Tuesday 29th October

I have to confess to tapping out this post under the influence of a small glass of port which was actually a little on the large side.

It's been a l o n g, l  o  n  g day... starting with the alarm going off at 5 am.

I didn't resent yesterday's early awakening, due to the clocks changing, as much as I might have done as I knew today would have to be an early start. We left the house at 6 am to drive to London for a 9.30am routine hospital appointment,  my first face to face at this clinic appointment since video appointments began in 2020. It looked as though we were going to be 2 hours early, until we reached Putney Hill. That's when I was able to admire the variety of architecture, observe the myriad different types of bicycles and motorbikes weaving through the stationary traffic and add several rows to the sock I am knitting 

We were only a few mmiles away from the Brompton Hospital at 7.30 am, but in the event BB had to drop me off near the entrance and drive off to park the car as we were only just in time!

The consultation, lasting a scant 30 minutes, was well worth the three-hour journey though, and I don't begrudge the time or the effort. It is well worth a face to face meeting to be sure that we are both clear about how it is going, and for us to come away feeling confident and reassured. 

We didn't want to go straight home, so we walked a little way round to a local church which I knew had a cafe with outside tables. Perfect, as the last thing I wanted to do was get straight back in the car again! 

Before visiting the cafe we went into the church; it always seems rude not to enter and pay our respects, as it were. There was definitely a trace of incense in the air, and also a place to light a candle. So I lit a candle for my family and friends (that includes you, anyone who is reading this post, by the way) and took in the atmosphere for a little while.

Then, resisting the 'Full English Breakfast £8.95' we settled for coffee each (very good too) and relaxed in the tranquility of the space. 

The trees were completely still with beautiful autumn leaves.

The churchyard has been turned into a park, with tennis courts, all-weather table tennis,  and play areas. I was enchanted by the climbing area, with Real Rocks and a soft landing surface area 

I wish we had had something like this in our local park when my children were small! What a brilliant idea.

We were very pleased to find that there was a cut-through to the cul-de-sac we were parked in, saving us from walking round three sides of a square. We've taken to booking a driveway in this delightful little street when we come to the Brompton but we'd never walked down to the end before. 

These lions might have been on guard duty but they looked quite friendly to me

So, we were home seven and half hours after setting off; back in time for a slightly late lunch... but still worth the trip in our minds.

Mind you,  we haven't done anything much this afternoon or evening!