GUEST BLOGGER: DAY I: An Oxford Outing

As a first time blogger, I decided to start simple by blogging about something I enjoy and know a little about. That something is travel. When I moved to England (eight months ago) I made a commitment to travel as much as possible. Next on my list of travel destinations is Oxford, England. I’m guilty for, more often than not, travelling without doing a lot of pre-research. I guess I like the thrill of the unknown – its half the fun. However, for my first blog I thought I’d highlight a few must-dos/must-sees for my Oxford Outing!

1.     Oxford University – the oldest English-speaking university in the world, with notable graduates such as Bill Clinton, Hugh Grant, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lewis Carroll, Lester B. Pearson, and many more.

2.     Bodleian Library – one of the oldest libraries in Europe and second largest in the United Kingdom. Apparently “the Bod” isn’t open to the public, but I’d like to visit from the outside.

3.     Christ Church College – the largest college at Oxford and also an 800-year-old chapel. This is one of many sites in Oxford used during the filming of Harry Potter.

4.     Blackwell’s Bookstore – known for having the largest single room devoted to book sales in Europe. There is a café here so I’ll be buying a new book and a latte :)

5.     Botanic Gardens – I’ll hope the sun is shining to enjoy these gardens and perhaps read a little more of my new novel.

6.     The Eagle and Child – a famous literary pub - a local for J.R.R. Tolkein and C.S. Lewis. Perfect for a lovely meal to end the day!

Well I think that’s enough planning for my Oxford Outing – I’ll leave the rest up to chance and happenstance, just as it should be.  

YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE

MEDITERRANEAN BOUND

 Hello...

I will be back in a weeks time. Until then don't forget to pop by and give my guest blogger lots of attention, she will start blogging on Monday; I promised to stay well away from my blog and look forward to having a wireless free vacation.

I'm very excited to meet up with H tomorrow and jet off to the sunshine! I'm just ironing the last bits tonight.

Have a fabulous weekend!

GUEST BLOGGER

I am catching up on laundry and packing my bags today- Heather comes this weekend from Canada!!  We leave for the center of the Mediterranean (Malta) for some girly fun. I've been before and can't wait to show her the great spots and discover new ones. 


This is me in NYC a few years ago- big suitcase but it had to be, I bought a lot! 


I have a special treat for you. While I'm gone I will have a guest blogger. She's brilliant and I know she will take good care of you. xox

OLIVE OIL

When I had lunch at the Olive Shed a few weeks ago, I read about using Olive Oil for more than just cooking... 

Olive Oil Skin Treatment... Straight From the Bottle

You can create simple skin care recipes right in your kitchen. Try the mini beauty treatments below...

Bath: For a moisturizing soak, add about ¼ cup olive oil and several drops of essential oil to your bathwater. Lavender oil will help you relax before going to bed. (Careful - the tub will be slippery!)

Dry Skin: Gently massage a small amount of olive oil on extra dry areas such as elbows or heels.

Hands: Whip up a quick sugar scrub for rough, dry hands. Combine two tablespoons of oil with two tablespoons of sugar. Rub on hands until sugar begins to dissolve. Rinse with warm water. Voilà! Silky-smooth hands.

Feet: Apply a liberal amount of oil to feet at bedtime. Cover with cotton socks. Not sexy... but oh-so-soft feet in the morning! The magic works for hands, too. Cover with white cotton gloves (hmm, even less sexy).

Face: Create a moisturizing facial mask with olive oil, honey, and an egg yolk. Beat until well blended and apply to face... then relax! Leave on for 15 minutes; rinse with warm water.

Nails: Warm a small dish of olive oil (not too hot) with a tablespoon of lemon juice. Soak nails for 5- 10 minutes. This softens cuticles while it strengthens nails.

Hair: For a simple oil treatment, warm several tablespoons of olive oil (again, not hot). Rub into scalp and hair. Cover with a shower cap or small plastic bag. Leave on for 20-30 minutes.

For extra conditioning, mix an egg yolk with the olive oil... but do not warm. This is great for dry hair and split ends. It may even heal dandruff. Shampoo twice after this treatment or you'll smell like raw egg!

Lips: Alleviate chapped lips with straight olive oil. Dab on lips... especially helpful at bedtime.

I'm off to the kitchen to try it out! 

HUNTER SUMMER

KATE'S SHOES

People are dying to know about Kate's shoes. The Dutchess of Cambridge is wearing a pair called the Greta Wedge in this picture. You can find them at LK Bennett this summer; word has it they will be renamed "Kate." If you are desperate to have them let's hope the reports are right. Click here to watch out for them. If it's her wedding shoes you are interested in they were hand made by team McQueen you can find a similar pair here.

STRATFORD UPON AVON

Steve had a conference just outside of Stratford and invited me to come along to take in this Shakespearean city. We drove up early yesterday and checked into the Ettington Chase.  After a swim, we went for supper at the Black Swan and booked tickets to see a play at the highly recommended Royal Shakespeare Company.  The choice was easy, there was only one play on last night- The City Madam. I wish I had payed more attention to my grade 10 English teacher, Mr. Bowen, who was very passionate about Shakespeare. But sadly I was not and regretted this a last night as a few of the jokes drifted over my head. The play was awesome. We both left with huge smiles and were very glad we went. 

I started my morning with a BRBT (big red bus tour) which took me on an 1 hour tour around the city. It was fun and informative; again I'm not always sure how factual these tours are, but I enjoy them all the same. After the tour I had a cream tea lunch at the 400 year old Church Street Townhouse and then stopped in Leamington Spa to browse around some shops before picking my husband up and heading back to Bristol to sleep in my own bed. xox

K2B

We are beat up but proud. The Keswick to Barrow was a huge success. 3000 people took part running and walking in both beautiful & nasty weather raising thousands for Cumbrian charities.

We woke up at 4:00am had a cold breakfast before driving out to Keswick for our 5:30am start. It was raining, but we could see hints of good weather ahead. When we hit our 10 mile (16.1km) check point we stopped to get rid of my pack. I was feeling the lack of consistent training but went into a country house bathroom cleaned up and was ready to get to through another ten miles, the sun had finally come out! By the time we hit 17m (27.3km) I was ready to sit down, although Clair had warned me not to, I needed a break. I sat on the beach ate beef jerky, chocolate and looked at the beautiful views of lake Coniston. When I tried to get up my body seized and with it came a lot of emotion. I am not into extreme sports, but do enjoy an active life. My husband would have been well ahead but kept up with me and supported every step.

We forged on to the 20 mile check point, where we knew we could get a burger/hotdog and cup of tea. I was hoping, the food and break would give me the energy that I needed to finish another 20 miles.
When we left 20m (32.1km) it started to pour and the road seemed like it would never end.  At the next check point 27.6m (44.3km) I ended my first K2B and had done my best. It was a very, very emotional moment. I had the driver pick me and go to the 30mile check point. When I found Steve he was in the medic tent taping up his blistered feet and said the next bit was probably the hardest in the walk, the never ending hill. I gave him fresh socks, a kiss and sent him back out in the rain feeling very angry and proud.

This is Steve running to the finish line- He makes me feel like the luckiest wife in the world!

 Our walk back to the hotel after dinner was one of the funniest moments of this trip. Friends drove up to meet us just after eight, the weather was nice and warm enough for me to wear a skirt, tank and flip-flops. During dessert we looked outside to rain, by the time we finished  it turned into a down pour including thunder and lightning. This shouldn't have been a big deal considering the hotel was a 4 minute walk from the restaurant. We hobbled from awning to awning and laughed all the way; soaked through I gave Anna & Mike a quick hug and kiss and headed off to bed!

This may also interest you: Keswick - To - Barrow

Today is the birthday of my favourite childhood book author- Roger Hargreaves- Mr. Men

I'm off for the night to Stratford-upon-Avon. Steve has a meeting and I'm going to explore Shakespeare's birth place and hopefully catch a production at the RSC Royal Shakespeare Company.

Happy Monday! xox

MUM'S DAY

You are my Mum 

You are my chum

I may drive you crazy but I'm your baby

Happy Mother's Day! xox

THE RED LODGE

I have walked past it many times and even tried the handle a few times. Today was my lucky day. 

This historic Elizabethan house built in 1590 has been many things, including a reform school for girls set up my Mary Carpenter and home to the author James Prichard who wrote The Natural History of Man whilst living in the Red Lodge in 1827.

 The Red Lodge is full of "wow" rooms. This may be the best museum in Bristol. ;) It was more like a show home with craftsmanship and detail that we will never again find in modern homes. "The great oak room has been called one of the finest in the West Country" stated the BBC. Some of my other favourites in the house were the fireplaces, plasterwork ceilings & majestic chandeliers.

 I noticed a sign that said the Elizabethan Knot garden was not open for viewing but could be viewed from the bedroom windows. As I peeked out the window I noticed a couple sitting in the "closed" garden and on finishing my tour asked if  I to could get in; more luck, the back of the house is also home to the Bristol Savages (a club formed in 1894 for a society of artists.) They were having their 101st Annual Exhibition. So not only did I get to tour the beautiful garden, but I also got to check out this cracking art exhibition! If you live in Bristol or are visiting put this on your to-do list. Best part, it's free! 

Where to find it

Situated behind the Colston Hall and next to Trenchard car park, off Lodge Street,

The Red Lodge
Park Row, Bristol, BS1 5LJ
Tel: 0117 921 1360

When open
Open April to October only.
Saturday to Wednesday (closed Thursdays and Fridays), 10am-5pm.

KESWICK2BARROW-WW

Steve and I are doing a small 40 mile hike this weekend for charity as part of Steve's work team (very originally named 'In-Service Submarines').  It has an interesting background - all good competition.

We are doing it for two reasons - ourselves as a bit of challenge and also to support a local charity. The charity the group has chosen to sponsor is Help for Heroes.   It is a charity formed to help those who have been wounded in Britain's current conflicts (no Canadian content here I'm afraid).  

If you would be interested in sponsoring us, please find a link to my sponsor page here -  http://keswick2barrow.co.uk/sponsor/welcome.asp?ID=2419

We will endeavour to post pictures shortly after (none of our feet, I promise!), and tell the tale of our successful walk!