UK Trip Day 10 Woodford, London

Ikea, then lunch with Christine

Susan has plans to renovate her the small flat above her garage to be a studio apartment for a live-in housekeeper. We decided that we could combine a trip to Ikea with a visit to Christine and Thomas in Woodford on the outskirts of London.

Barb and Susan had a wonderful time trawling along through Ikea, looking at kitchen and bathroom fittings, lounge and bedroom furniture and blinds for the windows.

Susan and John sample the Ikea cafe's cuppas

Getting ideas for small kitchens

Testing the comfort of dining room settings

A day bed with drawers might work

There's so much to try and take in! It was also very easy to keep getting lost and they find themselves going round and round in circles. Susan found it a really useful exercise. She took copious notes and picked up several catalogues and now has a clearer idea in her mind of how to achieve her aim.

After leaving Ikea, we drove on to Christine's place for a late lunch. Geoffrey had arrived before us (he's on his way to Somerset for a few days) with the dogs. Daisy and Bella were delighted to see their friends Thea and Gracie, two very cute Cavalier King Charles spaniels. Thea looked very like Lily, Barb's sister Pamela's dog in Australia)

Barb with her new friend Thea

John makes friends too

Christine with John

Thomas with Bella

Geoffrey and Susan

Christine had gone to a lot of trouble cooking a beautiful hot lunch for us, including two amazing desserts. We had a very convivial lunch lubricated with wine and champagne (ginger beer for Barb)
We admired Christine's recently renovated back garden. She's had artificial turf laid and the rest is paved or covered with lush flowering plants. This really helps to block the traffic noise and give a lot of privacy.

Christine's back garden

John inspects the turf

Christine's amazing pavlova

Super cute Thea

Friends since school days, Susan and Christine

No-one felt like dinner after such a huge and delicious lunch, so we're spending the evening packing for the next leg of our journey:3 nights in York.