What a week! (Part 1)

Sometimes, life takes on a roller-coaster kind of pattern and if we’re lucky, we recognise that we need to simply sit back and enjoy the ride. That’s how the last week has been, so rather than attempting to record it all as it happened, I just took photographs and scribbled in my book, knowing that this weekend I would have more time to savour all the good things.

We’ve entered a serious demolition phase with the building, so the noise and the dust have been pretty spectacular at times. This wall in particular was double thickness blockwork and needed serious energy to break through.

So we took refuge in the garden when it was fine,

and braved the spiders in the summerhouse when the rain started.

I had help with my knitting which is progressing slowly but carefully.

On Sunday afternoon, I drove to claim my incredible car parking space in Chelsea, for it was that time of the year again.

The skies were a little threatening but the forecast was clear and no rain was expected. I kept my fingers crossed!

As I jumped in a cab to my hotel the florists were busy putting the finishing touches to the London Gate and I looked forward to seeing the end result in the morning. I expect they did too!

I’m not sure it’s traditional for a parent to join the happy couple for their second wedding anniversary celebrations, but this one did and on Sunday evening I met Edward and Amy for dinner in Kensington.

The menu at Launceston Place comes in an unusual format.

We followed the instructions and revealed our choices before handing back the boards in the hope that the pieces would remain in place.

Of course they did and from the first amuse-bouche (above) to the last morsel of the chocolate petits-fours, every bite was delicious (and didn’t stay on the plate long enough to pose for photographs!)

Neither did we. Amy and I had an early start to look forward to on Monday morning and seeing the woman posing in front of a floral display in one of the side streets near my hotel reminded me of what was to come.

The Chelsea Flower Show 2023 was about to begin!