The absence, and getting back to life.........

All of our followers have probably wondered where we have been for nearly a year. Well, there have been many changes in our lives. We have lost three members of our family from the UK. Rowan's Mum, Dad and Aunt all passed in the last year so our hands and hearts have been full. We also lost our dear friend Bob here in the US. We are just now coming out the other side of all of that, so are getting back to getting back to our lives.....which now includes a little blogging.

We are currently in the UK (for the 4th time in the last year) winding up the last bits of family stuff and also getting some well deserved r&r. Here is a short photo essay of what we are up to:

 Rowan and her sis had a memorial bench made in honor of their parents to be placed in the Hyde Hall Gardens (https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall) , part of the Royal Horticultural Garden Society in the UK. Their mother & father adored the gardens and we spent many hours there with them while on visits to the UK.  Part of the bench inscription saying "sit and rest a while".

 Rowan and I having a rest on the bench.

The bench is under a huge shade tree with beautiful views of the English countryside and gardens.

 

We are staying with our good friends Hilary and Wendy. No absence of good food (as you can see by the clean plates).

 We had one big task to finish up on this trip - packing up the family items we need to ship to the US.

We spent a few days at the storage locker sorting, wrapping, taking inventory, valuing and packing everything for its journey to the US by cargo ship. The shipping company came and collected everything for crating, so now we wait for 2 months until everything arrives to our front door in one piece.....we hope! :o)

 We have also made a trip out to the bluebell woods (stunning in the spring when they bloom) in the country by the old family house where we scattered the parents ashes under a huge holly bush last Christmas. Rowan's whole family made daily walks with their dogs out through these woods their whole lives so it was the perfect place for them to rest. Rowan constructed a beautiful flower wreath where we had scattered them. It was a beautiful sunny day and we noticed a bird nest just above the tree. Perfect!

We made another trip to lay flowers by Aunt Runa's grave out in Hutton, the village where the two sisters were born. Runa is buried with her parents (Rowan's grandparents) at the old church graveyard.

A lavender plant for the auntie and grandparents.

Oh, and I can't forget at least one food picture. Can you say rib eye and duck fat chips??? Yes, the chips (fry's for you Americans) are deep fried in duck fat!!!!!DELICIOUS! Please do notice the stray veggies on the plate used exclusively for artery scrubbing. :o) There is also a piece of yorkshire pudding on the left.

I AM IN HEAVEN!!!

Stay tuned, more coming from across the pond............