Farewell to England

For LL

Another UK visit nearly over LL. Weather hasn't been great but the people have. A big catch up with friends and family including that mutual friend in the north west.

The Aston stretched it's legs too and put a few miles n the clock. - a great car to drive. It's now garaged here in Knightsbridge and will be 'exercised' by John in our absence. We are heading back to New England and will be there and home tomorrow. I guess you are looking forward to your March visit to the usual place. Don't you find it pretty boring, given all the other places in the world you could visit? Each to their own, as they say.

We arrived back in London Friday morning and spent part of the day relaxing at home, here. Then we took in a show we hadn't seen - Half a Sixpence - a great 'feel good' musical which tested Ash's knowledge of Edwardian England. She loved it though. I know you suffer from disbelief, so here's some proof:

The show was followed by a walk around to soak up the atmosphere in the West End on a Saturday evening followed by a very good seafood meal (naturally) in an excellent restaurant.

Yesterday we walked out across Hyde Park to have lunch at The Dorchester, and then a little shopping in New Bond Street and a meander round Selfridges and Chinatown. Not quite your normal Sunday LL, but it might have been once.

Here are a few more shots of our trip around and about - they cover Sussex, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Yorkshire and Scotland:

I have a few more delicate blogs for you, which follow shortly LL

'Perfick' as Always

Ciao

Unforgotten

For LL

I guess I must surprise you from time to time, by popping up in places without warning. We are over here for a few weeks and have been visiting around the UK.

Spent last week on a pleasant trip north via Yorkshire and then eventually staying with my attorney in Glasgow - George and his wife. Yesterday we meandered eastward to St Andrews and are now in  Pitlochry staying with family Did you spot an Aston Martin?

Next is a few days in Keswick at our own place there. Catching up with an old mutual friend is on the agenda as well. She is looking forward to a ride in the Aston. Toward the end of this week we are looking up a friend in Liverpool and then driving down to our Cheltenham home. I guess you might wonder what happens to all our places when we are not using them, so I will explain. We have live in staff who maintain and ready for our use.

Then it's on to Bristol to see Trish. I believe I mentioned Devon and Dorset previously, but we are cutting those out as we need to get back to London by early next week. From there you'll be pleased to learn we will fly out to our home in New Hampshire.

I normally regale you with my photography and in particular those of the female form, with little talk of the rest of my interests. Naturally, this is aimed at showing you that you were right and wrong. Right about the ease in which one could encounter other women and wrong about what you thought you knew about me.

Back to those other interests which include my cooking (literally, as seen on TV in the US). our varied businesses. horses, sailing and my writing. I may be approaching the seventh decade in numbers, but I am still living life to the full.

Under the business heading we are involved in leisure - hotels, golf courses - real estate, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas and retail fashion among others. This wasn't all my doing of course. I brought real estate and pharma into the mix and Ash brought in the hotel businesses and fashion. The oil and gas came off the back of the fracking revolution over here. So that gives you a flavor of what I am talking about. I am sure you can imagine that involves many millions of $'s...and it does.  Our interests are truly worldwide from Japan and Australia to Europe (including the UK) and of course the States.

Even if I hadn't met Ash, I would have had quite a fortune in my own right. I guess you can only imagine the life style I lead - one which you could have shared, once. But... as you said yourself, you always make the wrong decisions. You did with me - big time.

I am not attaching any hotel, real estate or industrial photos, but here are some food ones, in no particular order, to give you an idea of that aspect of my life:

Let me know if you need a recipe....!

You once commented on flaunting. Did you like the photo of our Astons in London? Christmas, Ash received a Porsche from me. That goes alongside a Florida stable that includes an S Class Merc and two BMW's as well as a Lincoln. There's a classic Lotus in San Diego along with a Lexus and in New England yet another four vehicles including a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Then we have a boat in Florida and one in the Med. How's that for a flaunt...and I'm not including homes😏👍
 

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Nothing is ever forgotten LL, even if some things can be forgiven. I say some things, because there are actions that will not be forgiven.

To give one instance of the latter, I would mention certain items of both real and intrinsic value. In the event of my demise (it comes to us all, sooner or later😉), I have left instructions to obtain the return of the said items, and a large sum to cover any legal costs, if it comes to that. There is an opportunity to avoid that on the part of the person involved, but in the end that is up to them. maybe they will do the right thing soon, but I am not holding my breath after nearly twelve years...

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Spring will be upon us by the time we get back to New Hampshire and I'm looking forward to spending some time at our home in Nantucket, so that I can catch up on my writing schedule, while certain folk return to their usual Spanish haunt...how's that for boring. We'll be in Europe from sometime in April. 

Just think LL it could have been you enjoying this life...

Ciao

UK Meanderings

For LL

I guess I must surprise you from time to time by popping up in places without warning. We are over in the UK now for a few weeks, and will be visiting around the UK and using our home in Sandbanks as well as London.

Maybe these will help put you in the picture so to speak. No timescale...we are just doing some business, visiting friends and sightseeing (for Ash) and touching base with extended family members. I'll leave you to figure out which friends and family.

There...

And, back again.....

Ignore the travel times as we are staying over in various locations. Some in our own places, others with friends/family and also the odd hotel.

So far Sussex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Yorkshire...not forgetting Knightsbridge of course😀.

Here's a photo journal of our travels, started gray, but brightened up:

Brighton

Hove

Southwold, Suffolk




Suffolk Coast










Norwich

Recognize the Italian restaurant below? Or, maybe it wasn't you that I took there...whoops! It's called Trattoria Rustica.

Norwich Pottergate

Leeds

Leeds

Harrogate

 Ciao

Our Meanderings Out West

For LL

Just for a change I thought you might like to see some of our meanderings in California. The scenes are a mixture of King's Canyon, Sequoia National Park, Lake Tahoe and the coast near Carmel. WE will be out there again later in the year. Other trips call before that.

Bet you wish your decision making had been better.... You had me hook, line and sinker but your attention strayed and I slipped through your fingers and into the arms of another.

Not our car, by the way.

Ciao