Sleaford

Saturday 20th Went for a walk with Diane before breakfast to the local shop to get the paper + a few toiletries, it was cloudy & cool. It wasn't one of the 2 days a week when the mobile postman comes so I couldn't buy stamps for my postcards!
We had an uneventful trip to Sleaford to visit Aunty Mary, except we missed the correct turn-off, the exit came up too fast! We tried to find an alternative route from the town centre but couldn't, so returned to the main road to return to the correct exit - so we were a little late for lunch.
It does seem strange that my aunt's now my own height, having lost 6" through severe osteoporosis. She has daily caregivers in to help her with a few tasks but manages most herself. It was fun looking at photos together before returning to Oxford.
Unfortunately the Silverstone Races were on, so we were detoured from Northhampton to Banbury. The roads closer to Oxford were poorly signed + my map wasn't detailed enough so we got a little lost, then it started to rain! It was a relief to suddenly come across Banbury Road at a street I’d walked down going to the doctor’s! Great! The car got taken back to the hirer's after tea.

second day in Oxford

Wednesday 17th Hard to sleep in as our room was light by 4! I phoned my other aunts to plan our visits, but had to let Aunty Doreen know we wouldn't be able to get to Cornwall owing to the distance and the shortness of our stay in the UK. We all walked to the university gardens, coming back via the canal towpath, admiring the interesting long boats and gardens right to the water’s edge, picnic furniture ready for use. It was windy but mild.
After lunch, we'd just started to play a Bach cello/piano sonata when my 4th cousin and husband arrived, Derek and Shirley Owen. We looked at the family tree together + some old photos, having a nice chat over afternoon tea. They're about mum and dad’s age, with 3 children born from ’62-68! Derek used to work for the Bible Society as a book-binder. Picture below: Uncle Norman and Aunty Mary.

Part One: England - On our way!

Part I - England

Monday 15th Left Christchurch New Zealand at 3.55 p.m., arrived in Sydney at 5.15, a pleasant 18°. I was screened for explosives – need to learn NOT to look at security staff!

Tuesday 16th Arrived 40 minutes late due to headwinds in Bangkok, 27°; Dubai was even hotter, 32°; arrived in Gatwick 12.25.
I was pleased to be allowed to use the phone at the information desk to let my uncle and aunt know which bus we were catching as I didn’t have any small change for the pay phone outside, although I was prepared to go to the Forex.
There was no sign of Uncle Norman and Aunty Mary at the bus stop in Oxford, so I went to the public phone after changing some money with a kindly bus conductor. Of course, there was no answer, they'd already arrived!
After a cuppa, we went on a long walk in the water meadows with Varga, their Norwegian Elkhound, now 8 years old.
Bruce went to bed early, but I couldn't resist the chance of playing chamber music with one of Uncle Norman’s quartet groups - we tried out a Schumann Piano Quintet! I had a nice chat with the group over supper at 10 p.m.