Before I jump straight into this update, I just wanted to extend my gratitude to each and every person who thought to leave a message of condolence for me and my family. We said a final goodbye to Mum on March 7th and it was everything and more than we'd hoped for.
I just about managed to hold it together to read out my own tribute to the congregation. I did it my way, and I know Mum would have been listening and wiping away my tears. It was a celebration; a joyous reunion of family and friends.
We laughed, we cried, we made a vow to make the best of every day. As hard as it is with a gaping hole that will never be filled. It will never be ok, but I will endeavour to make Mum proud and push through the pain. I miss her.
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This past Thursday was the hottest day of the year so far in my little corner of the UK. Bonus as I was heading into London to enjoy a day perusing not just one but two fab exhibitions. First stop was the WI (Women's Institute) Fair at Alexandra Palace, followed by The Ideal Home Show at Olympia.
Some people may think I'm mad driving into the City but I prefer to take my trusty little motor as opposed to using public transport. Mind you I did contemplate it for a mere second. However when I realised it would take at the very least an hour and a bit to travel between venues, (via foot, bus and tube) I thought better of it. Add to that the time to travel from my home in Bedford to London by train it would have been a nightmare.
I was taking a calculated risk, hoping beyond hope that I wouldn't get stuck in traffic. But I thought better to be stuck in my comfy car, than stuck sniffing someones smelly armpit on the tube. Sorry TMI. So with that being said, I decided to take the risk, I popped some light refreshments for my journey in my little cool bag and got on the road.
Luckily for me the risk paid off and I reached my first destination in good time, no holdups. The sun was shining, the temperature just about right, albeit a little windy. Free parking too which is a rarity anywhere in London. I must admit when I got into the main exhibition hall I thought 'where do I start?'.
So much to see, so many stands, so many people. Wow, it was a bit of a sensory overload. Everything from craft, travel & lifestyle to live demos. Workshops too. I had a lovely few hours meandering through the stalls. I had a budget to work with so made sure I hung on to my pennies until I'd seen everything on offer. I made a mental note of each place I wanted to return to.
One thing I did invest in was a subscription to a new (to me) magazine
The Simple Things. I took advantage of the offer they had available on a 12 month subscription, as well as picking up 4 hard copies available to take away from the stand. I'm looking forward to losing myself in them over the next few days.
We couldn't resist purchasing an ice-cream from the gorgeous pastel coloured converted London Cab outside the Ally Pally. We sat and enjoyed the sunshine and the view over the city awhile before heading off to Olympia.
Again, and I have to say miraculously there were no traffic delays traversing the Capital in the car. I made sure to pre-book parking through NCP at Broadwood Terrace so I didn't have to worry. It was only £2 per hour booked in advance versus £7 per hour on the day. I know rip off right!?! It was a short walk to Olympia so perfectly situated.
Once inside we were greeted with a plethora of eateries upstairs off the main exhibition space. It was accommodating the Eat&Drink Festival. Something for every palate, but tbh I think hugely overpriced. Nevertheless we were there to enjoy ourselves, not to scrutinise the pricing, so we opted for a couple of Posh Pooches. A hotdog topped with pulled pork, crispy onions, ketchup and mustard to you and me. Tasted better than it looks...
After filling our tummies we headed around the rest of the food stalls, and were instantly drawn to the Flapjack Stall
'Flapjackery'. Now I have a little confession to make. The previous weekend I'd attended the East of England Food Fayre and this company had a stand there. I bought some of these flapjacks and OMG they are THE BEST FLAPJACKS EVER.
I know it's OTT but my goodness they are YUMMY. Especially the Salted Caramel Fudge. So when I found out they were going to be at the Ideal Home Show I nearly did a cartwheel. My scales on the other hand have been firmly hidden for the next 6 months whilst I try and fathom how I'm going to work off the calories I've consumed since finding these yummy slices of heaven. I suppose walking several miles around Olympia that day was a start. Let me tell you that place is VAST.
We tried our best to cover the whole event. Walking from one end to the other, making sure we had a good browse. This made the WI Fair look like a village fete in terms of scale. Anything and everything you could possibly want for your home was there. I had my eye on a luxury hot tub, or hydro pool. Well a girl can dream.....
I'm almost as exhausted writing this post as I was walking around there that day. Give yourself a pat on the back if you're still with me! Anyway, that's a little taster of what I've been up to. Hope you enjoyed the tour......
Some yarn related service will be resumed shortly........
Till then...xx
*this is NOT a sponsored post
