Cathup - Aug 4th

Aug 4th

YEAH, I finally feel more like myself than an invalid and decided it was time for lunch with the girls! So nice to actually see them and visit even if briefly. But did not push it, home with the feet up and a bowl of borscht in the fridge for the weekend.  My first trip I didn't bring home gifts for others!  Not sure how I truly feel about that!

AND before I was totally zapped of energy I arranged the already sorted purchases from my trip and took pictures. I wanted a silver charm from each place but no such things except a couple Pandora type but not what I wanted.

Gifts from Margreet.   Thank you.

Loved our visit together. 

I just about bought a similar bag from D'Adam but they wouldn't accept cash.

Things we saw on our canal trip and walkabout and a "fabric store" too!

Thank you Margreet. 

Zannse, outside Amsterdam - I couldn't resist the wooden shoes after seeing how they are now made!

We toured Peter's family's The Cat, paint making working windmill.

Rudesheim, Germany - another of my favourite spots.

Paris, France - lovely city.

London, England - unique but found it busy and kinda dirty.  

I shopped the bargain basement shop in Harrods, but had lunch there.

Found this beautiful section of London off the River Thames Hop On Hop Off Boat at Grenwich.

Stratford-upon-avon, England - a beautiful place to visit and lucky Jane to live there!

Catchup - July 27th-Aug 1st

July 27th

Damn this flu/cold! This body sure knows when the recommended time to take the meds is nearing cause the last hour is torture coughing spells! Even at 2:30am!!!! So now relaxing after salt water gargle for the sore throat and lovely honey/milk Chai tea to soothe me too. I'm up way too early but now scared to sleep through my appointments. Hopefully I'll crash for an afternoon snooze!!!

Oh it was a long day, first my Chiropractic appointment then picked up lunch to have with Sylvia. Then drove her to her surgeon's follow-up appointment, which he was mega late for and I was running out of stamina and coughing. Yes I was masked and covered my cough. I'm home, medicated and feet up, hopefully a nap!!!

July 29th

Well guess I'm starting to feel better. I'm seeing things around here differently and realized I hadn't posted my "Glad you're back" gift from Pat! She's a sweetie and had me close to crying when I opened it. A lovely 6" cross stitched quilted wall hanging!

July 30th

YEAH finally I know I'm starting to kick this flu/cold out of my system. A whole week of heavy dry just about continuous coughing and chills was long enough.  Now my coughs are not as severe, shorter and definitely less frequent (unless someone makes me laugh) and finally sneezing and blowing the crud outta me!!!!  

And I'm thinking of getting my pictures together for the scrapbook so I know I'm feeling better, not 100%, but not desperate. Ohhh and McDs iced coffee and burger was delicious yesterday - 4 weeks since the last one!!!

July 31st

Look what I received from Inga M from Denmark for this quarters Fringe Tatters tatting exchange! It is so delicate looking done in Lizbeth size 20, pattern(?) by Tina Frauberger 1917. I'll be slipping it into a protective sleeve before using as a bookmark.

"For this exchange, a couple of people have suggested a bookmark. Regardless of the season, many of us like to curl up with a good novel or a book full of patterns.

What better way to carefully keep your place than with a tatted bookmark? This has so many possibilities. One idea is to take an older edging pattern and double it back on itself to make a lovely piece, just remember to adjust going around corners or make 2 flat pieces and join them as you work the second side - you'll need picots. Or you could use 2 colours to create an interesting piece. There are patterns available for bookmarks or you could experiment with a flat edging. While you're creating your exchange item, you might want to make a second or third piece to have on hand as a gift."

Aug 1st

Well I KNOW I'm on the mend! Had a better sleep last night till I woke with a coughing fit and thunder! Took more cough meds and back to bed till 11ish!!!! Guess I needed that after the numerous coughing fits the night before!

Ohhhhh and a better gauge is I'm tatting with feet up AND even figured out how to turn back on myself without doing front side and back side tatting! I needed to really concentrate!

Recap of Trip

July 25th - Toronto

UPDATE:  No dicerooie, we're all boarded and waiting, getting impatient.  Finally an announcement the pilots had landed and were on their way to our plane.  Once in I thought we'd take off on time - NOPE!!!  10:20 we finally taxi off and took off!  Now what time will we arrive in Winnipeg? 

July 26th - At Home!!!

Had a good 9 hour sleep with one coughing spell 6ish. So did a Covid test just to be sure and it too is Negative. Just a flu/cold and now stocked with meds! And rest!!!

Here's a recap of my walking steps from that trip. Needless to say starting off with a sore hip was too much!

July 6th - left Winnipeg, Toronto, Amsterdam airports - 4,551steps - 3.12 km

July 7th - Amsterdam, Holland touring on my own - 11,443 steps - 7.63 km

July 8th - Amsterdam, Holland touring with Margreet - 10,382 steps - 7.02 km

July 9th - Amsterdam, Holland Zaanse touring with group - 9,264 steps - 6.21 km

July 10th - cruise starts with canal tour - 3,924 - 2.62 km

July 11th - Cologne, Germany city touring - 8,968 steps - 5.98 km

July 12th - Rudesheim, Germany city touring - 4,365 steps - 2.82 km

July 13th - Cocheim, Germany city touring - 6,955 steps - 4.58 km

July 14th - Bernkastel, Germany castle touring - 2,866 steps - 1.92 km

July 15th - Remich-Luxembourg - touring - 5,966 steps - 3.97 km

July 16th - Paris, France touring on my own - 13,283 steps - 8.99 km

July 17th - Paris, France touring with group and some on my own - 13,502 steps - 9.06 km

July 18th - Paris, France to London, England - 4,996 steps - 3.39 km

July 19th - London, England city touring on my own - 12,299 steps - 8.37 km

July 20th - London, England city touring on my own - 23,981 steps - 16.36 km

July 21st - London to Stratford-upon-Avon, England - 6,420 steps - 4.37 km

July 22nd - Stratford-upon-Avon, England touring with Jane - 12,370 steps - 8.21 km

July 23rd - Stratford-upon-Avon, England touring with Jane - 12,575 steps - 8.44 km

July 24th - Stratford-upon-Avon to London, England - 2,517 steps - 1.7 km

July 25th - London, Toronto, Winnipeg airports - 7,204 steps - 4.7 km

YOWSERS, that's a total of 20 days of 177,831 steps or 119.44 kms averaging 8,891.5 steps or 5.97 km per day! No wonder I went through my supply of Tylenol Arthritis first two weeks and three tubes of muscle rubs!!! Ohhhh and I still have a massive purple bruise from that slip in the Paris tub midway through! 😵‍💫

July 25th - Flying Home

July 25th - Flying Home

The long flight was OK in blaring sunshine so no sleep on that 7 hour 20 minute flight and lots of up and down this time!  No cloud pictures as the window was very scratched and I'm over the wing.

Hi there!!!  I'm in Toronto but my flight to Winnipeg is delayed some due to pilot staffing issues.  At least my suitcase is straight through to Winnipeg.

Was to leave 8:50pm Toronto time, now leaving 9:20pm and arriving near midnight, hopefully no later.

Not feeling great, cough has worsened from the weekend, so will relax tomorrow.  💞

Well that's a wrap! I got into Winnipeg 11:30 pm and my luggage at midnight and the cab home 12:30 am. It's been a long long long day for me. At Heathrow Airport noonish yesterday and had a 2.5 hour layover (3/4 hour was delay on the second flight) in Toronto and arriving in Winnipeg 6:30 am London time. Too dang long!!!! AND I'm hungry!!! Good night!

July 25th - London

July 25th - London 

Well breakfast was good, enjoying my Latte and toast before gathering my bags and checking out of here.

Well paying my tab and check out went smoothly!

July 25th - London Heathrow Airport

I've caught the shuttle to Terminal 2 passing this plane displaying jungle animals in the meridian, bad photos and crazy Canuck on a moving but trying to take it!!! 

A lady helped with my checkin - lots faster than me - and no issues through security. Strolled around, bought some hand sanitizer, sugar free cough drops, peanut snacks and water. Walked around till I found a quieter seating area hopefully across from my restaurant. The shops here are very pricey and I thought about the duty free then decided no - I did not need two huge Toblerone bars with British packaging!!!

I'm at the Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen for a light lunch as there is a meal on the plane but coming here it was covered in sauce and not to my liking. So maybe OK till I get to Toronto?

July 24th - London Overnight

July 24th - London Overnight 

I've arrived back into London at the Victoria and Albert Free House at the Marylebone Station and needed lunch as breakfast was 8ish and continental.

YUMMY!!!

WOW that was the LONGEST taxi ride I've ever taken but I'm finally at the Leonardo Heathrow Airport Hotel, classy like, but again every transaction to be paid by CARD - so very annoying!!!!!!!!!!!!  Wanted something from the convenience stuff, wouldn't take cash and had to be paid separately not charged to the room, left it!  

Now relaxing with feet up in the lounge with wine!  Trying to pass the time by before supper later on and the evening relaxing again!  Well that was short lived!  But DANG it after half hour an more coughing I packed it up to my room to relax!  It's just too dang cold and AC blowing no matter where I sat - its not hot out!  Up here it's cold too so shut off the AC period, feet under covers.  HEY! first fancy hotel without a bar fridge!!!  Well besides the Melbourne tiny room - no extra space there at all - lots of room here though!

View out my window.

Then I find out they can't charge my afternoon wine and water to my room nor my nice supper because it was a third party booking. AND they would not take my CC now and process on check out! I did not have this nonsense at other hotels!!! Finally after some annoying discussion they are allowing my transactions charged to the room and tomorrow I'll pay the one bill on check out!

Dessert was lemon slice and raspberry sorbet, no picture.

Definitely a turn off for future travels! Previously here they wanted 50 pence for bathroom charges on the CC, no coin slots, and public transit also by CC - NO WAY - STUPID - this world is going to pots!!! Not sure what I'll do in the future! Guess it'll be cruises and all inclusives? As it is, I used the CC for larger items and will have to see what that tallies up to in charges! Very depressing at the end of a nice vacation overall!  Needless to say this put a damper on my evening and very glad I'm going home!

July 24th - Stratford-upon-Avon to London

July 24th - Stratford-upon-Avon to London

It's weeping tears instead of me this departure morning!  Again I indulged in the lovely continental breakfast but they ran out of the wholesome brown bread.  

So it's checkout and hopefully I can leave Jane's Cdn gift at the desk as both days I forgot to give it to her - thankfully she lives not far from here.

Was able to catch an earlier train with a 15 minute transfer at Leamington Spa, so hope that works!!!! It works. 

I'm at Leamington Spa now transferred and heading to London Marylebone Station now, without changing platforms. AWESOME!!! Well I've a sore throat and slight cough probably from all this AC in the damp from travel and two days of rain, but thankfully no Covid!!!

July 23rd - Stratford-upon-Avon Day 3c

July 23rd - Stratford-upon-Avon Day 3c

Dang it the hotel dining room was closed for supper, opens for breakfast tomorrow morning.   So again out for a walk to check Sheep St restaurant menus and decided again on Wildwood but had a small pizza and salad this time before heading back.  

Got to the hotel and realized I left my walking stick there, didn't need it all day but starting to ache now and that reminded me!  The receptionist was trying to call but just got the answering machine saying they close at 10pm, now 9:40 and I doubt I'd make it there in time.  Well she took off and was back in 15 minutes with it, such a sweetheart!!!  WOW!!!  That's service!!!  This place has been excellent except for the booking mixup!  So it's 11pm and I'm all packed up and they've called for a taxi for 10 am to the train station.  It leaves at 11 am and I've my return ticket.  London overnight then I'll be home!!!

July 23rd - Stratford-upon-Avon Day 3b

July 23rd - Stratford-upon-Avon Day 3b

Then we walked past the Rec Centre to the wildflower gardens and off to the newly built Marina and back around to the Church when it started to rain. 

Here's that boat from the river cruise going into the locks into the basin.

Manual locks.

Non edible type of chestnuts.

Here's another leaving the basin.

The weir end

Smaller locks.

Weird trees!

The reason for the barricades across.

Another weird tree and see the barricades,  it was calm water on the boat cruise side.

He's having fun learning control.

Thenewly built Marina.

School drama entertainment. 

We stepped into the Swan Theatre for lunch but not much left to choose from. So out we went - rain stopped and walked into the shopping area to the Midsummer Garden Cafe and had a lovely lunch before me hoping to find a stamp to mail off a card - ZIPPO! and Jane home!

My fish sticks sandwich - YUMMYY!!!

Lots of Harry Potter stuff.

Finally no one at his feet.

This is someone dressed up and acting out!

Menacing sky burnishing.

Another side of swan Theatre across from my hotel.

Arden Hotel, apparently all the actors stay here.

Were a few strangely dressed dudes around besides the wedding yesterday. 

t spit a few times but I saw a shop that had casual clothes at reasonable prices "LeafLifestyle Co" at Unit 2 Bell Court and didn't buy the blue one for 19P that caught my eye but a green one for 15P - thought that was a good price AND ONLY CASH!!!  We stopped yesterday into Marks and Spencer but prices were high.  So got back to the hotel and the Concierge took my card and cash and will post my card hopefully tomorrow! 

I was so drained I snoozed for an hour after rubbing down aching parts and now thinking of checking my hotel's dinner menue, apparently changes daily.  Thn back up to pack up and final postings as I have to catch my train tomorrow morning back to London to fly back Tuesday!!!  Happy and Sad!  🤗😮‍💨