I feel like a tourist. Every brick home, red telephone box, pub, thatched cottage, red robin, squirrel and deciduous tree, turning with the autumn tide, make me want to grab for my camera. Holly bushes, berry laded bushes for the birds through the winter, acorns littering the garden – I am seeing autumn in England […]
UK
NZ to UK, via San Francisco stop-over, with three little Kiwis
It’s been five years since we’ve done the long-haul flights from our home in Wellington, New Zealand, to the UK (and having just done it, I now remember the reason why we left it so long before doing it again, it’s bloody hard work!). It had to be done though. With the talk of us […]
Out of here!
I’m going to be living every minute of life to the max over the next three weeks (and sleeping when I can). They’ll be little time for blogging so I’m hanging up my dressing gown (which is what I mostly blog in!) and taking off on a bird in the sky. Up to Auckland on […]
‘Wish you were here’ photographs
We’ve received so many beautiful photographs from family overseas this year and all of them very much make us ‘wish we were there’. Life here in NZ is simple, easy and very, very pleasurable. We’ve been here since August 1996 (Dan) and February 1997 (Sarah) with a year living back in the UK (1998/1999) and […]
From Snow to Surf: Happy 70th Aunty Olga!
We woke this morning to an e-mail from ‘Chicken’ Grandma and Grandad (because they make brilliant animal noises on the telephone!) with photographs of them in the snow and Grandad having some beers with his big sister, Aunty Olga, on her 70th Birthday. Grandad Aspinall is one of seven and they are all absolutely brilliant […]
Two More Sleeps Till Our Return Journey to NZ!
We fly home to New Zealand on Friday morning, after nearly two month’s in good ‘ole Blighty with the folks. We can’t wait to get back to Dan (aka Daddy) and our home. Staying on longer as helped me come full circle in the all too expected roller coaster of emotions one feels on return […]
Milestones Museum: The Way Life Used To Be
I always loved history as a child and it was brilliant to see the awe in my own children’s eyes as we walked the set of a Victorian street at the Milestone’s Museum, in Basingstoke, Hampshire, this week. We are having such a brilliant holiday in the UK and soaking up the history is all […]
Enjoying the Sites of Southern England
It was a sad farewell to Dan (aka Daddy) last week, but the girls are coping well. We’re really looking forward to seeing him and will be ready to fly home next Friday. They know Aunty Claire is going to help us on the return flight and were confused when she came to stay with […]
A Fix of History
We took the girls to Skipton Castle, one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England, for a real taste of history. Living in New Zealand, but having all our family in the UK, we are always talking to the girls about their British roots. Charlotte, being older, has poured over castle […]
A Magical Family Reunion in the Lake District
We’ve enjoyed a magical week in the Lake District. It holds a special charm for young and old alike. As an adult it is wonderful to visit a place that was treasured in my youth as a place of awe inspiring beauty and wonder. It is especially poignant to see my own children now wonder […]
Up North in Blighty
We’re on holiday in good ‘ole Blighty and currently visiting Grandma and Grandad Lee in Colne, Lancashire. We’ve dreamed about visiting our families and seeing England again, but dreaded the thought of travel with two preschoolers. We’re feeling a whole roller-coaster of emotions right now. It’s wonderful to see our family and to see the […]
Fleet Pond
Over the past ten years I’ve been coming back to England and visiting my folks in Fleet, Hampshire. During that time it’s been heartwarming to see the conservation and restoration work at Fleet Pond. Settlement in Fleet dates back to the Saxon period (a more detailed history is provided on the Fleet Pond Society‘s website). […]
Family Gatherings
We travelled to Bristol and back (from Fleet) on Sunday. When the British motorways are flowing they are fantastic. Charlotte and Sophie were in awe of the six lanes of fast-flowing traffic. They also enjoyed a stop-off at a British motorway stop, a little different to New Zealand where we plan our trip around various […]
Winter to Summer
Coming from a NZ winter to a UK summer has totally confused us all! The girls routine is completely out the window and tonight they went to sleep close to 10pm, waiting for it to get dark! This is fine, but if only they’d sleep in till 10am! The incessant rain that’s hit the UK […]