Snippets from Home (part 2).

After I soaked up a bit of home, I set myself off to Prague to visit my brother H and his girlfriend A and eventually to bring H home for the weekend.

We went to a pub that serves 50 different types of beer. Now, I am not a beer girl, I choose wine over beer anytime. However, I tasted a few really really tasty pints (or half-litres as it is in Czech) and for that evening I was a convert. Up until we moved to a different bar that was offering excellent piña coladas. Because lets face it, pineapple tastes better than barley.

In the morning the two of them had to go to work and I had a day in Prague to myself. I made the silly mistake of packing my relatively new Doc. Martens with me because I sincerely believed they were broken in already. They weren’t, lesson learnt. But even with painful feet I had a lovely time in sunny Prague.

In the afternoon I picked my brother up at work and we drove back home together. So the last two days before I left we spent at home all of us as a family. The weather did not disappoint and we did a lot of lazying in the sun, catching vitamin D.

And because the best tan happens while working (not lying) in the sun (my parent’s brilliant raising strategy), one afternoon we went to help Dad plant some trees in the garden.

In the evening we barbecued some fish and vegetables and enjoyed a warm spring evening by the fire.

Yes, I still play with my food…

My birthday was in March, however my mum insisted on making me my favourite pie that with the help of a few candles was transformed into a birthday pie. It was so delicious! Quark, ground poppy seeds and plum jam…..

Chilling in my favourite spot.

Lilacs were blossoming everywhere! When I was little I wanted to get married in May so I could have lilacs as my bridal flowers…

It was hard to leave. It always is. But knowing that I’d be back soon for my friend’s wedding made things easier and I was able to leave without tears. Me and Mum always cry the day before I go so we don’t complicate my departure :) But pst, it’s our secret ;)

Snippets from Home (part 1).

I am back in London after one week at home. The word ‘home’ is a tricky one.  The day I left  London I had my diary marked  ‘Going home’ and for the day coming back to London ‘Coming back home’.  Thus I went home from home, both ways…

Anyway, it’s  better having two homes than one I guess, so I don’t break my head about it too much.

My Dad picked me up at the airport and there was a three hour drive ahead of us through this tricolour of Czech springtime countryside.

I had the most amazing time as I always do, I rested my mind and my body and I talked more than my mouth could take.

But first things first, when we arrived home my dad took me for a little walk ‘around our homestead’. It’s a little ritual when Dad updates me on how home currently looks, what has changed and what is planned for the future. I love it so much!

Making our way up the garden, I knew we were heading to the forest. Yes, forest. The past few years my Dad has been successfully transforming our garden into a forest…

…and he’s so proud of every single tree he planted.

To my Dad’s annoyance, Mum likes to walk around choosing Christmas trees…

…but we all know she likes the forest as much as Dad does. And not only because of the mushrooms.

The walk ended just outside of the house where I was introduced to the anchor. Dad’s newest treasure. He found it, don’t ask me.

The week was filled with sunshine, good food, and plenty of chatting! I did not get done anything I planned to and I should finally grow out of planning my time at home apart from simply being around my family. Because that is the real reason I go home.

And to make the bright days even brighter, I kept in touch with Mr. J as he was sincerely missed.

More to come tomorrow.

Old Friends.

Today was my second day at home. Both of these days I was busy with catching up, laughing, eating & drinking. The best kind of busy if you ask me.
Today, the sunshine finally came to say hello and so I decided to visit some of my old friends in the neighbourhood.

Some of them were a bit upset I haven’t showed up for such a long time, but nothing a bouquet of flowers couldn’t fix.