Sunday story…

So we are three days in and we are acclimating… sipping tea and sampling cheeses of every variety. We are finding it to be quite lovely …

We start the day with a traditional English breakfast, which I am working to perfect. Perhaps some day we will host the B&B when our traveling is done… Look out John of the Pax House (Dingle, Ireland)… I am coming for you. Heading first to Chipping Campden to St. Catharine’s for church and then on for our classic English day.

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun….

And a couple of Americans living life in the Cotswolds. Today we were off to the races, literally. The racetrack at Stratford on Avon ( home to all things Shakespeare) also claims a thoroughbred horse racing track. So we channeled out inner English, prepared our hamper full of goodies for a picnic and headed out.

It has been a dry and hot summer in this area. The usually temperate clime rose to 28 degrees celsius, which by my quick math trick to approximate a conversion is about 88 degrees fahrenheit. The sun (with perfect puffy clouds) was shining brightly and despite the many quick turns,left side of road, Moreton-in- Marsh or Shipston-on-stour… we found our way and arrived at the Stratford-on-Avon Racetrack. We decided to go to the inner circle… ( very American) and be with all the people. The track actually goes all around the area where picnickers reville. Across the track there are grandstands such as you see at Churchill Downs, but  in the center, the ladies with their fascinators and high-heeled shoes, young children, seniors all set up their tailgate parties in prep for the races. No day at the races would be complete without….your dog! The dogs were some of the best dress ( and well-behaved) there. We struck up a conversation with the family next to us who helped fill in the ins and outs of the racing world. The races included a steeplechase and hurdles, as well as the standard twice around the track race. We left warmed by new found friends and the hot sun..

We packed up, trodded back to the car and motored back to Blockley.We have been anticipating the highlight of this day in England… the traditional Sunday Roast… and it doesn’t disappoint!  We finished the day with a perfect sunset walk back to our Primrose Cottage…starting to feel like home.