Amongst the Bluebells

It was our annual trip to Greys Court today to see the bluebells.
Amazing!
The bluebells were the best I've ever seen and we picked a perfect day for it. Everything looked so beautiful in the sunshine.
Just like last year and the year before  we spent hours in the woods with the bluebells, had a picnic on the lawn by the house, climbed cherry trees, threw sticks in the swamp, went newt spotting, wandered through the spectacular gardens, threw blossom confetti, ate ice cream, ran round the maze, climbed in the tree fort, watched the red kites wheeling overhead, did cartwheels on the grass, fell off walls and cut our arms open (actually only Miss L did that and was very brave!)
Another fantastic day - it's such a wonderful place! We really must go more than once a year!
We left at closing time (managing to go out through the open gate rather than getting locked in and climbing over the fence like we had to last year!!) 
I was swimming with Miss K at the lake nearby at 6pm and it didn't seem worth going all the way to Bicester to come straight back with her so we took the Little Misses to McDonalds for dinner.
Mr K dropped me off at the lake and I met Miss K for our first open water swim of the season. My first real swim since Windermere last year!!
It was cold. So unbelievably cold!!
I didn't feel confident setting off on one of the longer courses so I did the 300m course three times. Miss K - who is practically an olympic swimmer - kindly stayed close to me and kept checking I was OK. 
I was OK apart from the tight chest and the general feeling of imminent drowning in the arctic depths!
But I did it! Woohoo! 
900m done. Now I just need to work up to 1650.....
Annoyingly I'd forgotten my sandals so I had to put my walking boots on to get back to Miss K's car. Not a good look with a wetsuit! By the time I got there they were full of water and unpleasantly squelchy.
And it was raining. And I was freezing!!
But a hot chocolate and nice chats with actual proper swimmers and triathletes and I feel much more human again.
I picked up my car from Miss K's and drove home - in my freezing sloshy boots - and collapsed onto the sofa.
And my lovely husband made me tea and toast and wrapped me in a blanket.
Oh no wait, he didn't. And I went to bed in a huff to warm up!