Osborne, Weekends and Work Days

Hello dear friends. Its been a few days since our last post but they have rushed by! As most of you know by now I have started work, its going well and I am super excited to be back in the fold again. Well mostly. Getting up at 05h45 to travel to the office, which is very very early on this island. Even the cheeky fat Wood Pigeons haven't rolled over in their nests and rubbed their eyes yet. Currently I drive over to Ryde, constantly reminded of how early it is by cows just doing their morning stretches and putting on the morning tea (I could swear I saw one standing over a boiling kettle this morning, but that may just be me.....) Then its down to the ferry terminal with Conan, across the Solent on the hovercraft, into his car in Portsmouth and an 80km drive down to the office. Total travel time is around 2hrs and 15 mins, provided we don't have traffic, need fuel, get lost etc.

So that is not a long term plan! Anyway from next week or so, the distance and time shall be less as I change my route and come out from under Conan's wing and travel via Southampton on my own. But enough about the boring details like earning a living! On Friday, we took a drive out to a small spot called Rosemary Vinyard Click here to see their web page. It was a very pleasant experience. England is not famous for its wines, for good reason. The island is too far north to grow really good grapes. Having said that, they make a very delish Rose, good for lunches and picnics. We did the whole tour and then the wine tasting bit, with a very friendly lady called Jane, who was pleased to have some South Africans to try their wines. Sam did at one stage try to climb under the nearest table when I told her that their red wine, whilst having a good bouquet, was well, not very good. Actually it was diabolical. I didn't use as many words, but the strained look on my face, and the quick swig of Elderberry wine afterwards kind of gave the game away.  On Sunday Sammy and I joined Conan and family for a picnic on the coastline in Ventnor. It was fabulous! I even burnt a little as I got so much sun......no seriously I did! As usual, a selection of pics below can't begin to describe how pretty it is! Below those pics which include some great shots of the Solent taken on Saturday, Sam continues the blog with the Osborne House visit.

Looking out from the promenade in Cowes, old sailing ship in the distance

One of the many private club jetties in Cowes

Nice weather huh!

Rosemary Vineyard

Also Rosemary Vineyard

No papparazi please!

Saturday on the Solent, teeming with sailboats!

Ventnor from the picnic spot

Beautiful

Walking paths are everywhere, and are safe and clean

We know these people!

Taking it easy after our picnic

Farmlands between Ventnor and Godshill. Breathtaking!

Norman "No Friends" the wooly cow! Other bovines on the island include Percy "Prime Rib" and Trevor "T Bone"

The Osborne House Visit

Ok, my turn now! One of my all-time favourite pasttimes is visiting old historical sites (I was made for this country!) and thankfully it is a passion that Rich and I both share. I love knowing that I'm walking on the same floor as a king or imagining how a queen hosted tea parties in the parlour, it really brings history to life! Osborne House is the holiday home of Queen Victoria and Albert and it is around the corner from where we live. Their marriage was an arranged one but it wound up being such a sweet love story. Victoria married Albert in 1840, at the age of 20 and they had nine children, each of whom married a European monarch. Albert sadly died of dysentry 21 years later and Victoria spent the rest of her life (she died in 1901 at the age of 81) dressed only in black and in mourning for the love of her life. Aaah, so romantic....

Just think, I can now go as often as I like to walk around the gardens or just sit and read my book. How lucky am I??!

Osborne House

It was a particularly chilly day - Im kitted out in my SA winter woolies

Just after we found out about Rich's job - not even the weather could take that smile off his face!

Stunning gardens

One of the many Italian style fountains in the gardens

The Victoria tea room where we had high tea with scones and jam

Employed for 5 minutes and already back on the bloody phone!

The Swiss cottage where Albert taught his children to grow and cook their own vegetables.

Thats all for tonight! Time to go to bed, we have an early start! Much love to everyone.