ROCK CHOIR AND RANDOM CHAT

I texted Steph earlier this week to check on her shoulder and to see how the Rock Choir performances had gone at their local winterfests.  As a result, I can now report that if you'd like to see what it is that I've been rabbiting on about, you can GOOGLE  "Wokingham Rock Choir" and find the performances of "Ain't No Mountain High enough" and/or "Build me up, Buttercup" and you'll see, in the 2nd row, left hand side, both cousins (Gina and Steph - she's the one with the blue sling strap across her front) amongst the choir.  Admittedly the majority of the choir has been there for about a year, but "my two" were not the only ones who started in September.  Pretty amazing really.

BROMLEY

Tomorrow I move on.  I've had such a lovely relaxed time here - that is, when we haven't been exploring and eating out!  Poor old Caroline thought she only had to cope with me for four days, but it's been extended to a full week because some of my other plans got amended.  But I've had the opportunity to catch up with the 'next generation' plus a few grandchildren, that I wouldn't probably have had otherwise.

Yesterday Caroline and I got all cultural and went to a Picture Gallery in Dulwich ... managed to recognise a few painters like Gainsborough, Constable, Turner and Rubens and we even worked out (eventually) why there seemed to be an awful lot of paintings that had one really large and one smaller of exactly the same thing. The name of the exhibition "sketches" SHOULD have been a clue perhaps.

Today we went clothes shopping.  I find that all the UK sizes are at least one size smaller than they are at home - can't imagine why, nor why no-one had alerted me to the fact.  And somehow they make me LOOK so much bigger, too.  But frankly, if I wash what I've got with me much more, they'll fall apart.  Packing for three seasons is not the easiest thing to achieve ... nor is buying in larger sizes!

While we were there, I had my car valeted, inside and out, in preparation for selling it once my travels are over.  It's been a great vehicle and looks even better now it's been tidied inside.  I couldn't leave Ray with it looking the way it did - and it's certainly not the weather right now to take a vacuum cleaner outside to do the deed.  I'm thinking of getting a sign "Remove shoes before entering" for the passenger door!

So another round of farewells, a week in Kent and then I'll be back at Steph and Ray's from 17th onwards until I fly out on 29th.  (arrive Christchurch 31st).   Meanwhile, if memory (2 years ago) serves me correctly, the internet connection at Jill's is difficult so there may not be another blog for a few days.

Where has the time gone?