I was up at 6:45am, enjoying a coffee and putting the first wash into the machine. I also tidied the kitchen and put some more stuff away. We took so much baggage with us for just three days!
The rest of the family gradually woke up, and I unpacked the small suitcases we'd taken with us and sorted out yet more washing. This was to be Keith's job today, as Sophie and I were going to Oxford and having afternoon tea at The Randolph Hotel as a birthday treat.
We left at about 10:30am and took Olive to give the poor VW a rest today! The traffic was heavy around the Towcester roadworks, and we queued to get onto the A34 going into Oxford. It was a beautiful day, and we were looking forward to a coffee at Gail's, cocktails in The Morse Bar, and then afternoon tea in the Drawing Room.
We parked at the usual Park and Ride car park, and when I leaned in to get my handbag from the back seat, it wasn't there... I realised that I'd left it in the VW when I'd moved the car out of the way. I was shocked I'd left it at home, and then worried that someone would see it when Keith went to Tesco to do a shop. We couldn't get hold of Keith, so I just had to hope it was in the car! It felt weird and horrible to have no bag, no purse and no phone (unsually, I'd put my phone into my bag rather than keep it between the two front seats). It meant Sophie had to pay for everything, which I felt terrible about.
We jumped straight onto a bus and alighted one stop earlier than usual to walk to Gail's, which is tucked down a quiet side street. The enticing array of delicious foods made our mouths water, and we chose a ham and cheese croissant, two different baked custard tarts, an iced matcha and a flat white.
We sat outside in the sun, and it was lovely. I'd worn a short-sleeved dress, but I'd donned a pair of heeled boots to wear with it, and they weren't that comfortable! The decision proved to be a real problem today! Sophie disappeared inside to get us more drinks, and I emptied a plate of crumbs from the croissant onto the pavement for the pigeons who were pecking about. They ate everything, and a couple more arrived, which was a bit alarming as I had visions of flocks of pigeons descending! However, they pecked away and cleared up all the crumbs, and then one flew onto my shoulder! I jumped and brushed it off and was then worried it had pooed on me! That would just about have made my day! Sophie wasn't around to witness it, but I did feel as if the pigeon was saying thank you!
After our drinks, we bought a block of cheese in a branch of the Jericho Cheese Company, and then had a good look around a wine shop. The owner asked if we needed any help, but we just wanted to look, which I think annoyed him. What is it with men running wine shops? (apart from Duncan, of course!) I complimented him on the range of wines and spirits he offered, but he just grunted at me!
We ended up buying two bottles of wine - a Vouvray and a German Pinot Noir - and walked up to the main thoroughfare to visit an Oxfam bookshop and another that was selling brand new books for as little as £5. Of course, Sophie bought two!
We made the decision to go to the Morse bar for a drink as I didn't fancy walking all the way to Waterstones, or even visiting the Ashmolean with my sore feet! We took our usual seats in the bar, and I had a good look at the menu. I chose a Gin-based cocktail while Sophie opted for a French Martini. We sat and sipped our drinks and did a fair amount of people watching! At one point, a huge crowd of people arrived to check in but they were dealt with efficiently and quickly by the receptionists.
It was heaven to sit and relax and chat, and at 3:30pm, we walked to The Drawing Room for our afternoon tea booking. We sat by the window at a table that soon proved to be too small for the amount of crockery and food it needed to accommodate!
Sophie chose Earl Grey tea, while I went for classic English Breakfast. We were served:
Smoked salmon and creme fraiche
Cucumber, cream cheese, cumin and mint
Curried egg and rocket
Savouries:
Apple and sage sausage roll
Mushroom quiche tart with pickled onion
Plain and fruit scones with clotted cream and jam
Carrot, spelt and cinnamon cake
Cherry Bakewell tart
Raspberry eclair
The pots of tea were huge and made with leaves rather than bags. We opted for a glass each of Nyetimber sparkling wine, and it was delicious!
I had mentioned on the booking that it was Sophie's birthday, and they brought her out another eclair on a decorated plate. What a lovely touch!
When I first saw the array of food, it didn't look like a lot, but boy, did it fill us up! We had to have a couple of rests to digest the food, but we ended up taking home the two scones and the carrot cake in a beautiful, dark blue box. Phew!
The Drawing Room was a lovely place to indulge in the afternoon tea, and apart from a few minutes of a crying baby, it was peaceful and quiet. We could have stayed forever!
However, the time was getting on, so Sophie paid the bill (she had no choice), and we reluctantly went out into the crowds. We waited along with queues of people for the bus and had to sit upstairs. Our bus driver drove extremely slowly back to The Pear Tree park and ride, and stopped many, many times on the way. I felt like we were driving through glue!
Back at the car, we headed back the way we had travelled this morning, and the traffic around Towcester wasn't too bad. We arrived home at about 7:00pm, and I was finally reunited with my bag and phone. No messages, of course, but that was a good thing!
We spent the evening chatting at the kitchen island, and then it was ten minutes of University Challenge before an early night. Back to work tomorrow!
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