Contact!

So, I was able to speak with Sarn over the weekend. Seems she and Neil are doing well.


Sarn


Neil

Jonathan (Neil’s son) has just passed basic training and is in the British army. I know that’s what he said he really wanted to do – but yanno, you just can’t help but worry a bit.


Jonathan

Anyway, Sarn is going to try and figure out something for us to do for a few days when I get there (which is supah). Can’t wait to see everyone.

Oh, and I did hear from Kim and Greg. Well, Kim. She’s talking about maybe doing a trip to Windsor Palace which would be nice. Did I get it right this time Kim? Windsor and not Warwick? *grin*



Kim and Greg

Anyway, should be a good time and all. I just hope the work hold up enough to allow me to afford all this! LOL

Oh, get this…

Last year, we got a tax rebate. This year, it looks like what they’re doing is deducting the rebate from our return! What’s that all about? If I’d known that, I’da told them to stuff their rebate, thankyouverymuch.

So, while I typically use my tax refund to fund my annual travels, this year’s may not be all I’d hoped for. Lots of changes means more taxes for Joy, evidently.

D-Day is 225 days from today! Yeehaw!

Tentative Itinerary

So here's my tentative itinerary. It's going to be tweaked again, most likely, so don't fall in love with it too much. :)

Tuesday: Leave the states.

Wednesday: Arrive at London Gatwick at 8:45 AM. Take the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station. Check into B&B. Perhaps see Covent Garden, Picadilly Circus, and/or do a night cruise on the Thames.

Thursday/Friday: London. Camden Market. Night at the Theatre.

Saturday: Leave London to Stoke-on-Trent to tour the Wedgewood and Royal Doulton factories.

Sunday: Stoke-on-Trent to Penrith. Get the rental car and check into the B&B at Keswick.

Monday: Travel to Hawes for the museums. Thirsk for Market Day and James Herriott museum. Possibly Kilburn. B&B Keswick.

Tuesday: Day tour around the lake district. Possible short hike at Buttermere. Lunch at the pub. B&B Keswick.

Wednesday: Drop car off at Penrith and take the train to Edinburgh. Check into B&B at Edinburgh.

Thursday: Edinburgh.

Friday: Edinburgh. Take the night train to London.

Saturday: Day in London. Possibly do the Elizabethan banquet or a high tea at the Ritz.

Sunday: Leave for the US

If you have any other ideas or comments... glad to hear them. :)

Schedule Tweaking

I love daydreaming about my trips, don't you? In the middle of my day when I've converted the millionth table from word to other formats... I stop. And look at my desktop picture. Today, it's sheep in the fields at Hawes.






I start looking at my schedule and going... hmmm... how can I make *this* happen. Like, Portmeirion. I've wanted to make Portmeirion happen for years! How inconvenient that they built it in a totally unreachable part of Wales! It'd be days out of my schedule and money out of my pocket... so, I guess I won't be able to do it this time round.

But, that'll just leave me more time in the Lake District.

Now, the difficult part is getting around to other places that I can't get to by train. Which means I do this alone and by car. Remember what I said in my article about issues with cars in the UK? I'm kinda scared to do this alone, but never too scared to not do it. :) So... I contacted a rental company in Penrith and plan to rent a car upon arrival there.

Oh, and I contacted my friend Marion at Goodwin House (the place I suggested in the article that you stay if you go to the Lake District). What a wonderful, warm welcome she gave and is now expecting me for a few days in September. That'll be nice. :)

I haven't heard from Greg or Kim (not surprised). Greg has a fear of the internet, I think. And Kim is working too many hours. Sarn (Sandra), I've not heard from in ages. So, that may mean I don't get to see my Brit friends this go round. Hope that's not the case, but you never can tell.



Kim, Greg, Sarn, and Me

I always have fun anyway. :) That's sorta the point of travel, yeah?

Well, I guess I'm off to finish converting Word tables. Wish me luck. I'd rather be daydreaming about Yorkshire!