Surprise!

I didn't expect to see Teracotta warriors in the grounds of the Farringdon estate, Oxfordshire, but apparently Lord Farringdon has an unusual sense of humour. He certainly has a large house and garden.

My friend J, who lives in Salisbury, met me at Swindon station. We calculated that it had been around five years since we'd met. The date of our last meeting was scheduled for 1st April 2020, but lockdown intervened. J and I taught together at the state language school in Zlin, Czech Republic, almost thirty years ago, and it was very easy to slip back into catching up and trying on clothes is the Outlet centre. There was nothing nice enough to buy, and annoyingly enough I'm between trouser sizes at the moment, so nothing fits well.

After lunch we headed off to Buscot Park and the Farringdon estate. J has an electric car now, and a Sat Nav with a mind of its own. However, we got to the house and grounds, and saw round the property. We had chosen this location because it's relatively near Swindon, but the day was grey and bitterly cold.  Buscot park is a lived-in house, but the viewable rooms are managed by the National Trust. The tea room is in a separate building, and has absolutely ghastly frescoes on the wall of posh people with blonde bouffant hair (I  hadn't realised before, but  big hair is an essential requirement for the ladies). I may try to put the fresco in extras. When I saw the word frescoes,  I thought they'd be Old Masters, or something more stately than caricatures.

J drove me back to Swindon station, and I got back home eventually, vowing not to leave our next meeting so long.

PS this is also a surprise because it's a blipday and I'd forgotten! I started blipping in July 2012 and have missed a few days over the years, and put in the odd backblip. Thanks to all of you who keep looking and commenting, the friendships and the stories are what keep me coming back. And the photography. Some amazing shots here, never on my journal, but they are an inspiration.