In know, I know ....... I don't call you, I don't send you flowers, and I haven't visited your blog in days.
You may feel like admonishing me, but consider this - you should view me as your low-maintenance cyber-girlfriend. How ace is that? Even better ... because you haven't seen me in the flesh, you can pretend that my bra size is 40DD (for those not au fait with bra sizes, just imagine a large front-rucksack).
Let me explain my lack of recent blogging activity a little further: The last few weeks have involved incredible work commitments (resulting in two broken nails - working for a living is pants), combined with having house-guests for the last few days. Net result: I haven't been able to get anywhere near my bloody blog.
For the record; if I had my way, I would spend my days drinking Bolly, reading books in the garden and having takeaways delivered. Instead I feel like a packhorse (but better manicured and without hoofs).
So, because things have been rather hectic, I am going to do a photo-blog today. That means loads of pictures without me waffling on.
Here goes ......................
The guests that came to stay with me were my ex-partner's parents (yes, yes, I know it is weird, but we all get on marvellously). They are also Izzy's Grandparents (unsurprisingly). I call them the out-laws for comedy value.
Sunday 24th July - The rellies turned up late in the afternoon
Pic.No.1 The outlaws arrived and Steve (my ex-partner), me and Izzy took them for dinner at the Talkhouse in Stanton St John
Pic.No.2 This is me at the Talkhouse. Shortly after this picture was taken, I ate so much that I wanted to vomit like a Roman
Now, I know I promised that this was a photo-blog, and that I should be keeping my mouth shut, but I can't help asking your opinion .... the pictures above were taken with an iPhone, whilst the pictures below were taken with a Canon S95. Can you tell the difference in quality?
Monday 25th July - Entertaining the Rellies
The rellies got up early (8.30am). I was so shocked that I left them to forage for breakfast in the kitchen whilst I slept (I don't 'do' mornings). Not only did they successfully forage, but they also took Izzy shopping to buy her a random present (how cool?). And they didn't come back until early afternoon.
Pic.No.3 When Izzy and her Grandparents eventually returned, I discovered that they had treated her to a huge Barbie Camper Van. Izzy nearly spewed with excitement
Pic.No.4 Whilst Izzy and the rellies were out, I kept myself busy by photographing a leaf
Pic.No.5 And then I gained sustenance from a 'Ready Meal' for lunch. Yep ...... I did not cook this, it came out of a packet. Thank God for Marks and Spencer
When the evening descended, me, Steve, Izzy, and the rellies chilled out around the kitchen table, telling stories and listening to folk music. It was good.
On the final day of my rellie's visit, we drove into Oxford city (about 10 minutes from my house) to do some exploring. After living here for a while, it is easy to forget that Oxford is one of the most spectacularly-amazing-architectural cities in the world ..... so doing touristy things makes you appreciate it's beauty afresh.
Pic.No.6 This is Izzy (bottom right) and her Grandparents in the High Street, Oxford. High Street is not a particularly good example of Oxford's architecture actually. Don't worry though, I have got loads of other random pictures...... read on!
Pic.No.7 This is a random picture of a UK Post Box on Merton Street, Oxford
Pic.No.8 An Ancient (approximately 500 years old) stone house on the corner of Magpie Lane and Merton Street in Oxford
Pic.No. 9 Another ancient house in Merton Street, Oxford. Look at the cobbled pavement and road .... How old is that? [Answer: bloody well old]. As a clue, the windows help determine the age of a house - in the case above, the windows are set in stone (a technique called mullion windows) which was first used about 550 years ago
Pic.No.10 Another picture of houses in Merton Street, Oxford. Here you can quite clearly see the cobbled pavements (sidewalks) and road. Looking at the houses, I would estimate that they were from the Georgian (1700s) period (they have large wooden window frames)
Pic.No.11 A picture of Merton College Tower , Oxford
Pic.No.12 This is Izzy in one of the tiny Oxfordshire alleyways that can be found dividing many of the ancient buildings
Pic.No.13 Pizza Express in Oxford is located in a small, quaint courtyard just off the main shopping street
Pic.No.14 Once inside Pizza Express, the Outlaws looked happy with the menu
Pic.No.15 The building which houses the Oxford 'Pizza Express', is hundreds of years old and they have preserved all the original features ..... like this ancient fireplace with a bulging wooden panel above
Pic.No.16 Just look at the beams around the window and the ones holding the roof up - they are bloody enormous! It's hard to imagine that they are at least 500 years old
Pic.No.17 This is me. To be honest, after three minutes of posing for the out-law photographer, I was thinking; "hurry up and take the bloody photo you bloody git"
Pic.No.18 Finally, Izzy and I break ranks after becoming bored of posing for photographs .... all I had to do was whisper in ear; 'do the rabbit'
And after I had scoffed my 'Calabrese' Pizza (highly recommended if you have a taste for hot spicy food), we all headed off back home.
Pic.No.19 Walking back to the car via Merton Street, Oxford. You can see Izzy, her dad, and her Grandmother on the pavement to the right
Pic.No.20 Grandmother takes Izzy back to the car so that we can drive home
After a lovely weekend with the outlaws, I've now got only 2 hours to pack for a trip that I am going on tomorrow.
Yep. tomorrow I am off to a music festival for four days. It is called Camp Bestival in the county of Dorset. There are loads of activities for Izzy, there are load of cool band performing for me, but the downside is that I will be living in a tent like a feral goat.
So dahlink.... that might mean no blog posts for the next four days. Please don't abandon me! And I will be back round at your blog once I get back.
P.S. What is your favourite building?
Tell me what you think by leaving me a comment otherwise you will find a fly in your soda
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