Home again-jiggety jig!

We got back from London yesterday with no hitches, though I have to say that Aer Lingus' check in routines in Gatwick were a bit chaotic, but we found our way, really by Mum accosting people and asking. Then she was most put out when we went downstairs to go to the Departures gate to discover another level of shops! So she did a quick detour whilst we went on!

Monday we each spent doing errands, I had to buy new music for the School Nativity this Christmas as I have used up everything I own. I found two suitable books in Chappell’s which was great. I also visited John Lewis, Liberty, HMV, and then, as I had nearly two hours before meeting the others I headed to the V & A Museum, which is one of my favourite places! I visited the Theater Exhibit, Textiles and the gallery housing Owen Jones’ sketches. I took quite a few photos to work from, and lots of ideas for quilt patterns are milling around in my head. (Don’t you find Ideas take on a life of their own and the jostling can become fairly noisy and acrimonious? Sometimes I wonder who is in charge of the inside of my head- me or the Ideas?)

On Monday evening we went to see the Musical ‘Wicked’, a recent prequel to the ‘Wizard of Oz’. It was brilliant! Set design and costumes were phantasmagorical and intricate, and the technical side was spectacular. We were sitting right up in the gods and I think we lost nothing by being so far from the stage. I’d go again, and in fact it was the bro’s second time.

ceiling of the Apollo Theater, Art Deco design and very evocative of that era, I thought.

Victoria and Albert Museum
Theater exhibit- the detail on this was beautiful but the photo is not good; it gives an idea though.
part of the Theater exhibit
this and below, some of Owen Jones' drawings. They were meticulous, detailed, and the colours really vivid still- I'm going to research him further.

inner courtyard of the V & A Museum

chandeliers in Liberty. Its such a beautiful building.

galleries in Liberty

The Royal College of Organists by the Royal Albert Hall, I had to take a photo of that!

Kew Gardens

canna lillies outside the Palm House, just look at the pattern on those leaves!

the Water Lily House- it was beautiful and a lot of lillies were flowering.

agapanthus and phlox, can't remember which section

eucalyptus bark

rock pool in the Alpine section with the Princess of Wales Glasshouse behind

anthurium in the Palm House.

waterlily.

It was wet and windy at Knock, but more rain on the wind than lashing, if you see the distinction! I was quite amusing as the plane taxied to its place a loud and indignant small (English) voice exclaimed: 'It's raining!' Everyone laughed. Anyhow, as soon as Mom had the case, we opened it and got out jerseys and anoraks, before even leaving the baggage hall! Yes, well, we knew we were home...