The last of London...

It's nearly been 2 weeks since we got home from our wonderful holiday. I am still exhausted and I am still trying to catch up on work. I can't believe how much there's been to do. I'm nearly there now though, so the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. Honestly though, I feel like I could do with another dose of sunshine - how miserable is this weather??

Jake's settling back into his old routines well. He battled at first going back to school and letting me go to work, but even that's getting better. He's well over his ear ache, but has a really terrible cold and has been suffering on and off with high temperatures for a few days now. He says nothing's sore, but if he's not feeling better by tomorrow, he'll be going to the doctor. On a sad note, his little girlfriend (the one that's almost a foot taller then him), Jodie, is moving to PE with her family. Today was her last day at school and it was quite sad seeing them saying their goodbyes. Kid's just don't understand the permanence of something like this. His teacher was telling me about how the two of them were dancing with each other in class last week. And they've told everyone they're going to get married to each other one day. Time will tell - I met Jacques when I was 5, so just a year ahead of them. And I definitely wasn't getting married then...

Not much other news. Life's just been very busy, considering I had the luxury of having absolutely no plans when I got off the plane, I've ended up having something on most evenings since our return. I actually think I just need to cross off a weekend to catch up. Since getting home, life just feels disorganised. I need to get stuck into clearing out Jake's wardrobes (and my own) - something I just can't seem to get around to doing properly.

While I'm here, I must confess - I haven't checked anyone's blogs in just over a week, so will try do that sometime tomorrow. Congratulations to Steven and Veronica on finally having their little princess where she belongs. I hope there aren't too many black eyes and bruises over fighting for cuddles and I really hope she sleeps like an angel!

Hope I'm not boring you, but these are the last of our holiday photos. I've finally had some printed, so anyone who feels like being bored with 375 pictures, please give me a call - I'd love to hook up for coffee!

Sorry this is so brief, hope it finds everyone well!

Lots of love,

Sue xxx

Jake & Jason preparing our dinner. Jake had just been asking to braai - it was magic!

All Jake wanted to see when we got to London was Big Ben. And every clock we saw on any tower before was Big Ben...

Checking it all out...

The Queen arriving at St Paul's. Damned that glare on the window...

The Queen and her enterage being piped into St Paul's

On our river cruise down the Thames...

Outside Westminster Abbey...

Wishing in the pond outside Buckingham palace for his Aunty Rosie, Uncle Gareth and his cousins to all visit London one day...Outside Buckingham... Our little visitor in Hyde Park. We had to share our already shared 4 pound baguette with him... Jake enjoying an ice cream in Hyde Park (we shared that too)... Visiting Hamleys... Jake & a Power Ranger in Hamleys... Meeting up with Abbey in Wimbledon for lunch... Jake getting a squeeze from Abbey for her family in SA... Sandi, me, Jason & Jake at a little Italian place in Watford. It was our last night with Jason... Jake at London Zoo... The Lion King at the Lyceum... Breakfast with the Bullmores in London. Andy, Val, Amanda, Sandi & Jake. We all got the plans confused and ended up having breakfast at about 12 'o clock... So, Jake was allowed strawberry tart for "breakfast"... Saying goodbye... Me & Sandi at "breakfast"... Jake looking out over Heathrow Airport, waiting to board our flight home via Dubai...

We're back...

After a long and very exhausting trip, I'm pleased to say (well OK, I'd rather still be on holiday) that we're back home safely. Jake was really well behaved on our long journey home and he was really just too tired this morning. He went to school in tears, begging me not to go to work. Needless to say, he settled down the minute I'd walked out the door and he has a whole bag of goodies from Disney to share with all his friends, so I'm sure he's going to have a wonderful day. Early night for us tonight though - and this time, I mean it!!

Will post a last batch of holiday snaps and let you know what we got up to during our time in London ASAP.

Lots of love,

XXX

Loving London...

Well, not entirely, but we have had plenty of fun and we are looking forward to another few happy days before we head home. I can't believe how fast the time is going now.

So, we left Scotland on Tuesday. Monday night Sharon & I went to see Mama Mia - it was fabulous. Sharon's sister, Fiona looked after the kids, who were safely asleep before we left. The plan was to go see the movie, then out to dinner and on to a pub if there was time. Unfortunately, Fiona called us just as we were coming out of the movie to say that Jake had been up various times and that he'd been sick and had been complaining of an ear ache. She tried giving him paracetamol, but he wouldn't take anything. Jake had gone back to sleep, so Sharon & I decided to still go for dinner, which was absolutely delicious. By the time we got back, Jake was awake again and was still moaning about a sore tummy and ear. Early on Tuesday morning, we headed off for the doctor and the nurse confirmed that Jake does have an ear infection. He's on antibiotics, so hopefully it'll all be cleared up by the time we fly out on Saturday. We decided that we'd leave Scotland a few hours earlier, mainly so that Jake could get settled and into bed at a reasonable time. Instead of saying our goodbyes at 16h00, we did them at 11:30. Very tearful, I'm shocking at goodbyes. Jake is really missing Emma and keeps asking when we're going back there. Had a good laugh on the train too - Jake was SO excited to see the sky when we got nearer to London (the weather was nice for our 1st evening). He jumped out of his chair and said 'Mommy, I can see blue sky' Just goes to show how bad it was in Scotland, even though people kept telling me I'd been lucky with the weather...

When we arrived in London, Jason and Jake made the most delicious braai (BBQ) for our dinner. We had some wine and chatted the night away.

Yesterday, Jake & I caught the hop-on-hop-off bus tour in London. Jake was quite a handful. I thought he'd enjoy the bus, especially after the tour we did in Glasgow, but he was really bored. He loved the boat trip down the Thames and obviously, Hamley's was a real winner (although an expensive stop). We had lunch and ice cream in Hyde Park and stopped to check out Buckingham Palace. We did a lot of walking, which I guess is why Jake was so miserable. Oh! We also saw the Queen!! We were just on our bus tour, going towards St Paul's Cathedral and saw a bit of a commotion, so hopped off to see what was happening. The next thing, the traffic was stopped and the Queen drove past. We saw her getting out her car and going into St Paul's. Just something for the royalists out there...

Today, Jake & I met an old South African friend, Abbey in Wimbledon for lunch. Was really good to catch up with her. We went on to the Natural History Museum to see the dinosaurs (Jake behaved like such a brat though, we left without seeing everything). We also stopped in at the Science Museum, which was tons of fun for Jake, but his feet were beginning to get sore and I ended up carrying him around for the rest of the afternoon. My arms are dead! Jason's going away for the weekend, so tonight is our last night with him and we're going out for dinner in Watford.

Tomorrow's our last full day here. Jake & I have decided that we'd like to go to London Zoo, although it's forecast to rain (when doesn't it here?). We've also booked tickets with Sandi for The Lion King tomorrow night. It cost a small fortune for Jake & I to go, but I've wanted to see it for ages, so I'm really glad we're going. It's also very long - nearly 3 hours and only starts at 7:30, so fingers crossed Jake will behave.

Saturday morning, we're meeting family friends (the Bullmores) in London (Bond Street) for brunch at 10am. Looking forward to catching up with them before we head on home. I've also got to do some shopping - haven't looked inside a store since I got here and all the sales are on!

This is probably my last post before we head home. Thanks for reading and see you when I get back to the sunny side!

Love you all lots,

Sue xxx

PS I've left the cable to download photos in Scotland, so sorry, no photos till I get home!

We’ve been having such a busy time, I’m so sorry for not getting around to blogging daily.

We’re having a wonderful time and I truly love Scotland. I feel so at home here and the people are so friendly. With having more time to just stop and enjoy it this time around (my previous two trips here were for 3 and 4 days respectively), I really feel like a part of me belongs here. Then I open the curtains and notice that the skies are grey yet again. We’ve had quite a lot of rain and the temperature has not gone past 18 deg C, although older members of our extended family continually remind me how lucky we’ve been to have had such good weather. On Wednesday we put a thermometer out in the sunshine and it went up to a whole 27 deg C. Yesterday was the first time that Jake & Emma went outside at home to play with bubbles. Besides that, we’ve really had to try stick indoors, which is such a pity, because Scotland is just so beautiful outdoors. It even drizzled a little during our open topped bus tour and we were freezing (well I was) through our jackets. I’m so glad I’m here during summer, I don’t think I could possibly survive a Scottish winter.

So, topping up on where I left off after my last post… Monday. Glasgow was great and there’s so much to see and do there. It’s been voted the city of the year for it’s architecture (although I’m not sure that it’s this year) and is really quite beautiful. The open top bus tour was great (although I accidentally threw all the tickets away with an ice-cream paper, so we had to catch the tube to get back to the station at the end of the day. Thankfully, the end of the day.) I thought the kids might get bored with the tour, but they loved waving to people around them and they were really well behaved. We went into Kelvin Grove Art Museum, which was so interactive and there was so much for the kids to see and do along the way. We had a picnic outside Kelvin and the kids ran around on the muddy lawns. We went across to the transport museum next (basically across the road from Kelvin). Jake loved that and I can’t even begin to explain the amount of things they had on display. Supper out for Sharon’s birthday with family, which was delicious.

On Tuesday we went back into Glasgow to the Science Centre, which is really incredible. It’s all learning through play and the things they have for the kids to do are just unbelievable. Who knew science could be so much fun. We also went to see Kung Fu Panda at the IMAX at the Science Centre, which Jake thoroughly enjoyed (it’s a real boys movie). We had spent a little time playing at a park around the corner before going in and by the time we’d finished at the Science Centre the kids were really cranky and it was POURING with rain.

Wednesday; we went through to visit family in Stirling. Jake was pretty tired and quite a handful on my own. I’m sure they were quite relieved that we were only there for an afternoon. Thankfully there was another little boy there for him to play with and the sun did come out for a bit (that’s where we checked the thermometer), so they were able to play in the garden. Sharon had made us the most delicious spaghetti with meatballs when we got home and we consumed far too much wine (again). We eventually got to bed after midnight, but had a really great evening together. I’m going to miss her so much when I leave here.

Yesterday, the kids (and us) were really exhausted, so we decided to just take it a bit easier. Sharon had to go drop some things off at her school for the start of the new term, so we went through with her. Stopped off for a walk down Carluke High Street. Came home and watched a DVD with the kids, played games and just generally tried to relaxed. Both Jake & Emma were exhausted today though and have been hard work, especially Jake who spent time in the bathroom for losing his temper with Emma (he pushed her into the wall). I can’t remember when last I was so mad at him.

Last night, we had dinner with mom’s cousins (Elspeth & Davie) down the road. They put on quite a spread for us and I’m so stuffed. Home-made potato chips (unheard of in today’s age), steak pie and to top it off, pizza. We had jelly and custard for dessert and then coffee and little tea cakes (I was too full to manage more by that stage though!).

We’ve got a busy few days coming up too - it’s Emma’s birthday today, so Sharon’s got people coming around for lunch. Sharon got me a voucher for a spa in Carluke, so I’m going for an aromatherapy massage this morning. Tonight we’re out to dinner with family, but that’ll be quite early and we have to be finished and ready to leave the restaurant by 7. Tomorrow we’re going through to Biggar (don’t you love the Scottish town’s names? My favourites are Peebles and Penicuk) to see a puppet show with the kids and I’m sure we’ll do something out that way either before or after. Maybe a picnic. Sunday, I’m spending the day with family (Elspeth & Davie) and we’re going to Lanark Loch, which is quite nearby. I’ve always stayed with them on previous trips, so have tried to spend quite a bit of time with them. They adore Jake and are so patient. We’ve plans for the day on Monday, but Sharon’s sister, Fiona’s looking after the kids for us on Monday night and we’re going out to watch the new Mama Mia movie and out for dinner/drinks. Tuesday will be running around saying goodbyes and then we head off back to London. I can’t believe how quickly our holiday is going. We’ve seen and done so much and it’s been such a fabulous break with Jake (although I am definitely bringing home a brat!). I don’t want it to ever end!

Miss you all heaps. Sending lots of love, hugs and kisses to everyone,

Sue xxx

"Night time" in Carluke. I took this out my bedroom window at 22:10...

Jake & I with Maw Broon in Glasgow Emma, Jake & Sharon on our bus tour in Glasgow... Scenes from Glasgow... Kelvin Grove Art Museum. We had lunch just infront of the arches on the right... Jake & Emma on the stairs at Kelvin Grove... It's a bit dark, but this is taken at the transport museum... Jake & Emma feeding the swans at Lanark Loch... Sharon's birthday dinner at Lanark Loch. That's us with my mom's cousin, George. Jake took this photo... Me and Mae, another cousin... Jake and Emma with Fiona (Sharon's sister) and her daughter Eve... Jake, Eve & Emma... Sharon & Emma... Jake & I in Carluke... Kids checking out the ducks in a park in Glasgow before going to the Science Centre... Mischief... Learning to blow bubbles with paper at the Science Centre... No 35 Market Street. Jake outside my great grandparents house in Carluke... Jake getting stuck into Strawberry Tarts (again) at Ian's... Ian's daughters - Gillian, Ruth, Heather and Ruth's kids - Rory and Caleb... Strawberry tarts... The gathering. Ian (he looks so like my grandfather, it's frightening. He's much nicer though); Gaye, Margaret, Ruth, Gillian, Heather and the kids... Carluke High Street... Jake & Emma in Carluke Market Square...