A letter giving us permission to travel on South East trains without tickets? A driver with a sign bearing our name at the station? An overnight stay at a beautiful country hotel? For free?
It certainly didn't hurt that the weather was kind; it was warm enough to take tea on the terrace and a picnic lunch on the lawn. Everything from the kitchen was divine and scrumptious. Wild deer wandered around the driveway.
We were given a room in the East Wing. We couldn't help thinking of The Shining in the corridors. Luckily the girls were not on tricycles.
After lunch I swanned off to the spa for a full body massage. These things are like a silent challenge aren't they, if you're not used to them? Like, exactly which clothes should you leave on, and how much should you apologise for bodily imperfections? Luckily I had a nice lady masseuse with a firm hand to lead me along.
Afterwards I met up with Chris and the other guests who were visiting to review the place, up in the fields for activities. Much more in my comfort zone now, I went racing around in this apache rally car. So fast, so bumpy, SO MUCH FUN!
Taya wanted to ride the quad bikes. Not an option, but she WAS allowed to drive that Land Rover you can see in the background. Sitting on my lap, she frantically steered it around in second gear. It was a reverse steer vehicle which made things interesting!
Then it was onto the shooting. Lucky for Chris he had his turn before I got there, so as not to be embarrassed. I outshot him once again. How humiliating. Luckily he kept his chin up!
Our enormous room included a living area, grand piano, four poster bed for us and two camp beds for the girls.
Glamorous jacuzzi bath. Now, I'm about to ruin this picture for Taya forever, because after you've misinterpreted her right knee as a saggy boob once there's no unseeing it. Sorry Taya.
Brooke's favourite thing to do was play pitch and putt. Here she is looking delighted with the world. And she's wearing a skirt I made her!
Taya had an unexplained strop at this point, threw her "golf stick" down and played with gravel.
She didn't feel like posing for pictures either.
Oh it was so lovely. What a break from reality. I thoroughly recommend it.
OH GO ON THEN!
It certainly didn't hurt that the weather was kind; it was warm enough to take tea on the terrace and a picnic lunch on the lawn. Everything from the kitchen was divine and scrumptious. Wild deer wandered around the driveway.
We were given a room in the East Wing. We couldn't help thinking of The Shining in the corridors. Luckily the girls were not on tricycles.
After lunch I swanned off to the spa for a full body massage. These things are like a silent challenge aren't they, if you're not used to them? Like, exactly which clothes should you leave on, and how much should you apologise for bodily imperfections? Luckily I had a nice lady masseuse with a firm hand to lead me along.
Afterwards I met up with Chris and the other guests who were visiting to review the place, up in the fields for activities. Much more in my comfort zone now, I went racing around in this apache rally car. So fast, so bumpy, SO MUCH FUN!
Taya wanted to ride the quad bikes. Not an option, but she WAS allowed to drive that Land Rover you can see in the background. Sitting on my lap, she frantically steered it around in second gear. It was a reverse steer vehicle which made things interesting!
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Husband looking alright I suppose. |
Our enormous room included a living area, grand piano, four poster bed for us and two camp beds for the girls.
Glamorous jacuzzi bath. Now, I'm about to ruin this picture for Taya forever, because after you've misinterpreted her right knee as a saggy boob once there's no unseeing it. Sorry Taya.
Brooke's favourite thing to do was play pitch and putt. Here she is looking delighted with the world. And she's wearing a skirt I made her!
Taya had an unexplained strop at this point, threw her "golf stick" down and played with gravel.
She didn't feel like posing for pictures either.
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Tea terrace |
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| Secret Garden |
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| Tree climbing |
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| Hot chocolate in the lounge. |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Taya couldn't face going home. |