It seems quite exciting these days to go a bit further afield for a drive. We set off after lunch to go and buy a white Barbary dove as a companion for Dottie our white dove. We drove past Hampton Court Palace and over Hampton Court Bridge. All the flags were at half mast in respect for the death of Prince Philip. It was quite busy all around the area, although I noticed a sign at the palace saying that you could only visit if you had made an appoitment and I would imagine it is the outside only at the moment. I love that stretch of the river with all the pleasure boats and house boats. It took me back to childhood visits when my Auntie and cousins came to stay. My Mum and my Auntie would never stop talking they were so pleased to be together again and on one trip from Kingston to Hampton Court on a pleasure boat we missed our stop completely they were talking so much and had to go back up the river again to visit Hampton Court. I said to Tom that we should really visit some attractions this year. It's quite exciting to try and think of all the places we would like to visit again.
One reason we have decided to travel about as much as possible this year is our free passes. If you live in London, when you are 60 you get free travel. Free on the trains, underground and buses. Tom gets free bus and underground travel as he is a London bus driver but now he is 60 he also gets free train travel and I got my free pass last August. I have counted the days to this and then there is a pandemic! I have no doubt that very shortly, with all the cutbacks that are on the way, it will be taken away from us. I intend to use it not stop until that day comes.
We bought the new dove from a lovely young man who breeds them. Despite me navigating with my phone in an area I had no idea where we were, we got there. There was a tricky moment when it went wrong and we ended up going round and round an industrial estate in Feltham, as you can imagine that was quite scenic! It only ended up taking 40 minutes each way and we were back home with the cutest little young dove. We have put their cages together and at the start Dottie was horrified but by the end of the evening they were sitting next to each other through the bars. I think a freindship might be developing and I am hoping they will be very happy together when they go out into the aviary in a week or two.
