Ant Dee comes to stay!

I've been counting down the days 'til my Aunt Denise comes to stay. Dee's partner Chris lost his battle with cancer earlier this year, but this gutsy woman decided that she would go on and fulfill their dream of cruising the Mediterranean. Flanked by a couple of friends from high school, she's had an amazing adventure in Thailand and Lao with by cousin Sammy, before heading off to the med and travels through Italy, Greece, Turkey, Spain and France. Now she's in Blighty for a few days before heading home, staying first with my cousin Sarah's inlaws, who live in Coventry, not far from here, and then with me and Ants, in the cosy little cottage we're minding for our friends Paula and Adam. We've had such a lovely time!! The weather was pure English summer - grey and drizzly - so we headed for the Trout, a cracking posh pub with amazing food and lovely ambience beside the Thames. Some gentle pushing of the staff got us a window seat overlooking the river. The poor buggers had to work hard for their tip - we were so busy talking they had to come back 3 times to see if we were ready to order. But such food, washed down with cider, and capped off by a walk (in the rain) past one of the locks on the river. Evening time we hit the Half Moon for more cider and some serious singsong, and Dee spent Monday checking out Oxford while I was at work, before more foodie goodness and endless chatter at my new favourite place to eat out, the Fleece in Witney. Yum, yum, yum. And so good to be able to show off Witney to family from home. If I didn't know better, I'd swear I was threatening homesickness... All too soon it was Tuesday morning and she was off to heathrow on the bus, hoping to stop off in Thailand to see our cousin in hospital there (the chap who miraculously survived 12 days in the jungle after getting lost on the way to a waterfall... to meet up with Decie and Sam!). Once she's home, we've plans afoot to return Paula and Adam's hospitality and have them to stay in Bairnsdale, and maybe even go sailing on Decie's gorgeous 36 foot boat! Oh I hope it works!