Before and After

Want to see what I've been doing at the Rivah Cottage?

This was the before.... The window behind the couch has been replaced with a gas fireplace.....

The rock and the mantel turned out perfect. The new flat screen TV and surround sound will fill in the box above the mantel and once the gas meter is hooked up we will have driftwood logs and flames. How perfect is that? My job here is done!

A simple red rose!

Look what I saw on my walk this morning...

How sweet! Happy Valentine's Day y'all! P.S. Do you see who Fifi Flowers has featured on her Blog today?

Boom, shuckalucka!

First you hear the music, and then, here they come...the Sunday Strollers! It is a relaxed, slow paced skate through the quiet neighborhoods of Chelsea. "Marshalls" have on bright green vests and clear the roads and intersections for the mass of skaters to parade through. Bringing up the rear are the music guys with huge boom boxes on their backs. It is a sight to behold!

~It makes us thirsty every time so we usually go around the corner to our favorite SPORTS pub, The Belgravia. Not much to brag about....

But a tasty Ploughman's platter with THE BEST onion chutney ever!

The Grove

While the boys were in Scotland for the weekend cheering for England in a Rugby Championship, we decided to take a girl's trip to The Grove....just a short tube ride northwest of London. Their "Escape the January Blues" package was just what we needed... it included overnight accommodations, a massage and use of the amazing Sequoia Spa facilities, dinner in the Glasshouse and a breakfast feast! Did I mention dessert?

To our surprise, after dinner we were able to curl up in front of an open fire, listen to a guest play the piano, enjoy a pot of tea and "girl talk" while we watched the snow swirl outside the windows and blanket the grounds of the resort with several inches of pure white. It was just dreamy!

Here are a few pictures taken the next morning.....

You know what they say, "When Mama's happy, everyone is happy!"