Caversham, Berkshire, formerly Oxfordshire, July 3, 2014

Yesterday was a travel day.  I took the train from Paddington Station to Reading.  The drive to Paddington was wonderful....through Trafalgar Square, past St. James' Palace,  up the Mall to Buckingham Palace where throngs waited for the changing of the guard, Admiralty Arch, Kensington Palace Gardens...and more!  Margaret and Ken met me in Reading then we spent the afternoon having tea in the garden and catching up.  After dinner, all available members of the family came over and we had a wonderful time, catching up with all the young people's plans and just generally laughing and enjoying ourselves.  On hand: Phil and Jo and their two sons, Steven and Matthew; Janet, sans husband and elder daughter Emma but with Hannah; Sue sans husband but with Catherine, Laura and Jamie.  Great fun.

Today, we slept in very late and had a late breakfast....this is Beresford style!  Another glorious day.  Then we went off to Oxford for the day.  I had passed through once and stopped for lunch.  We did not drive into Oxford...it would have been impossible to park.  We did Park and Ride.  Excellent bus service from an enormous car park, obviously well used.  We walked around, guided by Ken and his trusty map.  Unfortunately, it was Open Day for prospective students and families...so the colleges were not open to the public.  Still, the buildings, even from the outside are glorious.  It is a very heady ambiance...one feels as though one is walking with the ghosts of the great. The town itself is also lovely.  Very crowded this time of year.  We stopped in a cafe for tea cakes and tea and then headed home.  

The years go fast in Oxford,
The golden years and gay,
The hoary Colleges look down
On careless boys at play.... (Winifred Letts)

As we were walking back to the bus, my phone rang.  Long story short, a taxi driver was waiting for me at Gatwick.  I had booked for July 3 instead of August 3.  I was so embarrassed.  They were very nice about it and promised to look into an "accommodation".  I rebooked for the correct date.

Then there is Phil whom I love dearly, but who got everything wrong about my visit to him and Sophie. He was thoroughly confused, even though our exchange of emails had been clear.  Many emails and calls later to Phil, Sophie and even Paul and Della, I am going there tomorrow for one night only.  Then I will come back here for Saturday night.  Phil freely admits it was all his fault; Sophie said he should not have been in charge of the arrangements from the get go.  Paul echoed that.  We all had to laugh. But they are arranging a barbecue to which Matt and family will come.  So all will be well that will end well!

We went to dinner at a lovely restaurant, the Woody Nook, and had a delicious meal with wonderful wine...Ken is a wine aficionado and always chooses well.  Then home and chatted until 1am!