Visitors and Visiting

​For a while now we have enjoyed being at home and not being particularly sociable, so it has been quite a busy week in regard of the latter.  A few things had been in the diary for months, but it still seemed to suddenly creep up on us.  Do you think this year has whizzed past?!  So, last weekend a couple of friends visited from California.  One might think they are mad to brave the winter anyway, but it was a bit of a shock to the system when they arrived on Friday evening when it was minus 3 degrees!  Biting wind, frost and terrible driving conditions.  We collected them from the Royal Well bus station in Cheltenham (National Express from Heathrow) and then deposited them at one of the Sudeley Castle estate cottages – which provide individual, characterful and very comfortable self-catering holiday accommodation. 

No.6  is too small to have guests to stay but we did manage a few brunches, copious cups of tea and a few slices of cake.

I have known Roger and Susan since 1990 (ish) and although Roger has visited the UK a few times, tagging it on to business trips, it has been over 20 years since Susan and I have been in the same room!  It was great to catch-up and – within an hour or so – feel that we had only seen each other just a few weeks ago!  Isn’t that a fabulous experience to have?
We also spent some time with my family – Roger and Susan met most of them years ago and even attended Ali and Ian’s wedding (1999).  Naturally Mum gave them the grand tour of the ‘new’ house; Roger and Susan agreed that it is like Hogwarts!  I do think it’s amazing that Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering America in 1492 (October)  and Cross House was built in the early sixteenth century…. and has been occupied ever since!  The layers of history are phenomenal.
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We also met up with a friend (and ex-colleague) of Roger’s who now lives in Cheltenham – having been based in San Francisco and then Canada (Toronto, I think) so it was quite an international event… over a game of cards and a combination of British Polo Gin (distilled in the Cotswolds), UK beers and local cheeses, cured meats and chutneys.  One evening we enjoyed an Indian meal at the local Winchcombe Restaurant – fabulous Indian restaurant - and  our farewell lunch was Thai, so we managed to cover most flavours and, in our opinion, this is always a positive indication of a good time had by all!?!

Carol, Rosie, Claire and Helen

​The same could be said for a weekend lunch get-together (Saturday 9th December)  with friends from sixth from (1995 – 1997).  It’s clear that our friendship has stood the test of time!  The next one should be in February, and we are hoping that others may be able to join in too...

If you're ex-AGS and want to catch-up, let me know!