Not a single shop!

We have just returned from a wonderful, yet exhausting, trip to London, surely one of the greatest shopping capitals of the world :-) and I wasn't 'allowed' in a single shop! Considering this restriction, I have returned with quite a haul! I was incredibly touched at friends remembering how 'patchworky' I am.

First up, we stayed with amazing friends who really were the most welcoming, generous and incredible hosts to DH, myself and two noisy, messy, very excited little boys. They directed us to the sights (i.e. how to get to the Aquarium, local parks and coffee shops etc...), they put on meals, provided stunning accommodation and just basically made us feel so at home. This is really something when you are travelling with two very small boys who mess their food, put sticky handprints everywhere and wake up very noisily at sparrow's fart.



Our hosts had a BBQ on the Sunday and one of DH's friends came bearing a plastic carrier bag. He said that he had remembered me admiring his shirt once (for chopping up and patchworking LOL) and so here it was!



I was gobsmacked, how cool is that? Thanks Mark, I am really touched.

When I delivered the wedding quilt (pictured on the fence in the last post) Helen gave me some fabrics she'd bought for me on a trip to India (some time ago).



Aren't they gorgeous..? Thank you Helen (hope you and Kieran enjoy your quilt).



Then I finally met Kate!



We have been trying to meet for ages, but something always seems to come up (for me!). Anyway we had a grand day out first at the Natural History Museum viewing dinosaurs and mammals and then at the most amazing park with a pirate ship (and great ice creams!)

DS1 enjoyed the mammals with Sarah,




But sadly, DS2 slept through it! (all that running around and the scary dinosaurs LOL)

Kate and her lovely family were such fun and spoilt the boys with a shark for DS1 and a dinosaur for DS2. Both toys have been very popular! Kate gave me this absolutely lovely 'Africat' mini



and a tie-dye t-shirt which came in most handy on the last day as I'd not packed enough clothing for myself LOL.



Thanks Kate.

Sadly, my camera stopped working while we were away so I have had to find an old camera to take some photos of the contents of my suitcase which included another wonderful cotton shirt from our host and some fabric from our hostess some of which will be made into a bag for her, some cool beads and a wheat-free recipe book.


Thanks Paul & Emma, we had a great time!!

And look what else was on the camera! 2 pictures from 2006!!



He was 8 days old! And here he is with his BlockBuddy's quilt.



Doesn't the time just fly!!!