the quarter century club

I'm a spring baby and last week was my 25th birthday. 25 years is an awfully long time to be around for, let's face it. The years fly by faster the older you get and whilst I still feel like a spring baby it must be very strange for my parents and granny to see me reach a quarter century. No wonder they say they feel even older. 

On Saturday we headed out west for a long weekend at home. Having taken Friday off (my actual birthday), I was already feeling relaxed, excited to spend some time with mum and dad and belatedly celebrate my brother's birthday, which was only a few weeks ago too. 

Saturday mum drove us over to Stratford for a little shopping. The American visited Stratford a very long time ago so it proved a nice opportunity to explore. We snooped antique shops, interior dens and enjoyed lunch at a favorite of ours; Huffkins.

Mum decided to take us the scenic route home which ended up with us getting lost but seeing a lot of lovely countryside. I love how Warwickshire spills over into the Cotswolds so easily, it really is such a small area. My brother joined us for dinner at The Bell in Eckington, another family favourite.  

Sunday was a quieter day, with walks in the sunshine (it was a beautiful day) and a visit into town to see some school friends for tea, cake an a gossip. On our way back to the carpark we popped over to my school to have a snoop of the old place. Evensong had just finished and the choristers were out on the green playing whilst mothers chatted away in the golden light. Coming back to school 7 years later really made me appreciate what a beautiful place i spent so much of my life. It's funny how time does that for you. 

Monday - isn't it just the best feeling knowing you don't have to go into work on a Monday?! - I drove us over to Cirencester as the American has been dying to visit for as long as I can remember. The weather was less pleasant but we still managed to find some antique shops to rustle in, a wonderful stationery and art shop and the sweetest coffee shops around. Cirencester is currently top of our lists for towns to move to after our London days are over. 

The drive home was bittersweet; relaxed and happy after our day away from desks but with a sense of impending doom as we realized we'd be back in the smoke by bedtime. It's getting harder to leave home after a weekend away now but we love London and would miss all it's glory should we move out now.

Perhaps in another 5 years time we'll be ex Londoners and fully-fledges Cotswold dwellers. One can only dream.



L.