Driving to Oxford

Looking down the street from Radcliffe Square.

Radcliffe Square

University Church of Mary the Virgin. Had a beautiful garden in the back for tea...

1000 year old tower - the oldest in Oxford. Just sitting there, right off of High Street.

Sophie LOVES to color! Those hands go, go, go! We love Giraffe (the restaurant). Abby stayed awake this time - she fell asleep at the Chiswick location... see previous post.

Looking at the forecast for today we planned to get a little bit out of London today as well as practice driving. Though we now have permanent car insurance, Tim isn't on it until Tuesday so it was up to me to drive to Oxford. It was a quick and easy drive despite the annoying and confusing roundabouts with 28 exits, as long as we listened to our GPS/"Sat Nav". We have yet to name the mysterious and knowledgeable women who tells me where to turn, so we'll take suggestions! I digress... it was nearly 60 and sunny. Many locals were wearing shorts and I even saw some sandals. What? This place is worse than MN as far as jumping the gun on summer wear. All four of us enjoyed Oxford. There were beautiful buildings some as old as 1000 years old. The university is the oldest English-speaking school still in existence. As well as being a university town, there is a lot of shopping and restaurants. It is a town that we will be visiting again!

When we arrived home, the girls thought it was too late in the day to nap and protested any form of rest so I took them to the park around the corner and down the street. It was packed with others with the same idea. Dozens of families were taking advantage of the last hour or two of sunlight and opportunities to socialize with other adults. Everytime I have been at the playground I have heard American or Canadian parents and I have been to shy to chit chat with them. Today a women came up to me and asked me about Sophie's velvet coat from Target... she knew we were American because her daughter had the same coat at home. Perfect! A fellow American, a mom with young girls and, best of all, a Target lover! Did I try to chat it up with her? NO! I came home and told Tim about the encounter and I quickly realized that the woman was trying to meet me and had found a good topic to start a conversation with and I simply answered the question and quickly chased after my kids. Hopefully I will see her again...