I blink and I miss a week!  I don’t know where last week went but I do know it was chaos (Warning Picture Heavy Post!)

DH and I had a lovely time in London.  We went down on Thursday November 9th and met a friend for lunch and then had dinner in Covent Garden, which was all decked out for Christmas.

An old bus transformed into a Gin Bar outside the Transport Museum at Covent Garden.  I am reliably informed by DH that this is the sort of bus he and his friends went to school on!

The decorations inside one of the halls in Covent Garden, they are different every year.

There were some musicians playing classical music when we arrived and we thought it would be great whilst we got a coffee, until the woman arrived to sing Opera, she was not very good!

This is a display window of an old fashioned toy store which actually covers up the fire fighting equipment!

This was above where we sat with our coffee, it reminded me of a Christmas Minion!  We sent it to the Boys!

Thursday evening we ate dinner in Covent Garden at Brown’s.

Which is next door to the Noel Coward Theatre.

This is one of hundred’s of pubs across London but just in Covent Garden.

Friday we had a nice relaxing day.  We did pop out to do a bit if Christmas shopping and went to my favourite store, Fortnum & Mason who were also ready for Christmas.

It was busy but not as busy as it will be nearer to the big day!  Sometimes you cannot move in the store for people!

Saturday was the day we were going to see the Harry Potter Play, which starts where the last film ended.  However there was going to be a huge demonstration in the capital on the Saturday, part of which was going pass the end of the road that our hotel is on. We decided to leave at 11.30am to get to the theatre for the performance at 2.00pm just in case.  Good job we did as we were not far from where we were going when three police vans pulled up along side the taxi and lots of Police came pouring out heading in the direction we were going!  It did not last long and the road opened again but well it always happens to DH and I. 

There as this little pub just across the road from the theatre so we had a drink and snack in there until it was time to queue to get in.

It was a typical London pub!

Because of the Stop Oil people invading the stage at one of the other theatres, we had to have our bags searched thoroughly, we were then wanded and our tickets checked before we even got in the theatre!  The Play is split into two parts so we went to the afternoon performance, went round the corner to a lovely Italian restaurant for dinner and then back to the theatre for the evening performance! 

Was it worth it?  Yes we liked the play although DH thought it was a bit long winded.  What was very good were the special effects to create the “magic”.  Very hard to do live but so easy to do on film with CGI.  It was a long day and we didn’t get back to the hotel until 10.00pm.

We had tea by the fire.

Sunday was of course Rememberance Sunday and we watched on TV but could here the Guns and band from the hotel which was great.  We left the hotel afterwards when the roads had re-opened. 

Eldest was on parade with the Fire Service in Ashbourne where he is an on-call fire fighter.  We said when we saw this that he looks about twelve with the hat on!!! 

It was back down to earth with a bump on Monday morning with work and everything else that needed doing.  It is always the same when you have a holiday!  Last week flew by work.  Jayne and I got to have lunch on Tuesday which was very nice but the rest of the week was busy with work.  The weekend DH was at Matlock swimming pool for a swimming open both days.  I got quite a bit done but still need to finish some jobs off.  As DH told everyone at the Open yesterday it is only five weeks to Christmas!  OMG!!!!

Have a wonderful week you lovely lot! 

Hugs & Love, Susie xx

PS Coco is not here for the next two weeks, she is on her holidays too, as the plumbers started today doing the new bathroom!  I cannot wait although I think it is going to be a long two weeks!!!