12/9/2013 and 12/10 first half!

Arriving at Ashridge is just the BEST.  I get my real live British Tea, feel like a LADY while staying on castle grounds and well maybe because I lived in Scotland for 2 years in 1987 and 88, maybe some part of it just feels like “home”!

Decided that Monday would be a much needed rest up day so all I really did, aside from sleep through breakfast and have a slow slow morning of tea and my beloved McVities Digestive Biscuits (cookies), I had a manicure at the Lifestyle center as well as a little soak in the whirlpool — my grateful knees purring with contentment! — then a stop in the steam room and a sit in the sauna as well.  Back to the room for another shower and some sorting and organizing and some relaxing conversation before late dinner.  Pat and I each had just about all we could do to stay away before dinner!  We sat and had quiet cups of coffee and that put us through it and then we went to bed and I slept like a LOG!  I had done a load of laundry the night before and so it felt good to have all my clothes cleaned and sort of a fresh re-start before packing.

Tuesday morning I woke up naturally and extremely well-rested, as did Pat. We made it to breakfast today and it was lovely!  I got to have a favorite, delicious Loseley Yogurt made with Jersey Cream.  YUM, they had strawberry!  And I mixed it with some fiber cereal and other oats, etc. and it just makes me smile!

We visited all Pat’s counterparts and coordinators in their offices here; Pat had gifts for them all as thank-you’s for helping with our visit.  We had snuck away from the office one day and went to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame to pick up a bunch of stuff for folks here.  They all seem to be loving them.

I am heading out now to meet up with folks so we can head in to Berkhampsted for a little visit and some casual shopping.

I will hopefully post again tonight while packing up to head on to our fanstastic journey to Vienna tomorrow!

I know this is out of order but Ashridge is so beautiful it deserves to be on top!

Garden view from my Hotel de L’Avre in Paris

Another Garden view that my camera can’t do justice for!

Where else but Paris would you wake up and find a car with a fresh tulip on it’s windshield?  Isn’t Paris romantic?

Hotel de L’Avre

Another place called Lilas!  This is a hotel right next to ours! My Vanna white Pose!Such a deal…NOT!  Who would eat this in Paris?The Sunday market at the end of our hotel’s street.  They sell everything here!  Including chickens with the feathers still on!  And smelly fish and cheese!

The Metro nearest our hotel.  The view from our final restaurant meal!

Place setting at our final Paris restaurant!

Our arrival was so late and we were so tired the next day we took it off!  I got a manicure and just relaxed, A LOT!  We needed it!

My favorite place to relax in this drawing room at Ashridge (just like one might be at Downton Abbey!).  The beautiful gardens and topiaries are maintained year round and always green and lovely!