adventures in gliding

last month my husband tried gliding, also called soaring. i think he's been missing flying since he's been working on his master's degree. have you ever heard of gliding? because i hadn't. i was expecting something more akin to hang gliding. when i arrived at the husband's bosworth airfield i saw what looked more like airplanes, without the engines. how cool is that? i have to admit i have major flying envy, not of my hubby, who can fly commercial planes, but of animals that can take flight. over the years i have had many dreams about soaring. i can't wait to try gliding when i'm not pregnant. a possible meredith family hobby??  

tomorrow we're off on our annual pilgrimage to the states - the sunshine state to be exact. excited to spend time with family and friends, including at my baby shower!!!! (hosted by my bestie), relax by the pool and beach with the hubs, eat lots of yummy americano food, and recharge my preggo batteries. see ya in two weeks!

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day tripping: stowe gardens, buckinghamshire

this weekend we took advantage of the gorgeous weather, loaded the dogs in the car and hit the road. no meredith road trip is complete without a pit stop for coffee - in my case a skinny mocha latte with an extra shot of espresso (precious - i know!)

stowe gardens is part of the national trust, and is a product of the 18th century. it offers an expansive as well as impressive landscape with dog friendly walking paths. the property also features a main house as well as other secondary buildings, including a temple, and features classic roman architecture. 

unfortunately i left my nikon at home - i'm still kicking myself! thank goodness for iPhones - first mine, and then 
barry's, when my phone battery, as per usual, died.  speaking of photos, here are some:

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travel diaries: cambridge revisited

during my niece's epic visit over the holidays we spent a day in cambridge (click here for more info), a beautiful university town located in cambridgeshire. it was my second time, the first being  last spring and i'm smitten. the architecture is amazing,  and the best way to experience it is by boat. a popular way to see cambridge is by punting,a flat bottomed boat navigated with a pole by a 'punter' - more than likely a current former uni student who also serves as your tour guide. i recommend pricing the punters - as there are a plethora of them - and if you can, try to go with a smaller boat with less people (they can tend to over pack the boats) and one with blankets (you'll thank me later)! the punters are usually very knowledgeable and entertaining. if you like wine - bring some of that too, it will keep you warm! in addition to the  history and architecture, there is a good selection of shopping and restaurants (though if you go on a sunday, be prepared for many of the shops to be closed, as we did). we found an italian restaurant and i had the most delicious pizza with parma ham and rocket salad, the previous time we enjoyed tapas and sangria. the christmas lights were a treat!

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 mulled wine rocks. i'm just saying.

 note their mirror arm placement. love them.

 //right// at first we heard music but couldn't decipher where it was coming from until we noticed this guy, in the trash can. of course.