Off to William and Kate's Wedding I Go

Buckingham Palace and Royal Wedding, here I come. My big day has arrived. I leave home at 3pm to get train to Airport in Sydney. Iwill be put on the train this end, then son D will meet me at the airport to make sure I am on the right plane, then I am on my own for that long, long flight to Heathrow. Book into my hotel, then next stop Buckingham Palace and the souvenir shops. Can't wait.

Thought for one mili-second this might be my Wedding invitation, but even better it's a "have a Happy Trip" card from daughter S and family.

Includes a message from H.R.H and a little bag of Maundy money. Maundy money is given out by the Queen to the poor and elderly on Maundy Thursday before Easter. I'm sure if I had been there in time I would have been given some by the Queen and this little bag of English pound coins from my thoughtful daughter is to make up for my dissapointment.

I might not have the time or be clever enough to blog on strange computers in London, if not I'm sure I'll have lots to blog about on my return in 2 weeks.

Happy 85th Birthday EIIR

Today is the Queen's 85th Birthday. Happy Birthday Ma'am. Long my you reign.
I will see you at THE wedding next week and give you an extra special wave.

I think Kate will have lots of competition for Best Royal Bride. The Queen looks beautiful in her wedding dress.

I ordered one of the mugs with Harry's picture put on by mistake instead of William. I'd heard about these mugs on the news and tracked one down. I thought I ordered it from China but it arrived today from Stoke on Trent. A rare collector's item? or a clever marketing ploy? not sure but I had no trouble finding one.

This is the back of the mug. "The Romantic Union of all The Centuries" I hope so,but time will tell .

Also arrived in the post today, an ebay purchase. A beaded milk jug cover from the Royal Visit to Australia 1954. I always seem to be outbid on items like this but my luck held this time and I was the only bidder.

The Countdown Begins

Exactly one week from today I will be at the airport waiting to board my plane for the start of a 24hr flight via Abu Dhabi To London for THE WEDDING. Today I went to have a look at the plane. I wonder if I should have chosen something just a little larger??
I have added a clock showing London time to my blog so I can start to adjust my thinking.

Yes! Yes! I will stay away from the propeller. I have enough bad hair days as it is without my head being rearranged.

I have homework to do and thanks to today's International Express I can study the route and timetable.

Luggage must be checked, I would be sad if I arrived in London with no cat hairs on my clothes.

This will be my 9th trip to London for a Royal event and I know how to travel light. I will follow my usual plan of wearing old clothes (well, I didn't get an invite to the Abbey did I?) then discarding them and packing lots of souvenirs to bring home. Also being too mean to catch a taxi from Heathrow to my hotel (less cash for souvenirs) I must struggle on the tube with my luggage.
I think I feel exhausted already, come on Charlotte and Emily lets go to bed early, I have new library books.

Stingray Alert

I have been waiting such a long time for a stingray to come close enough for me to take some pics. I see them going past my house sometimes with just the end of a barbed tail or flaps showing but today my patience paid off when this one came close to the steps. Stringrays can be curious and docile (according to Google) and this one seems to be looking me right in the eye.

I didn't run a tape over him/her but I think it would be about 30" or 75cm across.

He does blend in a bit so could easily be stepped on which is when he might whip his tail round and sting.

Here his flaps are moving and the end of his tail is just out of the water and can be mistaken for a stick.

Love you Stingray, come back soon and please, bring friends.

I was so excited and wanted to share my news. Here's Charlotte, not in a mood for thrills. Emily is there too. She is the lump to the right of Charlotte. Under the bedclothes.

Doll Club Day

Doll club today and there were the usual three sections to enter. First section was 'Doll Holding Easter Egg' and I entered my old Palitoy 'Patsy' doll. I bought her pink suit at the markets and added the fur collar and made felt rabbit ears for her. No prize but I did have fun dressing her up and playing dolls again. Second section was a Rabbit Ornament, I bought the one above for $3 at the Reject shop just so I would have one to enter, no prize but now I have a cute rabbit.

Some of the competion above. #7 won second prize and second from the right at the back won third.

As it's Royal Wedding month third section was Royal Memorobillia, I took along my Charles and Diana slippers but no prize for me but it was good to see the souvenirs other members had.

I did have some luck though with two raffle prizes, the one wrapped in cellophane is a large chocolate rabbit surrounded by small eggs.

And look what I was given for my collection from very generous Doll Club members. The mug on the right is from the Royal Visit to Australia 1954 and the other mug is a Charles and Diana Wedding mug. Also a coronation postcard, a fold out booklet from the coronation, a first day cover and stamps from C and D's wedding and a card showing the gates of Sandringham with information about the history of the gates. All very much valued treasures for my collection and a big Thank You to the members who gave them to me.

I know the are lots of Beanie Kid collectors but I've never taken much notice of them but when I heard a Royal Wedding one had been released-well-I couldn't rest till I had one.

They are a limited edition and hard to come by but a friend spotted some in a nearby suburb and I rushed over and bought mine.

One of the younger members of Doll Club has one and entered hers in the Royal section today.

Not long now till we find out what Kate's dress will really look like. Simple and easy to copy I hope.

Early Easter Bunny?

Is this the Easter Bunny paying an early visit? No sign of eggs though. I looked out this morning and there was a beautiful white rabbit on the grass. I rushed to ask the neighbours if they knew anything about a lost pet but they didn't.

No way out here. Then it hopped away and I haven't seen it since. After the heavy rain and near evacuation panic of 2 weeks ago I thought I should have a second cat carrier for emergencies. I bought this one at the markets but Charlotte has had enough of my second hand market bargains and has made it plain, emergencies or not, she won't go in it.

Never one to make a fuss my sweet little Emily said she will travel in it. Thank you Emily, like me you appreciate a bargain. Working hard on William and Kate. I hate to leave faces unfinished so must finish Kate's before I leave for the Wedding. The countdown is on, I fly out 3 weeks from today. I loved this book and sorry when I finished it today. Nella Last wrote for the Mass Obsevation project in Britain in the 1940's and 50's and this is her 3rd book from that project. She lived a very ordinary life but that makes it all the more fascinating as she writes about her day to day life including meals and prices. I think there are no ordinary lives and everyone has a story to tell and Nella tells her story well. I bought the book from Amazon.