Day 51 - Stevenage (or Cape Canaveral?)

A dull, wet and grey day in Stevenage town centre today.

It has recently been suggested that Stevenage is the new Cape Canaveral, due to the fact that the town builds a quarter of the world's satellites and is the possible location for a future manned space mission, to Mars.

Perhaps less well known is the fact that Stevenage doubled up for Washington DC in the film Spy Game!

Day 50 - Shillington

At twilight this evening we walked up the road to Shillington parish church.

The church is floodlit for festivals and special occasions in the year and often sponsored to mark a birthday or anniversary.

Built on the top of a hill, It is visible over the flat landscape for several miles around and when we used to drive to Shillington, Lauren would always watch for the first sight of it.

Day 49 - Off to Shillington!

We left Bath in the sunshine and set off for Shillington.  We called in to the Bicester  'Chic Designer Outlet' Shopping Village but declined to join the queues waiting to be let in to Burberry, Prada etc a few at a time.  

Instead we did some window shopping and marvelled at the quantity of bags that others were carrying and focused on the golden reindeer featured in the Christmas decorations there.

In the Wedgwood shop we came across some impressive items of porcelain which were reduced to half price.  However , as the price tags reveal these 'antiques of the future' still required a substantial investment...

(On the right above the vase appeared to be £20K reduced to £10K and on the left £3500 reduced to  £1750.  Below the ensemble of vase and plaque was reduced from £9000 to £4500).

We are looking forward to spending time with all the family in Shillington and to our pre-Christmas celebrations here.

Day 48 - At the University

It was a grey, rainy and windy day today when I went to the University to have lunch and catch up with friends and colleagues - so I am cheating a little by using these photos taken by the lake one lunchtime in January when the weather was somewhat cooler, crisp and bright.

It was lovely to be there, albeit briefly, and it reminded me of just how much I miss everyone!

Day 47 - Stonefield

Lovely to see Mum and Dad, Maggie, Emma and Jan today.  Emma used a game on her phone to create this novelty shot of some of us in rather unlikely poses (you should have seen the video version...).  David and Jan did well to escape!

Day 46 - Home for Christmas

We arrived at Leamington from Heathrow in time to see L and J for just five minutes or so before work.  

D and the cats lost no time in getting re-acquainted and after some sorting out of luggage and gifts we went to meet L for lunch and to do some shopping (in the rain, unfortunately).

A few Christmas tree decorations that we brought back from Virginia and from the World of Coca Cola were soon incorporated into the already very eclectic variety of the tree...

Off to Bath tomorrow...

Day 45 - Homeward Bound

A day of packing and preparing to come home and, as you see on the photo, when this was taken we were nearly there.

Decisions, decisions now - to blog or not to blog while we are here?

Day 44 - Party!

This evening we put on our glad rags and headed for the Airbus Americas Christmas Party at the National Air and Space Museum - adjacent to Dulles Airport.

It was quite a setting and quite a party!

The drinks reception ( and later the dancing) was held in a huge hangar with some 60 aircraft on display including Concorde and the Enola Gay.

I can honestly say that this is the first time that I have had dinner under the tail of the Space Shuttle!

I could go on with lots more aircraft pics but....

We are flying home tomorrow!!