Sister's Day Out!

Every year for our birthdays, my sister's and I make sure we have some quality time together, just us four (although one year we did let our Mum come!) Brenda's birthday is the day after mine so we share the day and take it in turns to choose.. The sister whose birthday it is gets to choose where we go, this year was Brenda's turn. The sun shone for the Jones girls (no relation to Indiana) as we set off bright and early to Biscester Outlet Village. A two and half hour drive later courtesy Sandy Schumaker (just kidding!) we arrived. The village itself is lovely, had a kind of New England feel with painted clapboard buildings. Lots of designer gear at (supposedly) knock down prices. Well we set to and trundled in and out of every shop.... stopping only for a gorgeous Italian icecream ... just to cool down you understand... it was hot!

After our shopping experience at the Outlet Village we headed off into nearby Oxford for a little more retail therapy...My sisters bought me these gorgeous shoes for my birthday....I could pretend that I bought them from the Jimmy Choo boutique or LK Bennet's, but I didn't- they're from Schuh, which is fine really - I don't need designer gear, just have to like what I'm buying ...

Our Diane thought they were good enough to eat!

Seriously though, Oxford is beautiful and Diane pointed out Trinity College where my nephew (her son) studied for 3 years and his "quarters" during his first year... the architecture is amazing!

Apparently, this is the most photographed building in Oxford..... (I overheard a guide telling some people on a walking tour as I was taking this shot!)

Mr.... er ... don't know.... but he must be important to have his head adorning this building!

A bit of latin....not that any of us understood what it said but we thought we'd get a shot to show that we are women who appreciate culture.....because we do!

After trundling round this very beautiful place, we went for a meal at Michaels Kitchen, the restaurant was in this gorgeous building.....Brenda and I held back here because we're the babies and they are the oldies in our sistership!

The meal was gorgeous, we decided on a 2 course meal (watching the waistline!) my choice was goats cheese gallette starter and red snapper with pesto mash and lavendar carrots for my main meal...... oh my! The chef must have known it was our birthdays because he sent out complimentary pumpkin cappucino before our starter (a pre starter, starter???) and then after our proper starter, he sent out four tiny dishes of bananna semifreddo with the smallest mother of pearl spoons, to cleanse our palette before the main meal. Just perfect.

I shall be 50 next year.... its my choice of where we go, I wonder if I could get away with choosing a weekend in Paris or Rome or something like that ....