.Getting to Know the Queen Better!

 

Tuesday Terry and Anne took us to Sandringham, the Queen's private family home. It is near the coastline of the North Sea set in a beautiful area of forests, ponds, and rhododendrons. The house is actually more like a palace. We were able to tour through their private rooms on the first floor and speak to the guides about the royals life in the house. The house is closed November through February and parts of July when the queen is in residence. The rest of the time it is open to the public.  In the stables we saw many cars used by the family over the years as well. It was a terrific sightseeing trip.

Home sweet home

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Anne ready to drive!



The Royal Golf Cart!



Cousins....smile!!



Even the lightposts have the Royal crest on it.



After leaving Sandringham Terry took us 6 miles further north to the coast on the North Sea. Now we felt familiar territory in a harbor town called Wells Next the Sea. Unfortunately many of the little shops were closed for a half day on Tuesday. Terry tried to find fresh crab to bring home but they were all closed. So on the way back we stopped off in a lovely little town and had dinner at a coach hotel.

Camera looking over the North Sea

We felt right at home among the boats.

Main street south

Main street north



Choices....choices.....choices!



The Buggs meet the Buggs...Again

Monday morning we left Derby around 8AM and followed Pat's Google directions and the GPS exactly. We did not make 1 wrong turn and arrived in Lakenheath, Suffolk by 11:15AM. Ann Bugg was home waiting for us with the welcome of the world.  We immediately felt at home and in the presence of family.  Just knew we clicked last May when we met (for the first time) in Bury St Edmund's.  Peter and Terry Bugg share the same grandfather, George Bugg.  After our meeting last year Ann and Terry began the process of organizing a Bugg family reunion.



Front




Terry's beautiful back garden.



Conservatory



What a gardener!























After Terry arrived home from work in the early afternoon we got papers and information out and had a great time reminiscing about family and what each person remembered and discovered through family research. 



Looking through the Bugg family bible.





Going over the family tree.



In the evening Emma arrived after her work day and we all went out for proper British fish and chips in Brandon.  This is the town that their grandfather, George Bugg, lived and worked and died.  More family history later.  After dinner we returned back home for Victoria sponge dessert.  What a great day to get to know our extended family better!!!





Sunday at Hardwick Hall

Hardwick Hall is in Chesterfield, Derbyshire and was built in 1590 by Bess of Hardwick. She was the second wealthiest woman next to the queen at the time. She was a very independent woman for her time, inviting royalty and important people to the house for lavish gatherings. The house is basically unchanged from the time it was built.



The Ole Boys!

After we toured the house we went into the back field to a food fair and sampled all sorts of jellies, chutney, breads, and candies then had lunch and an ice cream. It was a wonderful last day with Pat and Lynn. In the evening Lynn had to do her school work while Pat fiddled with Google Earth directions and we watched a movie about King Arthur.  Pat's directions were very detailed but perfect!! They were perfect company for the weekend and we thank them very much!  See you in Florida in August

A Busy Day in Derby

Today while Lynn was at her hairdressing appointment we went to an indoor mall with Pat to walk around the shops. Peter bought some really nice shirts, one of them being his first with the color pink!!

When Lynn was done we went to the Royal Derby China facility. They have been making fine china for many years and were one commissioned to make dining sets for the Titanic. We walked through an exhibition depicting artifacts and recreations of life aboard the Titanic. Jane found out that the Titanic left Southhanmpton, UK, and made stops in France and Queenstown, Ireland before crossing the Atlantic. It left Ireland April 12, 1912. This date is significant because her grandfather immigrated to Ireland in April of 1912. Thank goodness he was not aboard the Titanic!  It was a fascinating tour and we left buying another little china bird to join the one Lynn & Pat gave us one when they visited a few years ago.

Kate Winslet'ws dress from the movie

Recreation of first class suite



Royal Derby china for Titanic's first class dining



Petere, Steven, Pat



After lunch Steven Wilkins and his wife Wendy arrived from Wales. Steven was also a Blackrock schoolmate of Peter and Pat who we met at the school reunion in 2007. Steven is responsible for reconnecting Peter with his cousin, Terry Bugg. He had met Ann Bugg while on business in Bury St Edmunds and made it possible through phone calls to Ann for us to meet them last year on our UK trip. It was that meeting that began the Bugg family reunion process. 

We drove to Atwell to see the "well dressing". This is an annual event which has groups decorating well locations with pictures created from natural items like stones, flower petals, vegetables, twigs, etc. They are really beautiful to see.

 

After our little trip to Atwell we had dinner together and then said our goodbyes. It was so nice to see Steven and meet Wendy. We are forever grateful to Steven for his insight in reconnecting Peter's family.

Friday trip to Derby

This morning we said good bye to Willy and Patricia and started our drive to Derby to visit Pat and Lynn Atchinson.  Thankfully Peter got quickly back into driving on the left side of the road.  Through the center of Tonbridge he manuevered through school traffic and onto the highway. Between the GPS and Map Quest directions we made the trip in about 3.5 hrs without incident. We only made 1 wrong turn at the very end before arriving at Pat and Lynn's house in Derby.  Pat was in Blackrock College with Peter. We first met at their 40th reunion in 2007 and have forged a friendship that renews itself every year.  They have visited our house in Franklin, MA and our boat in Kennebunkport, Maine. This August they will be at our house in Florida. This is our second trip to their house in Derby. 


Pat and Lynn's house



Peter loves Lynn's Victoria sponge

A Day at Hever Castle

Thursday morning dawned sunny and warm. Patricia had to work all day so Willy took us on a tour of the countryside to Hever Castle.  This is a beautifully preserved building that housed Ann Bolyn's family in the reign of Henry VIII. She was the second wife in a line of 6 wives, 2 or 3 of them were beheaded and the rest divorced. The last wife survived both endings.  Much of the castle has been remodeled or added onto in the early 1900's by Astor, an American son of the founder of the Waldorf Astoria in NYC. 

The castle and grounds were fabulous...especially with the great weather.  The pictures speak for themselves.

After our visit we returned back to Tonridge and started dinner. Willy lit the barbecue and we had dinner ready to cook when Patricia returned after working all day.  We had a lovely outdoor dinner watching the sunset, sipping on Pimms, and having barbecued swordfish.



UK trip by air

On Monday evening we flew out of Orlando, Florida to Gatwick Airport in England.  The flight was 7.5 hours long leaving at 6PM and arriving at 1:30AM (6::30AM UK time).  We are visiting our friends in Tonbridge, Kent for a few days before driving to Derby to stay with friends Pat Atchinson & Lynn for the weekend. Then we drive to Lakenheath, Suffolk near Bury St Edmunds, the ancestral home of Peter's father, and a family reunion of the Bugg family.

Tonbridge is about 30 miles from the airport so the drive to Patricia & Willy's house was short. After arriving Peter cooked sausages & eggs for Willy & Jane, since Patricia was working, and we reacquainted ourselves with their two lovely dogs Baily and Oscar.  By 9AM we were exhausted after flying through the night so we took a 3 hour nap. By the time we woke Patricia was home so we had a nice afternoon catching up on all the news.  Patricia cooked a wonderful dinner of sea bass & local asparagus and Willy served terrific wine.  The evening ended early since we started to crash with exhaustion so we went to bed early but thankfully sleeping through the night until 5:30AM.







Osacar and Baily..best buddies!



 Waking today we are in tune with the time change and ready to go. Patricia took us for a scenic ride to the little airport where her Cessna 152 is kept. Lucky for us the weather wasn't too bad so she decided to take us for a ride.  Jane climbed into the passenger seat and Peter decided to stay land based to take some pictures. Patricia flew up to 1000', just under the cloud level, and we did the circular route around the airport twice.  The view from there was just beautiful. Everything looks so orderly & pristine. It's a country side of green fields, sheep, small villages and narrow roads.  What a thrill for Jane.



Preparing for take off





In the cockpit




A perfect landing



 After the ride we stopped into a nearby pub for a bite of lunch then back home to chat, rest, and catch up on world news.  Tonight we are taking Patricia & Willy out to dinner & a pub.  



Cheers to the pilot!