
Each day I try to take some sort of exercise, and Monday has become a favorite day of the week, because I start off at 9am playing tennis with three girlfriends. Despite the English climate we are usually lucky and continue in a little drizzle of rain, any more than that and we do have to retire for coffee because Sally, who runs the gift shop wears glasses which unfortunately do not have windscreen wipers. If the wind is blowing from the wrong direction and therefore across the court it is a very sporting game.
All the dogs watch us play. Sally brings her Labrador too, who was born here, and thus returns to play with his brothers and mother on a regular basis. During our match, the dogs play hide and seek in the garden, while the two ponies watch us, over the garden fence.
It is the most wonderful way to start the week, we run around, yell with excitement and then someone says the word “cappuccino” and we lose concentration and retire to the Castle tearooms for coffee. Amazingly we can now sit outside in the March sun, setting the world to rights, rediscovering every Monday that all husbands are the same, before walking back to change and be enveloped in the first meetings of the week.
My husband and I are visiting from the US on April 23, 2014. We are so excited!! We are enjoying your blog posts until we arrive!
Nearly April and the weather is good – hope it continues and you can see some of the gardens too!
I bet the thoughts running through their mined is what’s in that basket that would be better in meeee :o) I know I used to own two Labrador’s & food was the first thought of the day hee hee.. first class Lady Carnarvon..
All our dogs are devoted to food…
Good morning, Lady Carnarvon, once again from the West Coast of Florida!
I enjoyed reading the description of you and your girlfriends playing tennis with such an attentive audience!
My sons grew up playing tennis and I was the one who fetched the errant tennis balls.
What I liked most about your blog comments are your remarks how about y’all set about to right the world… and that all husbands are the same (love it!)…. Your discussions seem to include the topics that my girlfriends and I talk about when we get together. I find great comfort in these female relationships that are built through time and trust and where silliness is quite the norm over sport, tea ,or a glass of vino!
I do not know where I would be without my girlfriends. As life becomes more challenging and we head towards greater antiquity, they become more precious!
Oh! You are my kind of lady!
It is so wonderful to see that your weekly get togethers topics of conversation (all husbands are the same) are so similar to ours here across the pond. So enjoy your posts!
Brenda Watson
Martinsville, OH USA
Thank you so much for this blog. It makes my visit to Highclere next July even more exciting. I am still searching for tickets but will wait in line in the morning if I have to. My husband and I will be staying at Carnavon Arms to celebrate our 43 anniversary and hope to immerse ourselves in the beautiful countryside.
We love the labs in the picture above and hope to see them roaming the property. We raise English labs in the US and look forward to seeing the dog each week in the introduction of Downton Abbey.
Have a wonderful day surrounded by the ones you love!
Sounds like a great way to start the week. I don’t
excel at Tennis, but I am a Pro at Cappucino-ing:)
So nice of you to have this blog. I am hoping to get to come visit in July and reading this makes it even more exciting! We have English labs too. They win your hearts for sure!
Your mornings sound wonderful. I love tennis too. I wish I could visit Highclere Castle someday. Good day to you Lady Carnavon. Always a pleasure to read your blog.