There and Back Again
Apr. 19th, 2008 05:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
frualeydisThe trip was easy and we had no trouble getting from Heathrow to Wimbledon. In fact we got there so quickly that Teddy's and Tom's neighbour, who has their key while they're away was surprised - and then we had already been to Sainsbury's to get some food for the night. It rained, but not that much. Minnie is a very undiscriminating cat and was happy to see us and cuddle and purr in our laps, which she did while the kids watched Saving Nemo. Then we went to bed.
Wednesday
Vendela and I woke before eight and thus established a pattern for the coming days, when she went downstairs when she woke and gave Minnie her food and cuddled with her until I came down ten minutes later and made breakfast.
Since Rickard likes to make me happy and also likes walking around in less fashionable areas we first went to Classic textiles in Shepherd's Bush and Shepherd's Bush market, which I am very fond of. I bough 17,5 metres of fabric.
The top one is a cotton print, then there's red and blue silk lining and finally 3 metres of blue polycotton and 1,5 metres of white polycotton. I don't really like polyester, but I like dots and it was only one pund/metre.
I also bought myself two berets, one in red, one in navy, sweatpants for Rickard and Vendela (two for £ 10), shoes for Vendela, leg warmers for Valeria and a cheap plastic doll for Maja.
Then we caught the bus to Oxford Circus and went to Hamley's. We weren't ruined there, Valeria bought a couple of games for her Nintendo DS and Vendela bough a plush cheetah; Maja got a little beanie pig which she adores.
After that we went to HMV and bought games and records, we finally got a CD to replace our vinyl "The woman I loved so well" by Planxty. I made them accompany me to Primark, but not surprisingly found nothing I wanted. By then it was over five and we were very tired so when we reached Wimbledon we ordered chinese food.
Thursday
Since I had decided what to do on Wednesday morning Valeria had decided that we should go to Imperial War Museum one day. I didn't go with them, but went to Oxford street for some more shopping. I was looking for a pretty dress I had seen on Topshop's web site. Unfortunately there was only one left and it was a size 12. I doubt I would have bought it anyway, the quality was NOT worth 32 pounds even if it was pretty. Instead I did the sensible thing and went to Bravissimo on Margaret street. I am now the happy owner of one of these and I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to wear halterneck tops and dresses.
Then I met up with the rest of the family; we were going to take a ride in the London Eye, but since only Vendela and I would have enjoyed it really, Rickard was okay with it, Maja probably would have been scared and Valeria would have been lying puking on the floor or something we decided to save it for some other day. After making this decision we realized that we had forgotten the cheese we were going to give to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
m_nivalis when we met her at Forbidden Planet at three. So Rickard took the train back to Wimbledon to get the cheese and the girls and I leisurely walked past the houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden. At Covent Garden the big girls got expensive but funny t-shirts.
We didn't get ruined at Forbidden Planet either, but quite a lot more was spent there than in Hamley's. I got a copy of Rocketship Galileo, which makes my Heinlein collection almost complete. The we were totally exhausted and went home. We did try the Milkshake place at the train-/tubestation in Wimbledon before going home though. It was very good, though the cold weather really wasn't ideal for milkshakes. In the evening we watched Shrek and Spirited away. I was totally exhausted, but managed to read some in my book about the First World War (work). The kids occupied the sofa.
Friday
The original plan for Friday was the Tower of London and Greenwich, but the weather was dreadfully cold, so Greenwich wouldn't have been any fun and besides Vendela wanted a new bag for school, since her old one which we bought in Camden two years ago was broken (zipper, and I'm too lazy to change it). She wanted something in the same style, so we went to Camden. Originally Valeria wanted to stay at home and watch DVDs while we were away, but when I told her about what kind of clothing you could find in Camden Market she wanted to go too. In the end she was the one who did most of the shopping. Vendela found a nice bag with Nightmare before Christmas-theme, but Valeria bought two tulle skirts and a chinese blouse.
After Camden both the big girls wanted to go home so we took the underground to Waterloo and put them on the train to Wimbledon. I wanted to do some more shopping and we also needed to find an internet café to check some things before the flight home.
The evening was spent quietly, watching Spirited away again while the kids had pizza and Rickard and I ate chinese leftovers. Then Rickard vacuumed and we packed, did the dishes etc and by ten we were in bed. Unfortunately Maja had a tummy ache and I had troubles sleeping anyway, so now I'm really, really tired.
Oh, and SAS lost our stroller, so now Maja has to walk if we want to go somewhere. It was presumably forgotten in London and they said it would be delivered home to us tonight or tomorrow.
I can not thank Teddy and Tom enough for letting us stay in their house. It was perfect, and all the informative and funny little notes with instructiond for everything from tea to DVD-player made me feel really welcome and at home. But I missed you guys!
Wednesday
Vendela and I woke before eight and thus established a pattern for the coming days, when she went downstairs when she woke and gave Minnie her food and cuddled with her until I came down ten minutes later and made breakfast.
Since Rickard likes to make me happy and also likes walking around in less fashionable areas we first went to Classic textiles in Shepherd's Bush and Shepherd's Bush market, which I am very fond of. I bough 17,5 metres of fabric.
The top one is a cotton print, then there's red and blue silk lining and finally 3 metres of blue polycotton and 1,5 metres of white polycotton. I don't really like polyester, but I like dots and it was only one pund/metre.
I also bought myself two berets, one in red, one in navy, sweatpants for Rickard and Vendela (two for £ 10), shoes for Vendela, leg warmers for Valeria and a cheap plastic doll for Maja.
Then we caught the bus to Oxford Circus and went to Hamley's. We weren't ruined there, Valeria bought a couple of games for her Nintendo DS and Vendela bough a plush cheetah; Maja got a little beanie pig which she adores.
After that we went to HMV and bought games and records, we finally got a CD to replace our vinyl "The woman I loved so well" by Planxty. I made them accompany me to Primark, but not surprisingly found nothing I wanted. By then it was over five and we were very tired so when we reached Wimbledon we ordered chinese food.
Thursday
Since I had decided what to do on Wednesday morning Valeria had decided that we should go to Imperial War Museum one day. I didn't go with them, but went to Oxford street for some more shopping. I was looking for a pretty dress I had seen on Topshop's web site. Unfortunately there was only one left and it was a size 12. I doubt I would have bought it anyway, the quality was NOT worth 32 pounds even if it was pretty. Instead I did the sensible thing and went to Bravissimo on Margaret street. I am now the happy owner of one of these and I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to wear halterneck tops and dresses.
Then I met up with the rest of the family; we were going to take a ride in the London Eye, but since only Vendela and I would have enjoyed it really, Rickard was okay with it, Maja probably would have been scared and Valeria would have been lying puking on the floor or something we decided to save it for some other day. After making this decision we realized that we had forgotten the cheese we were going to give to
m_nivalis when we met her at Forbidden Planet at three. So Rickard took the train back to Wimbledon to get the cheese and the girls and I leisurely walked past the houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden. At Covent Garden the big girls got expensive but funny t-shirts. We didn't get ruined at Forbidden Planet either, but quite a lot more was spent there than in Hamley's. I got a copy of Rocketship Galileo, which makes my Heinlein collection almost complete. The we were totally exhausted and went home. We did try the Milkshake place at the train-/tubestation in Wimbledon before going home though. It was very good, though the cold weather really wasn't ideal for milkshakes. In the evening we watched Shrek and Spirited away. I was totally exhausted, but managed to read some in my book about the First World War (work). The kids occupied the sofa.
Friday
The original plan for Friday was the Tower of London and Greenwich, but the weather was dreadfully cold, so Greenwich wouldn't have been any fun and besides Vendela wanted a new bag for school, since her old one which we bought in Camden two years ago was broken (zipper, and I'm too lazy to change it). She wanted something in the same style, so we went to Camden. Originally Valeria wanted to stay at home and watch DVDs while we were away, but when I told her about what kind of clothing you could find in Camden Market she wanted to go too. In the end she was the one who did most of the shopping. Vendela found a nice bag with Nightmare before Christmas-theme, but Valeria bought two tulle skirts and a chinese blouse.
After Camden both the big girls wanted to go home so we took the underground to Waterloo and put them on the train to Wimbledon. I wanted to do some more shopping and we also needed to find an internet café to check some things before the flight home.
The evening was spent quietly, watching Spirited away again while the kids had pizza and Rickard and I ate chinese leftovers. Then Rickard vacuumed and we packed, did the dishes etc and by ten we were in bed. Unfortunately Maja had a tummy ache and I had troubles sleeping anyway, so now I'm really, really tired.
Oh, and SAS lost our stroller, so now Maja has to walk if we want to go somewhere. It was presumably forgotten in London and they said it would be delivered home to us tonight or tomorrow.
I can not thank Teddy and Tom enough for letting us stay in their house. It was perfect, and all the informative and funny little notes with instructiond for everything from tea to DVD-player made me feel really welcome and at home. But I missed you guys!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-04-19 05:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-04-19 05:57 pm (UTC)/Eva
no subject
Date: 2008-04-19 05:57 pm (UTC)The Come to the dark side we have cookies-t-shirt I didn't buy, since it didn't fit, but I bought the bag :)
no subject
Date: 2008-04-19 06:18 pm (UTC)/Eva
no subject
Date: 2008-04-19 08:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-04-20 04:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-04-21 05:02 am (UTC)Of course, we'd have love to have seen you, but there will be other visits for that.
Teddy and Tom