End of My Pretend Trip to England

Those whose actually traveled on the Queen Mary 2 to England landed on Sunday, May 8 in Southampton. Some chose to board an airplane to return home. 

A tour company had arranged some terrific small tours. They picked up the visitors at the ship and arranged a full week of 3 different tours in a 8 or 9 passenger vehicles with different themes, visiting castles, museums, historical sites, gardens, even Beatrix Potter's birthplace! The tour price included lodging at different places along the way. The price also included 2 meals a day. I think you can tell I spent a lot of time looking at the tour details. 

Some of the passengers stayed in the area, visiting family or friends. I know one group of friends stayed in London and visited every site you ever dreamed of visiting! 

On Sunday, May 15, anyone available met for a farewell picnic at Stourhead Gardens in Warminister.  The original plan was for a garden picnic but due to rainy weather (imagine that in England) the party was moved indoors with a brief respite for group photos outdoors in the lovely location. It looks like lots of fun was had by all.  Some of the participants boarded the QM2 for the reverse crossing home and some boarded planes. And some had arranged for longer stays in Airbnb or VHBO cottages. 

My original plan was a morning picnic in a park, or possibly at a beach along the lake since we have had unseasonably warm temperatures. I planned to bake scones, and make deviled eggs, maybe some ham biscuits and mimosas. 

We had a full week of babysitting and it has been crazy. We are just

exhausted and due to illness of another set of grandparents, this week is crazy too. We got up on Sunday, looked at each other and set up this simple picnic on my living room rug. It is all for looks. The Champagne went back in the frig and we ate our breakfast in our recliners. 

Instead of baking on Saturday, I went to Aldi where I purchased the giant blueberry muffins (I think they were 2.69 for 4) and snack packages of precut apples, cheese and grapes for 2.49 each. I washed the carafe and rinsed it in boiling water but that was just silly. We poured our coffee into our normal cups, my husband uses a pedestal cup for our Pfaltzgraff set and I like clear glass mugs. 

And my last disclaimer. I did not make this quilt. I actually purchased it at least 20 years ago at Big Lots, when my daughters were young. I spotted it put it in my cart and was looking to see if there was a second one (there was not). Several women stopped me on the way to the register to try to talk me into letting them have it. I did not put together that I had chosen a "Sunbonnet Sue" quilt for a Susan Branch picnic until someone pointed it out to me. Meant to be!