Well on Monday we finally got a rental car. A very roomy four door at a good rate for two weeks and it did not take us long to get it. Later that night I joined Steve and several of the AWE (LANL equivalent here) folks for eight legs of skittles. We had a good time and I enjoyed it. A good bit harder than ten pin bowling but not as serious either.
Tuesday we took our time and got off for Winsor Castle which is right down the road on the way back to London. We drove over and found the Castle and Burger King then drove to a parking lot and unloaded for the hike over to the BK and Castle. Found the train station easy enough and looked at one of the to scale replica train engines and let ALB ride a JJ the Jet Plane ride. We made it to BK and enjoyed some Whoppers. Then Emily and Gwen found Emily a Winsor spoon for her collection then we walked over to Winsor which is literally across the street.
The visit was a bit of a long hike but it is very interesting inside the Castle. They say the Queen visits almost every weekend. Since it was the middle of the week then she was not in residence which was obvious to us from the Union Jack flying over the castle. If she had been there then they would have changed to the Royal Standard Flag. Emily got another interesting Winsor spoon in the Castle shop.
I think the most interesting things I saw was the thin slit ports to look out and fire your weapons from to defend the castle and the breech loaded cannons. Of course the Castle is old and has seen many great figures in world history. If the walls could talk.... We got back to the Nolen's around six in the evening and had a nice dinner with them and visit.
Gwen is doing well with her driving after a ten year layoff. I jokingly told her that someone one behind was saying something like, "look at that first year driver." She laughed and said well I am and I said, "No you are a third year driver but it has been a longtime between year 2 and 3." We laughed. :) I am not too bad a navigatorif I say so myself. Guess I will have to get back in the saddle any day now. That should be interesting. Of course we went with a stick....then we can say we actually drove a car here. ;)
Today we all took the double decker bus to downtown Reading. We got off at the train station and walked to the Reading Museum. The bus is quite nice and convenient..well convenient if not at rush hour then with kids it is a bit of a juggle. The Reading Museum is very nice and interesting. Alot of history here in Reading.
We ate a late lunch there and do not ask me what I ate. It was like a small six course meal. April says it is of Spanish origins. I could not tell ya. I ate it ... nothing was uneatable but it I doubt I will eat it again though. Ok I looked it up...Tapas....Spanish appetizers? And that was what they were like, appetizers. They were served in a pub like place at the Town Hall. Gwen and Emily had a baked potato which was quite tasty I might add....a bit of a surprise for me and my memory of English food.
We went back into the museum to visit the box room. A room where you can touch some exhibits and they have learning stuff. A very nice room. The English badger does not look like the North American type completely. The shape of the head and the coloring of the stripes are a bit different. If you have seen the animations of the badgers in Narnia the movie and thought that is a weird looking badger then you are right...it is an English badger.
Finally we went over to the mall and did a bit of shopping. We got a cell phone at a pretty good deal and I promptly called the only person I knew in England...Steve at work. Then called home to my Mom. We then went in and got ice cream and coffee, at a StarBucks of course. I think a stop at the Disney store for the kids was next. Then off to get on the bus home. It was a bit more crowded and we had to fold up the strollers this time when getting on.
Promptly we arrived at the house and walked up to the door and one of the five kids we had throwup on the driveway. I gather this one had been feeling sick on the bus too. No worries though. I guess Steve is no feeling well this evening and hopefully he will feel better tomorrow.
We had hoped for a day trip down to Portsmouth and the coast tomorrow for a visit of an old British Battleship. I think everyone one would like to see that. Hopefully Steve and anyone else feeling sick is feeling better by then. Steve and some family has been there before but want to go again.
I am starting to get the feel of things and Gwen has gotten me to bottles of Chutney which I love. I forgot home much I missed that stuff. Forget the Marmite and Vegamite unless someone wants us to bring back some cheap bottles of them for them? :)
Not much more to tell. I guess I go tomorrow or Friday and get my blood tested for how well the rat poision is doing its job. They will do it and send the results to my doctor by fax. I can regulate it that way. Need one a week so this sounds like a good deal. I may have to use it again if I come to AWE in the future.
Steve and April have been great hosts...especially after all the guests/family they have had for six weeks. We are very happy to be with them and visiting again. Less than a month after we leave then they will head home to NM. :)
More later.
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