We’ve been out. Out gadding, as my Nan would have said.

Strangely, our venture up the M5 on Tuesday came more or less a year to the day since we last made that same journey to Kings Heath; to Frank Nutt’s with my sewing machine. A small problem had developed and a couple of phone calls suggested that it would be easiest for me to take it in for the technician to take a look and maybe replace the part for me whilst we had a coffee in the cafe opposite. We were home again before lunch, sewing machine as well. We didn’t want to linger anywhere.

We’d already been out and about a little over the weekend and are beginning to remember what life used to be like, before March 25th 2020. For the first time since then, our good friends Tony and Olga came to stay for a couple of days and we took advantage of the glorious weather to go to Westonbirt Arboretum. As you can see, we chose somewhere where we were not going to experience crowds.

We took a picnic with us and found the shade of a large tree perfect for a simple lunch. Why does food always taste so much better outdoors?

My WI visited another beautiful Cotswold garden one afternoon, too. Ampney Brook House which has grown somewhat since that article was written but which is still as lovely. Normally open for the National Garden Scheme, Avening WI had the luxury of a private visit, meaning that we could stroll around and had the place to ourselves for a couple of hours. What a great way to spend a sunny afternoon.

Our main jaunt was up to London, though. Edward had bought tickets for my Hero and himself to visit the Nero exhibition at the British Museum for his birthday - what better present could he wish for than to spend time with his boy? Their shared love of history - particularly Roman history - is a delight and something they don’t get to pursue as often as they’d like. Me? I’d decided that I would possibly leave the new (and very highly recommended) Paddington exhibition at the British Library till the schools go back in the Autumn. Yes I know - they go to view a Roman exhibit and I consider one about Paddington bear. Well, each to their own, I say!!

We checked into the Sofitel - the only ones there it seemed - and met Edward for lunch. The capital seemed surprisingly quiet on this hot afternoon and deciding what to do whilst they went to the museum wasn’t easy. Shall I hop on a bus to Selfridges and potter around? I’d thought of going to an exhibition but didn’t really want to travel far on public transport and the nearby Royal Academy didn’t have any tickets left for the day.

Time to decide over an ice cream then.

I decided I’d walk along Regent Street to Liberty and back. If there were too many people and I felt uncomfortable, then I’d simply turn around and come back to the hotel. It was really hot by now, so I walked in the shade most of the time - a good choice, because most seemed to prefer to walk on the sunny side of the street. Mad Dogs and Englishmen, eh?

There wasn’t much business going on in Liberty, so I did my best to support them by buying a little bit of fabric!

I didn’t leave any money behind in Anthropologie, though I did take a few photographs for my Interpretation and Staging photo collection. Their creative team is so clever and there are always plenty of ideas to be gathered.

Under normal circumstances I’d have stayed out longer, filling every minute of my time in Waterstones, going a bit further up Piccadilly to Hatchards for more bookshop browsing, popping in and out of shops I seldom get to look around. But today, just walking that fairly short distance in the heat was enough. Months of being at home and the anxiety of not being used to going out and about in an urban setting meant that I couldn’t wait to return to the cool hotel and our comfortable room there. I had no sooner freshened up and ordered a bucket of ice than my Hero returned feeling similarly overwhelmed. He’d had a lovely afternoon with Edward, but for now, it was enough.

We had to gather our energy for the remaining part of the birthday treat - dinner with Amy and Edward at 45 Jermyn Street their current favourite restaurant and somewhere they’ve been keen to take us since before the lockdown. Yes, it was every bit as terrific as they promised it would be, especially the Beef Wellington!

My Hero tells me that he might even prefer this float to his former favourite root beer float too. Hmmm. Root Beer or Champagne…which would you choose?!

Time for home this morning, just as the rain was starting. Again, unusual for us to leave without making the most of every hour we could, but for now, it was enough.

Better than that, it was an Elegant Sufficiency.

You knew I’d say that, didn’t you? 🤣