Catching Up

Even after eleven years of living in Norfolk, I forget that this is a holiday destination for a lot of people - I have lovely days out and about with Finn at weekends and I can't think why it slips my mind that other people would have a fabulous time if they based themselves up here for a week or fortnight.  So much to do and this summer we found ourselves catching up with old friends who had come up here for a holiday and enjoying showing off Norfolk to them.

Sarah and Justin, Archie and Maisie came up from Surrey for a fortnight towards the beginning of August, camping at a site at West Runton that I'd recommended, having spent a couple of weekends there in the past.  Such a responsibility, but, luckily, they really enjoyed it, and especially the proximity to all our wonderful beaches in north Norfolk.

Andy and I were lucky to spend a few days with them, meals out, time at the campsite, and then a barbecue at ours too.  

I love this photo - poor Maisie was nearly catapulted out of the inflatable when Andy flopped onto it!

We were lucky enough to spend some time with Maisie on her birthday - they had been to Bewilderwood for the day and we met them for dinner at Horning. 

Fabulous to catch up and hopefully we won't leave it ten years before we see them the next time!

As Sarah and Justin were heading off to Lincoln for a couple of days, then Ed, Ruth, Katherine and Jessica arrived from the New Forest! But theirs was a flying visit so we only got to spend one evening with them - Ruth's birthday in fact!  We had seen them back in July as we'd popped in for dinner while we were staying in Dorset - and had a traumatic time trying to stop Finn from chasing their pet rabbits around the garden.  He's a blinking liability, that dog!

I've really enjoyed catching up with everyone and hosting them at ours - I really must make more effort to do so in future!

Cousins

Cousins are pretty special.  They are are our first "friends" when we're growing up.  Our family is huge and so I spent a big part of my childhood - and adolescence - with cousins, but, as the years have gone on, I see them less and less, which makes me sad.  Lives get busier, we get married, have children, move away from each other - it's inevitable, so, when I do see them, it's just that extra special now. 

Back in the summer, Mary invited us to lunch and for a visit out to the lavender fields in Surrey.  However, because we didn't stop talking from the minute we got there, a visit out was soon abandoned and we spent a lovely afternoon in the house and garden with Mary and Mick and Alayne who had travelled up from Dorset. 

A truly lovely and very special afternoon.

RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show

Back in August, Mum and I headed down for another trip to RHS Hyde Hall near Chelmsford in Essex, for their annual flower show.  Before I became a member of the RHS, I had no idea that each individual RHS garden had its own flower show - of course, we've all heard of Chelsea, Hampton Court, Tatton Park, etc, but this was a new one on me.  Because I'm a member, I get in for free and am able to take a guest with me for free also - we had no excuses not to go!

The displays were wonderful.  Each supplier had been given a mini garden out front to display their wares and they were beautiful, with so much effort put into each one. And because they were all shown off so beautifully, we were all enticed into the marquees and tents to buy our own plants!

Of course I had to take photos of all the plants we didn't recognise with their plant labels, so we didn't forget what we'd bought!

After we'd had our first look around the fair, we headed off for lunch and the new veggie garden - I'm so envious of their greenhouse!   The garden is laid out in a circular pattern around the greenhouse with each bit of the garden representing different areas of the world so you could see what grew where and then it all becomes clear as to why I can't grow chillies outdoors! 

It was just a quick hop back to find Mum then as I'd left her up by the rose garden and borders, before our final trip around the fair just in case we'd missed something!

(My RHS membership is just about to run out so I rung up the membership department to see if I could get a discount for being a RHS student and I can.  I've got pretty much everything I get now for a tenner instead of the £50 ish we paid last year - the only thing I can't do is take a free guest with me so Mum will have to pay for herself now!)