Sew Retro Rose, Where Have You Been!!!

Its true, I have been absent from this blog for a while.

I have been struggling with my mental health for a while now, and managing everything just got too much for me.  I probably should have let you all know what was happening, but I couldn't manage that either.

And then the holiday that my husband and I had been looking forward to for a whole year was upon us.  A four week long trip to Dubai, England, and Paris.  I've decided for my first post back I should do a holiday summary!

So, on our holiday I :

- Rode a camel in the Arabian Desert

This whole afternoon/evening was a pretty amazing experience culminating in a talk by an astronomer.  We lay around on rugs and pillows in a traditional camp with all the lights off while the astronomer showed us constellations and explained how the Bedouins navigated by the stars.

- Saw a real life Dior New Look suit in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London

I may have stood at the glass with my mouth hanging open for a bit...

- Shopped for my dinner in the Harrods Food Hall

Steve was out late with the cricket team he is part of, so instead of going to a restaurant on my own, I went shopping at Harrods!  Champagne, cheese, a slice of delicious terrine, and some chocolate truffles.  Mmmmmmm

- Drank a magnum of Verve at Lords Cricket Ground (yes, I did share)

In Australia there is absolutely no way you would be allowed to take this much glass into a stadium, let alone the fact that its full of full strength alcohol.

- Got a new tattoo

 Its Miss Stella!!!

Thanks so much to Hannah Calavera for the tattoo and the photo

- Watched my husband play cricket against The Royal Household at Windsor Castle (the Queen drove past, and Prince Phillip stopped his car to watch a few overs)

 It was located in the grounds of Windsor Castle, and we required security clearance and photo ID to get in.  It was a perfect day even though we lost...

- Visited some fabulous English pubs

 I just loved how all the pubs were covered in flowers!  Actually, pretty much everything in England was covered in flowers!!!

- Drank more champagne

 These particular photos were taken at a ground at Broad Half-penny Downs, which was right across a country lane from a pub called The Bat and Ball (where the rules of cricket were first written down) and we drank them out of Verve Cliquot, then we drank them out of Moet, and then we drank them out of Collet (another french champagne).  We were on fire.

- Was lost for words at Winchester Cathedral

Saint George's Chapel at Windsor Castle brought me to tears, but this one just blew me away.  Absolutely incredible.

- Attended a formal dinner in the Long Room at Lords Cricket Ground to celebrate our (the Sydney Cricket Ground XI's) game against the MCC

 Steve had spent all day in the Member's Pavilion at Lords, as the team played there that day.  Being able to join him for a formal dinner was a wonderful experience.

- Wandered around Highgate Cemetery

 I have wanted to go to this Victorian era cemetery since I read a couple of books that featured it.  What an amazing, magical, surreal place!

- Saw the Fashion On The Ration exhibition at the Imperial War Museum

You weren't allowed to take photos of this exhibition (but I took one - sneaky sneaky!), and wonderful though it was, I found it was like going through my friends wardrobes, but with captions!

- Saw Big Ben (or at least, the tower in which Big Ben hangs)

So I had no idea that Big Ben was the name of the bell, not the tower....

- Saw my most opulent room to date at the Ópera National de Paris (don't mention Versailles to me. I am NOT HAPPY about missing it)

My jaw just dropped.  So did my husbands.

- Saw lots of dancing boobies at Moulin Rouge

Great fun show!  Lots of (small) naked dancing boobies.  And feathers.  SO MANY FEATHERS!!!!

...and last but not least
- Kissed my husband on top of the Arc de Triomphe overlooking the Champs Élysées 

There are so many more things that I could have highlighted here.  So many.  But I hope this gave you a glimpse into what I experienced.  I have lots of fun things coming up and some great plans for this blog.  I'm back and I'm invigorated!

Have any of you done or seen what I have?  I'd love to hear what you thought!

Beccie
xxx