It's a Suffolk thing

So many of our friends have left London over the years, and last summer our peeps SA and Y packed up their London life and moved to Suffolk. It had been on the cards for years but Covid sped things up. A few weeks ago we finally got to go for an overnight visit, and it was so nice to see them and their kids again. We began our stay with a no-cook lunch - the best kind of lunch.

Since we saw them last summer there’s been a new addition to the family - Ruby.

She and Mr Famapa became friends immediately.

Even though he lost her ball.

Digression. Don’t know what these are, but they were pretty.

In the early evening we went for delicious pizzas at @theshedsframlingham and the super relaxed setting was just perfect.

So crazy that our kids are or are close to becoming teenagers. Seeing how much this young lady has changed in the past year is quite something. It’s Oomoo’s turn soon (well, not that soon, we’re 18 months away…). Gulp.

One middle aged lady with a camera was enjoying the planting very much.

Very much.

After the meal some chose to digest their meal playing football.

Nut jobs.

We were incredibly lucky with the weather; this summer has been British to say the least. Maybe it’s a Brexit thing? Luckily the fire pit at SA and Y’s made it possible for us to continue sitting outside for the rest of the evening.

What you looking at Ruby?

Whatever it was - a cuddle was even better.

Y going in to get provisions.

It got late.

Click click. We started playing the Intro Game where you have to guess the song from the first beat of the intro. SA and I were very good, and I may say so myself. It’s amazing that you can recognise a song in a second or two. Of course we’re talking 80’s and 90’s music here. We didn’t attempt any songs from after then.

The fire had me mesmerised in between.

Day 2. How’s this for a conservatory/dining room? Drool.

It was way too hot to sit in though.

Had a look through SA’s interior books, and this portrait of an elderly couple in the Apartamento book, made me fast forward a few decades - I really like her style.

Stop Hammock time.

Summer and friends are the best.

Hope we get to see them again soon.

Let's go back in time

Let’s go to Venice and marvel at the view.

Let’s look down narrow canals and at gondolas and colourful houses.

Let’s also look at wider canals with less colourful houses.

Let’s take pictures of other people taking pictures (and let’s also see the guy on the right later in the day again somewhere else in Venice too).

Let’s see a hug from a distance.

Let’s look at shafts of light and at shadows.

Let’s look at the majestic

and the less so.

Let’s look at cool signage and great colour combos.

Let’s walk for ages and ages, through quiet and narrow streets to find the best gelateria in town.

Let’s take the water bus back home to where we’re staying and take in the beautiful architecture on the way.

Let’s walk the last bit and marvel at what someone else’s everyday life looks like.

Let’s go out for dinner later and feel like we’ve traveled back hundreds of years in time.

I’m reading Venice by Jan Morris at the moment (ridiculously well written), so I’m really glad that I can look at the pictures from our trip there in March 2019. Who knows how long it’ll be until we can go abroad again (next year maybe??), so I’m making sure I read my way out of the here, and am grateful for all the trips I’ve ever made in the past, and for the fact that I’m forever taking pictures. Where are you dreaming yourself off to these days?

Happy Monday

Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, Aug 2nd 2018

Seriously need some distraction right now. And a bit of silliness. So here’s Oomoo with his cousin, with all eight eyes between them. I bid you a good day!

Not a usual Sunday

Still hot the following day. We decided to walk up to the nearby woods and check out some old deserted army barracks.

We thought that this little bunker might have been a coal store, but we’re no experts. We are at taking pictures though. HA HA

I walked into this building on my own only to be told to get the hell out immediately as the floor was covered in broken asbestos. Handy to have a friend who’s an architect who can spot that sort of thing, eh?

What is it about abandoned buildings that’s so alluring? Insert shrug emoji here.

Walking back towards the house we came across this herd of cows. Care to share any tips on herd immunity guys? GUYS??

Knowing that it would be hot during our stay in the Cotswolds I did some research on places to swim nearby. I found some river spots online that looked promising, but my uncle-in-law said that there was also a lake that would be much quieter, and therefor less busy. He was not wrong. When I went in the water I totally forgot about everything else and just kept swimming out in a straight line for about 15 minutes. It didn’t occur to me to check on how Oomoo was doing, it was like I was in a trance. It had been over three months since I’d been in the water, and being back made me very selfish. I finally remembered and turned around to see how he was doing, but fortunately Mr Famapa had gone in with him, even though he hadn’t brought swimming trunks. Bad mamma!

The Ladies Pond opened in July but I had no interest in trying to book one of the allotted time slots, all of which would sell out within seconds of being released. Besides, it’s the cold water I’m after. Anyway, we left the lake just as groups of younger people started arriving with crates of beer. Perfect timing.

Nothing says a field in August as much as this picture.

Finally, two pictures from the following day; L reading, with a compulsory cup of tea in the morning…

… and Oomoo through the window in the evening. So grateful for being able to go to this lovely place. Until the next time!