GRUMPY SISTERS' INK

Hiho, back in London. A wander around Sara and John's garden in the sunshine before breakfast, chastising the rabbits away and talking to the hen. Leafy shadows playing on the expertly mown lawn, birds awakening. By 9.30 we were on the train, and as it ran hummingly towards London, the green rolling fields gave way to static rows of brown houses, and soon the River Thames was rolling under the bridges and the hustle and bustle of Victoria Station unfolded as we walked through the ticket stile. Pausing to book tickets for our York adventure, we then heaved and strained with our large suitcases down stairs to the underground. Stairs and suitcases if the large variety are not compatible but soon we were trekking to the hotel in Hammersmith. A pleasant establishment, and though we were early, were able to book in. The building is vaguely historical and one offshoot of this history is that it doesn't have a lift, but luckily Rodriguez was able to heft our suitcases up four flights of stairs. Quick turnaround, I was off to St Benedict's school to meet up with Chris, and M was going mooching in Hammersmith. Had a great afternoon at the school. Everyone so willing to listen and exchanging ideas willingly and putting value in what I had to say. The children were lovely, and their standard of work very impressive. Chris has a class of 12 in a small Classroom that is part of a rambling building. Outside space is minimal though, not like the broad fields of most NZ schools. The event snt in the divine company of our nieces, Laura and Suz. We met in the hub if London, Oxford Street and Bond street, and wandered through backstreets that were thronging with people, chairs and tables firm restaurants spilling it on to the streets. Queues of people waiting outside the popular restaurants, different smells wafting from doorway to street, colours, gables if different languages, altogether lively. After consultation with Mr Google we located a Thai restaurant, noisy and busy, but interesting and delicious food ...curries that left you with tingling lips. The turnover of customers was amazing quick and soon we ourselves were out on the street, dusk having fallen and the street lights taken over the job of the sun. Street musicians, lanterns, people...quite a vista. Next stop, Italian Place for dessert and coffee....great atmosphere. Out dear winces gave me a belated birthday gift, a book if all the photos resented at the gatherings, plus those taken there as well, A 'this is your life' in pictures. Bless. Home on the tube, fall into bed. Zzzzzzzz < observation.......in our youth, the trains made clicketty clak noises over the rails, now the train runs with a hum and the other noises are the bells and whistles of phones and iPads punctuating the rhythm of the journey. Whereas people might have spoken to each other, now they seal to somewhere at a great distance away. Sorry still no pictures.