Well, I thought I was coming to England's summer but have hit the cool weather and so glad I brought a mix of clothing.....so It has been out with the jeans and jumpers. Mind you, I had bought white jeans with me as they always look fresh for summer but after a run on the tube to London they were a slight shade of gray !!! No problem for Val as she had them in the wash in no time...

I got myself familiar with the train routes and the stations closest to my destination stores. I had a long list of favourite stores along with others that I had been following from my magazines. I managed to get to Covent Gardens where there are always concerts happening and lots of artists around. I found Whittards Tea Shop that is still the same but up marketed quite a bit and very chic. Then off to Oxford Circus and found The Liberty shop.....not a lot has changed except they are more upmarket using the traditional patterns that are Liberty's stamp.

Val collected me from the station, and home to hot dinner and unwind...at least I didn't get lost but my shoes were soaked and tried them out on the warming cupboard. We talked of heading off to Montifonts National Trust House and a meander through the villages on the way. We had booked to go to a local Italian restaurant whom Val and her friend know the owners great food but as it was quite winters there were not many people around !!

So come the morning we headed off and oh the countryside is a totally different story to the inner city like anywhere.....the tight little roads with trees meeting across the road like extended bridges and moss and greenery hugging the road edges giving it a soft feel and almost inviting to go for a tumble in the grass or to lay on ones back and contemplate the goodness all around.

We stopped at The Mayfly Inn and had a cuppa together, these little inns and pubs are all so hospitable and homely and the grounds are usually a place you want to linger in. There was a brook running past and there was usually Trout fishing but beware you need license's.

From there we made our way to Montifonts where we walked through the grounds to the Kitchen area where they sold lunch.....quite ordinary considering it is a National Trust place but the National Trust don't do the food it is contracted out - felt like it needed to lift its game so to speak. We then ambled through the house and walled gardens before heading back in time for dinner.