Day Tripper.. yeah..

I feel like a new woman today. I decided yesterday that I would go to London after all, and visit the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea Park. Sister was coming with me, but she had a bad attack of the "builders" yesterday, in that they started knocking the render off the outside walls of her flat, and into her garden. They had threatened to come back again today, so she didn't dare leave them to it. I therefore ended up going on my own. Actually, it was quite fun. I started off by missing my train from Hove, so had to catch one to Brighton and change. I then decided to get off at Gatwick and catch a Victoria train, which was more convenient for Sloane Square. Unfortunately, I ran for the wrong train, and ended up on a Gatwick Express by mistake. The Ticket Collector lady was so lovely though (quite unexpectedly). I explained that I had run for the train and was too late to jump off again, and she was charming. I showed her my ticket (a Senior Railcard/Day Tripper) and she politely invited me to sit down and enjoy my journey. I got to Sloane Square and caught the Courtesy Bus to the Art Fair (very comfy) and then met up with some friends. My Artist Friend (Bosham and Kirdford) has some pictures exhibited here, so it was interesting. We wandered around, stuffing ourselves with images, and had to sit down with tea or coffee at regular intervals for some light relief. In all, I saw only one picture I would have bought and taken home, but it was good fun. We then repaired to Peter Jones and sat in the top-floor Restaurant looking out over the London landscape. Lovely. London is so exciting, and I hadn't been for over a year. It filled me with the urge to do more, to be more creative and to see more people, places and things. I sat and dozed in the train back, and then jumped on a bus at Brighton Station, which delivered me to my door.

Lucky me, I opened my front door to find a lovely raffia-tied box with some gorgeous home made muffins from the girls downstairs - and an impromptu invitation to supper.
I whizzed indoors, made sausages and mash for my two students, and took myself down with a bottle of Prosecco. We had a lovely lamb concoction, with smashed potatoes (roasted) and leeks, followed by strawberries with mint and pecan ice-cream. Yummy. And lots of alcohol and lots of laughs. It was the perfect end to the perfect day.