Days out

 On Saturday we actually went for a day out.  Oh it felt good!  

While we were in lockdown we would talk about places we would go when we were released back out into the world, and one of those places on the list was under an hour away, safely outdoors, and somewhere to give us inspiration for our own garden.  We checked the weather reports and booked tickets to go to Hyde Hall, which is owned by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Fortunately the weather forecasters did not let us down, and on a bright and sunny Saturday morning we packed up our picnic and headed off.  We were not disappointed!  

Luckily the weather was still nice the next day, when we had been invited to a friend's house for a barbecue. This visit also included my first mojito of the summer.

Our final 'out of lockdown outdoor experience' did not start so well.  We were due to have Leo and Rosie for the day on Tuesday, and decided to take them to a small local zoo as a surprise.  You had to book tickets in advance and they were not refundable under any circumstances.  I left it until Monday evening to book them when I knew that the weather was still going to be good and everyone was fit and well.  However, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, two small members of our party were anything but fit and well and seemed to have succumbed to a stomach bug.  What are the chances?  So rather than waste the tickets we rang Jon and asked if Max was available for the day - luckily he was so we took him.

It's only a small zoo, and more of a conservation centre but we saw lions, tigers, snow leopards, kangaroos, zebras, huge tortoises

Beautiful Maribou Storks - just look at his fancy hairstyle!

But his most favourite animal?

The giant dinosaur models!