How do you like your cider?

On Sunday morning my cousin Heather and her partner Gary (us English contingent prefer to call him Gaz) arrived from St. John's to spend two weeks with us.  As their flight arrived at 6:22 am, Andy and I drove down to London on the Saturday to have a night on our own in the Big Smoke. 

We've been having a great time so far and after practically running the streets of London for 2.5 days (my husband walks very quickly), my hips & knees are just now starting to feel ok. I won't talk about the blisters across most of my toes; and yes, I had comfortable shoes on.  Well, with the exception of Saturday night that is.  I had to rock the new shoes I'd bought, they looked classic with the 1940's style dress I was wearing.  I'm sorry but it is London after all and a gal gets tired of looking like a slap-happy tourist all the time.  

Thank goodness the hotel we stayed in on Sunday night was nothing short of fabulous and I was able to take a long, hot soak in the glorious bathtub on Sunday afternoon whilst the jet-lagged tourists took a few hours to re-fuel.  With London hotels, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't.  We struck gold this time and at £85 a night and a glass of Cava upon arrival, one can't complain.  The freebies in the bathroom rivaled that of any first-class flight.

(This picture is only a small corner and does not do the room justice)

I've been trying to make sensible food choices this week, however Heather and Gaz are in love with cider: pear/apple/strawberry, it doesn't matter what flavour, they adore it.  I think they've already been through three bottles of Jacques.  Magner's Pear is their favourite by far (rightly so) and they cannot believe you can buy it by the case at the local grocery store for less than £10.  (They are going to have multiple orgasms when we take them to Brandy Wharf, a local pub that specialises in a huge selection of ciders). I haven't been indulging as much as I could, since I still have to work three days each week as well as be mindful of the calorie intake and lack of gym going. 

However this weekend will be different, as I'm off tomorrow for a four day weekend and before I take the two newfies to Lincoln to do some sight seeing and shopping, I'm getting up early to hit the gym.  On Saturday we leave for the Lake District to kayak and hike.  I can't wait to get up there, because alongside of Mersey River it is my most favourite place to be.  

I promise to post some photos soon.