Saturday Walkers' Club

Without fuss or fanfare* we got ourselves organised for the 8.57 out of Paddington, heading for Henley and a 20km ramble to a place called Pangbourne - home of the 40p toll bridge. Walk #51 from the Saturday Walking Club/Time Out guide.

There was not a cloud in the sky and it was 20 degrees - rambling conditions could not have been better!

We saw birds of prey circling calmly in the sky, and closer to ground, lots of rabbits darting and a field mouse hiding. Hardly another walker in sight - stopped for a quick hello to a lovely old local and his beautiful dogs and otherwise it was just us and the daffodils. Our only tiny grumble was it was a little too early for leaves on the trees but there were plenty of rolling hills.

Lunch was at the Redemption pub and despite signs declaring a chilli cook-off, we went with burgers and baguettes, soda and lime or an ale.

Finished up back in London at 7.30 that night with Best Mangal sis hot off the coals and we toasted our successful day with Peter Lehman sparkling shiraz. Thanks fellow ramblers!

*Actually a little fanfare, Dale heralding the day and setting the tone with the enthusiastic "Let's get ready to raaaaaaaaaamble!"

Dale, Lisa and Alan test Whitchurch's Maze of Thyme - the human sun dial

Dale swings by his old cricket pitch

Friendly scarecrow

Passing by the alpaca farm

Lots of nice refreshment stops

Southern Goa

A snap from Bulli's south Goan sojourn...

Spring bulbs

It was spring-like for all of five minutes this morning. Lisa and I took the sun while we could with a walk through Parsons Green to Bon Bon.

Yesterday was St Paddy's day - you know you've been in London a while when you see a man on a bike dressed as a leprachaun, beard and all, with balloons tied to his high vis vest, and you don't hardly notice...

I went to a play yesterday, Noel Coward's Hayfever, at the Noel Coward theatre. It was a comedy of manners, it was a middle of the theatre seat for £20 and it was an excellent way to spend a rainy Saturday.

Daffodils in Eelbrook Common

Always nice plants for sale at Fulham Dairy, Wandsworth Bridge Road

All New People

Thursday we saw 'All New People', a play written by Scrubs' Zach Braff. Some slices of pizza first across the road at Pepe then settled into our somewhat disappointing seats in the theatre. Yes I will use Seat Monkey next time or whatever it's called.

I probably don't see enough plays and they take a while for me to get into, but it had some laughs and was an entertaining night out. Anyway I'm no theatre critic. I liked the cut away video pieces giving background to the characters stories, liked the dry humour but liked only one of the characters out of the four. Maybe you're not meant to like them all. Also I think the 'sensationally funny' tag sets you up for a rollicking night of laughs when it's more thoughtful than that.

Sadly, like losers we did wait across the road from the stage door for a glimpse of Zach getting into his car. It was more entertaining listening to the girls next to us having an outrageous argument and that kept us hooked waiting longer than we should have. And I gave up my frozen yoghurt chance for that, saddo.

V&A Friday

Hard to believe as I sit here now with my window wide open, but two weeks ago it was so cold the only option for socialising was bunkering in a pub with a fireplace or lying on the couch under your doona/duvet : ) But determined not to hibernate we headed to the V&A Museum's Friday night late opening.

It was chilly in the big hall, which I think has the best bar in town on a Friday night. Cute little seats and no queue at the bar. I went to the special Diamond Jubilee Exhibition, showing a series of photos of the Queen and her family taken by Cecil Beaton from before Coronation to after her children were born. Some really stunning portaits and a nice history lesson.

Frosted

It was pretty heavy snowfall on Saturday night but by 8.30am Sunday we could already hear the drip drip drip of the snow melting, so time to get out and have fun in the snow before it turned to slush...

A fun morning walk then spent the afternoon with Alan, Lisa, Dale and Beck at the Durrell for good burgers, the rugby and Man U v Chelsea

Cold snap

Before the snow started falling on Saturday night London was pretty well already frozen...

We braved the cold for some delicious dim sum at Plum Valley and then headed to the National Gallery for a quick visit to the Impressionists.