30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 4

My young son asks me… by Bertolt Brecht

My young son asks me: Must I learn mathematics?
What is the use, I feel like saying. That two pieces
Of bread are more than one’s about all you’ll end up with.
My young son asks me: Must I learn French?
What is the use, I feel like saying. This State’s collapsing.
And if you just rub your belly with your hand and
Groan, you’ll be understood with little trouble.
My young son asks me: Must I learn history?
What is the use, I feel like saying. Learn to stick
Your head in the earth, and maybe you’ll still survive.

Yes, learn mathematics, I tell him.
Learn your French, learn your history!

What are you thankful for today?
I am grateful for HRH the son and his beautiful bride for being such loving children.

For: 30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 4, Thankful Thursday: Autumn

Kerala Houseboat Tour

We had an amazing experience the day after the wedding. We went on a houseboat tour. From Cochin we drove a couple of hours to Kumarakom where we had the houseboat tour. Master craftsmen of these houseboats is now numbering. Only a few have tremendous knowledge and experience for Kerala houseboats. Without a scale model or drawing, they build these magnificent and beautiful Kettuvalloms. The natural coir fibre once soaked in oil, seal the holes and at the same time yield a little bit on mild impacts saving the houseboats. The ‘valavara’ the roof of the Kettuvallom is made of split bamboo poles Coir ropes and bamboo mats. The art of roof making is specialty of certain villages in Kerala. We stopped to buy some crabs, prawns and fish and the chefs cooked them. They were delicious. On our voyage across these mesmerizing backwater of Kerala we caught a glimpse of the beautiful water lilies, lush paddy fields, coir villages, temples, rustic homes, and coconut groves. The people of Kerala living along these backwaters have a unique lifestyle and culture.

What made you smile this week?

For: Weekly Smile 33 #weeklysmile, WW #73 winter wild…, Nurt Thurs – Your Role by Becca Givens, Thankful Thursday: Fun, giraffe elegance…

Ripples of Thankfulness

Hello everyone! Just got back from the UK where I visited my Mum, brother and family and of course, HRH the son and his beautiful bride. My friend N came with me and she also enjoyed her visit. We had some grill in the garden, sang, ate, drank and messed around.

We visited Coventry Cathedral, Lady Godiva, St. Mary’s Guild Hall and the City Centre.

Coventry Cathedral

We went to the Transport Museum, where we saw old cars, bikes, sportcars, etc and we went on a simulated ride on the fastest car (Thrust 2). That was cool!

We went to see Packwood House and Gardens in Solihull. It was lovely! The famous Yew Garden must be one of the largest collections of yew trees in the world.In the Carolean Garden visitors can admire the stunning herbaceous borders and enjoy views across the gardens and parkland from the seventeenth century brick gazebos. Away from the formal gardens visitors can discover Packwood’s lake, which features a circular stroll through a wooded glade.

We went to see two films – Tarzan and Json Bourne. They were great!

We went to see Stowe House, which has one of the most beautiful landscape gardens in the country. Stowe House is a Grade I listed country house located in Stowe, Buckinghamshire. It is the home of Stowe School, an independent school and is owned by the Stowe House Preservation Trust. It was a long walk but all worth it!

We met HRH the son and his beautiful bride and had Chinese. Nice to see them again.

Went to Birmingham with my Mum and my brother with his kids. We walked around the City Centre, did some shopping and had some ramen soup.

For a real bonding time, my Mum and I stayed in Chester for three days. Chester is a city in northwest England, founded as a Roman fortress in the 1st century A.D. It’s known for its extensive, well-preserved Roman walls made of local red sandstone. In the old city, the Rows is a shopping district distinguished by 2-level covered arcades and Tudor-style half-timbre buildings. A Roman amphitheatre, with ongoing excavations, lies just outside the old city’s walls.

I think that’s about it, my ripples of thankfulness! I have to unpack now, do some laundry, then pack my bags again. This time is for India, for the son’s wedding, Indian version. Him Indoors and I are flying in two days’ time for a couple of weeks’ holiday. Have a great week everyone!

What made you smile this week?

For: Ripples of Thankfulness by Lizzi, Weekly Smile 30 #weeklysmile, Three Things Thursday: July 28, 2016, Ski Dubai and Two Birthdays – Echoes of my neighbourhood 29, Thankful Thursday: Cherry on Top

My Weekly Smile in the Neighbourhood

Hello everyone! Hope you’re all fine. It has been raining here for quite some time and quite cold, but never mind. I’m sure the flowers in the garden need some water.

Not to mention, some herbs, our grape and apple trees

And the bees and butterflies who come and visit our flowers

Which reminds me, we’ve got an insect hotel for the little ones

And last weekend, it was children summer fest at the park

What made you smile this week?

For: Weekly Smile #28 #weeklysmile, Three Things Thursday: July 14, 2016, City Walk – Echoes of my neighbourhood 27, Thankful Thursday: My Job, FFF243 – SPEAR THISTLE

Weekly Smile – Caravan, Cabins and a Tree House

*three things that make me smile: an exercise in gratitude – feel free to steal this idea with wild abandon and fill your blog with the happy*

Hello everyone! During our road trip in Wales, we stayed in caravans and cabins. All 8 of us in one caravan is such a squeeze – 3 bedrooms, kitchen, living room, a terrace, a shower and a toilet. As my sister said, she felt she was on a boat – floating! We had fun, though, it was a big caravan site, with supermarket, gym, swimming pool, playground and bars. We stayed there for 2 nights while we visited Lllandudno, Beddgelert, Colwyn Bay and Llanberis.

And for something really adventurous, we stayed in cabins in the middle of a forest. It’s got a tree house, 3 cabins, a sauna, outside bath, shower, creek at the bottom and the whole forest to ourselves. It was quite hard to find it, like looking for a treasure hunt, we followed the instructions, complete with never-ending mountains in the middle of Wales, one-lane gravel lanes and nature galore to our delights. It was really a wonderful place for our road trip. We were able to visit Snowdon, Lake Vyrnwy and Pistyll Rhaeadr.

As part of our forest adventure, we also enjoyed the tree house there. It has two beds (but because there was no heater, no one wanted to sleep there, but we just hanged around the next morning), got a lovely view of the the forest, some weird stuff around, a sink, radio and an electric kettle.

What made you smile this week?

For: Weekly Smile 25 #weeklysmile, Creek side and pit stop at Al Ghurair Mall…Echoes of my neighbourhood # 24, Three Things Thursday: June 16, 2016, Thankful Thursday: Summer at Last, Skywatch Friday – 23 June 2016 , Ten Things of Thankful 158 (Current Affairs) #10Thankful by Lizzi and SEASONS – BEGINNINGS OF SUMMER June 24, 2016 | jesh stg

Tasty Thursdays – What We Had Recently

Food, all the glorious food
Always keeps us in good mood

All the planning, shopping, cooking
All the ways – to steam, fry, baking

Roast duck, beef and chicken, all tasty
Don’t eat snack now, it ruins your tea

And as for desserts, leche flan or cake
Chocolate mousse, apple pie or cheesecake

Food, glorious food, happy as we could all be
Everyone is welcome to our eating spree

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

For: Tasty Thursdays: Poke + Tropical Cake and Meter-Made Mood–dVerse Meeting the Bar and Thankful Thursday: Family

Seasons – London Calling

Hello everyone! I went to London with Him Indoors, my sister and her husband. There we met our friends from Munich. We stayed near Trafalgar Square so we could walk everywhere. And boy, we walked! We walked to the Big Ben, 10 Downing Street, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden. We met our friends in Soho to have our Chinese meal.

We walked through Green Park to reach Buckingham Palace. There was a cavalry parade.

We took our time looking at some painting at the National Gallery Museum.

We went to Imperial War Museum and saw the story of those whose lives have been shaped by war from the First World War to the present day.

We took a barge from Embankment to Greenwich. We saw the Tower of London, the Shard, Parliament, Millennium Bridge and other places of interest.

Tower Bridge

We went to the National Maritime Museum – the world’s largest maritime museum with 10 free galleries and a vast collection that spans artworks, maps and charts, memorabilia and thousands of other objects. The uniform of General Nelson with a bullethole was there.

We stepped on the Prime Meridian in Greenwich

Greenwich

What made you smile this week?

For: Weekly Smile Week 23 – #weeklysmile, Thankful Thursday: Silver and Shiny, SEASONS – LOCAL JOCALS IN JUNE by jesh stg, Flames of the forest and more Echoes of my neighbourhood 22 by Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha, Three Things Thursday: June 9, 2016 by nerdinthebrain, Thursday’s Special: Traces of the Past Y2-03 by Paula, Skywatch Friday – 9 June 2016 Edition , Ten Things of Thankful 156 (Frivolyptic) #10Thankful by Lizzi

Ten Things of Thankful – The Wedding

Hello everyone! Nice to be back. I’ve got lots of things to be thankful for. Our pride and joy, HRH the son has just married his beautiful K two weeks ago and we had a great time. Families and friends from different parts of the world came to celebrate with us.
Cheers to the newlyweds!

Before that we had a couple of pre-wedding parties

There was a quiet ceremony at the Registry Office

We were lucky with the weather and the venue was wonderful!

The band was brilliant!

Everyone had a smashing time!

There was even a photo booth…

They went to Rome for their “surprise” honeymoon

Roman Colosseum

So here’s wishing the newlyweds all the best in life! Cheers and we love you!

For: Ten Things of Thankful 155 (Virtuously done) #10Thankful by Lizzi, SEASONS – JUNE’S FARMERS MARKET by jesh stg, Gratitude For My Wonder Wagon, Thank God, It’s Monday! — Week of June 6th 2016 and Weekly Smile Week 22 – #weeklysmile. Also for: Jubilant

Cycling, Breakfast and Teriyaki – Echoes of my Neighbourhood

*three things that make me smile: an exercise in gratitude – feel free to steal this idea with wild abandon and fill your blog with the happy*

Hello everyone! Lovely weather here and we’ve been cycling a lot!

I met my friend today and we had some cool breakfast, complete with Proseco!

I went to town the other day and I had teriyaki prawns and salad for lunch

So, what made you smile this week?

For: The Waldorf Astoria and a birthday dinner…Echoes of my neighbourhood 18, Three Things Thursday: May 12, 2016 (With Announcements and Things) and Weekly Smile Week 19 #weeklysmile. Also for: Tasty Thursdays: Break Your Fast, Thankful Thursday: Flowers, Skywatch Friday – Friday the 13th Edition and framed in autumn colours…

Snow, Birdhouse and Flowers

*three things that make me smile: an exercise in gratitude – feel free to steal this idea with wild abandon and fill your blog with the happy*

two days ago, there was snow in our garden! cold and “is winter back again?” sort of question, with our winter coats and boots back on, oh well…

so pleased with our birdhouses/feeder, very popular for birds. Nice to see birds flying and feeding. They were so fast for me to take photos.

geranium

the sun came out today – yay! lovely to sit in the garden and admire our spring flowers.

So, what made you smile this week?

For: Three Things Thursday: April 28, 2016 and Weekly Smile Week 17 #weeklysmile.. Also for: Thankful Thursday: Grandson Time