This weekend, Simon and I headed out to the 'English Countryside' to Chalmsford for a wedding. We left Friday nite and got back to London just an hour or so ago. I hadn't been out of town for a weekend in two months an was definitely going stir crazy. So, the weekend away to a such a quiet place was exactly what I needed-and it was good fun, too!
We stayed at a place called Five Lakes Resort. Wow. The interior was a little dated, but it was an amazing place nonetheless-it's a golf and spa resort. But surprisingly, the prices there are ridiculously cheap: 100 pounds per night. Yes, I know that's $200, but even at that, it was a good deal-and remember, that includes 17.5%....
We didn't get there until Friday at 9p, so we just had a low key evening to ourselves. After we got settled in, we headed downstairs to the bar to have a drink and a snack and watch some of the recap of the England v South Africa cricket. But, being Friday nite, by about 11.30 or so, we're ready to call it a night.
Saturday morning was leisurely-as the wedding reception we were going to (the wedding was only for family) didn't start until 3p, and we were awake by 8.30p... After breakfast (a huge buffet which was included!..see? The 100 isn't sounding so bad now, is it?..), we decide to take a stroll outside for a little while and see the grounds. Really nice-bunnies, ducks, geese, and who knows what else are all around. The ducks are actually so tame, even the babies came right up to us without the mama duck attacking.
After that, the pool/sauna/steam room was calling our name, so from around 1oa-noon, we proceed to go from playing around in the pool to hitting the jacuzzi, to sweating a bit in the steam room-and back and forth. It's one of the laziest Saturdays I've had in I don't know how long-and it was exactly what I needed. Plus, the steam room did wonders for my skin! :)
Around 2.30p, our taxi arrives to take us to the Golf Club where the wedding reception is. Drum roll, please. Aside from Herbie, whom I've already met, I'm walking into the event in which I will proceed to meet ALL of Simon's friends. About 12 in all (at least the ones he's super close with). Now I know how Simon must have felt at the Beer Garden in Seattle in May when he met everyone all at once. It's a bit overwhelming, but his friends really were just amazing. They were all funny and fun, and it's obvious they all just get along so well. For a group of mostly guys (and of course wives now...), they didn't at all act like a stereotypical group of guys will sometimes act. If you really can tell a lot about a person by his friends, what I think about Simon didn't change one bit after meeting everyone-that's a good thing. And if anything, I know he's a lucky guy to have such great people in his life like he does. Anyhoo, here are a few photos from the day....
Simon & a 'mysterious lady.' Compliments of the onsite balloon maker.
Herbie & Simon 
Simon & Moi
Murphy & Noonie
Ed, Massimo, & JaneOh yeah. Alcohol may have been a little involved in some of this, but no children or small animals were harmed...Good times.
No comments:
Post a Comment