getting the hang of it.

Friday morning I was dropped off in Dorchester while Lucy had an appointment. I wandered in and out of the shops and got very excited because all the clothes shops were filled with summer clothes, and it was sunny and warm outside and it was just perfect.

This was the only photo I took in Dorchester. I think I may have been a little  bit hungry..

That afternoon I had a two and a half hour train ride back to london. I don't usually mind train journeys but when its amazing weather and you're stuck on a train, it really sucks.

I spent Friday afternoon doing nothing interesting, because I was suprisingly tired from the train (I did have to drag my suitcase across london. I hate London public transport when you have a suitcase. But on the positive side it is a good workout because there are never any lifts!)

On Saturday I headed out reasonably early to Lewisham. I spent a good 30 minutes in the post shop trying to find the right size envalope, waiting in queues, filling in boxes that don' leave enough room, and finally posting a parcel home. After that effort I decided I deserved some shopping time, so after I attacked the shops at Lewshiam, I got the DLR to Bank, and then the tube out to shepherds bush where I spent the afternoon in a state of pure happiness. When I had finally finished there I headed back to Nunhead and, wait for it.. I went for a run! It was such a nice afternoon and I had just bought some new runnung gear, so off I went for a jog around the cemetry (again nicer than it sounds). I might have gotten a bit lost in the cemetery, and when I finally found an exit I my have turned left when I was meant to go right, but I eventually found my way back to Sarah and Martins where I spent the rest of the evening relaxing on the couch, eating dinner, and watching Wallace and Gromit.

Sunday morning I woke up early (for me on holiday) and skyped Mum and Dad, Nana and Grandad and Nanny and Grandad. It was so nice to see my grandparents because I hadn't seen them since I left NZ in December. We all had a good old chat and Dad taunted my with apple and fejoa pie. After I finished talking to them, I had breakfast (pancakes with nutella. Heaven.) and then we all got in the car and headed to Surrey Docks farms. Charlie went off to do some outdoorsey farmey things, and Sarah, Martin and I got the ferry across the river to Canary wharf, and spent the next hour and a half wandering around there in the sunshine.

I spent the afternoon playing sous chef because Charlie cooked us an amazing sunday roast. I was massively impressed because I wouldn't have a clue how to cook a roast and she was whizzing around the kitchen in full chef mode. She even made a berry tart for dessert (pastry and all!) so I was well impressed.

We pretty much chilled for the rest of the day, Charlie got a new toy and if I played the guitar I would be very jealous.

Keira the shetland pony apparently has some anger issues. I thought I'd play it safe and stay on the opposite side of the fence..

This is my kind of animal. Unable to charge at you and no risk of stepping in something nasty. Perfect. (Can you tell I grew up in a city?) 

Charlie's roast. The dessert didn't last long enough for me to take a photo of it...

Charlie and her new toy. I think it's safe to say she was thrilled.

And we're back to monday! All I have done today is made my way to Liverpool Street station, and caught a train to Cambridge to stay with some family friends.

Once I arrived we went into the centre of Cambridge and wondered around. We got a boat and punted up and down the river – I had a go at driving(?) it and I was pretty alright! I didn't crash it, and I didn't fall in (though there were a couple of scarily close moments).

After we had returned the boat we wondered through the city, went into some shops (I didn't buy anything! Shock, I know!) and then we went back to their house and had a full on taco feast!

Photographic evidence. See, I'm vertical, dry and in what seems to be complete control #pro. I must say it's a hell of a workout!

And that's all to report! So until next week then..

From City to Sea

So another week has gone, and yet again it was an amazing week!

So tuesday I conquered London public transport again, only this time it was the bus, and not the underground. I managed to find my way to the bus stop (might I say that it was a 10 minute walk and I didn't get lost!) and then onto the right bus and toward Greenwich.
I hadn't been to Greenwich since I was in the UK three years ago, and back then my 15year old self did not appreciate any form of architecture or art (how things have changed). Needless to say this time I was a lot more interested, and spent a good couple of hours wandering around the area. I spent over half an hour in the painted hall, and I might have had a little fangirl because that's where a scene from Thor 2 was filmed though sadly Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston weren't there...

It's quite clever how they put mirrors on tables so you don't have to look up all the time

After I was finished oogling at the architecture, I decided to walk up the hill to the observatory. Let's just say I regretted that decision soon after I started walking up it (it's a hell of a lot steeper than it looks!) But when I finally made it to the top the view was well worth the effort so I sat there for a bit and took it all in (while getting my breath back).

After I had walked back down the hill at a pace that was a lot faster than my pace going up it, I slowly made my way back to the train station and got the DLR to Lewisham for lunch and a bit of shopping (just for a change).

That evening I was treated to 90 minutes of my favourite game. Charlie managed to make watching the football quite amusing by offering a running commentary and supporting the Italian team instead of the English.

Wednesday morning was spent wandering around town with Charlie getting groceries. I do love how here people still go to butchers and bakers and greengrocers separately instead of only going to the supermarket.

The afternoon was much less interesting, as I spent it heaving my suitcase across London once again, and then sitting on a train for nearly three hours as it took me to Weymouth.
When I finally arrived at the Scott's I spent what remained of the afternoon on the couch watching TV, and then Rob and I went to watch the first 20 minutes of the dress rehearsal of Lucy's show (which we were going to see later in the week). I spent the remainder of the evening watching tv, and on Skype to a friend back home (so an hour of catching up on all the goss that I've missed)

Despite the weather on thursday being cloudy, cold and on the brink of raining, we took Monty for a walk along the beach and then through town while we popped into shops (to get out of the rain).

Monty waiting ever so patiently at the door. Again.

Once we got back and dried off, we all played on the Wii. Now in my defence I hadn't played anything other than Just Dance for three years, so it was no surprise when I came last in the skiing competition, and also in the first round of Mario kart. But after the practice round, I managed to improve enough to come 5^th as I could now actually get around the course without falling off the road and into the water.. (can I just assure you that I am actually a pretty good driver in real life, and that Mario kart is very different to driving a real car..)

That evening I was thoroughly entertained, as I was lucky enough to watch the leaders debate. Please read that last sentence with massive amounts of sarcasm. I know nothing about politics, and although this may surprise you, it is not something I have a great deal of interest in. So watching 7 politicians bicker over things for 2 hours was not a hoot and a half..

Friday morning I was a good daughter and woke up early (considering I'm on holiday) to Skype the parents. After the usual catch ups – a trip to Aussie, a new car and drinking wine in perfect summer weather, I realised that they have adapted to life without children very well. So well infact that when they go away for the long weekend they leave plenty of food for the cats, but nothing for Chloe who was looking after the cats. They only realised that they had taken all the milk and eggs to Turangi with them when I told them (after getting some very angry snapchats from a hungry sister.)

That afternoon we went for a walk to Durdle Door, which is basically a hole in a rock (not to sound unenthused – it was a very nice hole in a rock). After hiking up a hill, down the other side, down some stairs to the beach and all the way back, we stopped off for some tea and scones to renew our energy.

Luckily the cloud cleared just after we got to the top, otherwise I would not have been happy!

Once we made it back to the Scotts house, we pretty much sat on the couch watching TV until it was time to drive to the Pavilion and watch Lucy's compilation show. The show itself was amazing, I wasn't bored for a second and was so impressed that the oldest performer would have been 17 or 18. I was also a very proud cousin because Lucy was outstanding, she stole the show every time she was on the stage, and you could tell she was born to be a performer.

The weekend rolled around and it was spent like the rest of my time in Weymouth. We played on the Wii (I have discovered I am quite outstanding at bowling, missing only 1 pin the whole game. However I am completely rubbish at golf...)

Just incase you didn't believe me! The two triangles are the strikes (I was the green one)

On Saturday night we went to see Lucy's show (again) and I was even more amazed and impressed than the day before (It also made me desperate to see Billy Elliot on the stage. I'll ge there one day.) It was the closing night for the show, and Lucy's last ever performance with WOW, so there were quite a few tears when they took their final bow.

Sunday was an amazing day. I slept in, sat outside in the sunshine (!!!), had a delicious roast lamb for lunch (New Zealand lamb, obviously) and then ate way too much chocolate..

Family photo at lunch. I seriously need to see some sunshine.

That afternoon we walked down to the park and played some rounders with some friends of the Scott's. While it was a friendly game, we all took it a bit too seriously, and there may have been some injury. However I think I have found my calling! If I do say so myself, I was rather gifted when it came to rounders, and when the teams were rearranged for the second round (due to injury making the original teams uneven) I was chosen first!
When we finally called it a day with the rounders, we wandered back through the park, and of course George, Lucy and I played on the playground (even though we are 17, 18 and 20. There's no age limit for a reason!)

And so we come back to Monday, and what a day it has been! I woke up to blazing sunshine, and it hasn't gone away all day. I spent the morning sitting outside in the sun, then we went down to the seafront to have fish and chips, and then a walk along the beach, and now I am sitting out in the back garden getting rather hot because I didn't pack any shorts... Weather like this is making me so excited for summer (it's been a stupidly long winter.) and I'm thinking that soon I'll have to go shopping for some summer clothes!

I just loved the bunting and cobbled street, so being the tourist I am, I had to take a photo.. 

Lunch was a healthy one obviously..

I can't be bothered writing anything else because the weather is making me want to sleep, so that'll be all! 

Just to finish you off, here's a swan for ya. Just because I can.