Our recent adventures with Margaret of Kitchen Chat ended with another staycation at Cliveden House – it is always a pleasure to return to this stunning property just outside of London.
Margaret and I added another celebration – 40 years of friendship. Thank you Margaret for all the adventures and the many hours of sharing memories.
It would be Lulu’s first time as we continue to create memorable staycations.
Cliveden House brings back many memories of the many celebrations we’ve had there.
I’ve had a 49th birthday celebration there – I think I was celebrating the last year of being 40-something. I took Darcy there for the first time back in May 2014, before George joined us.
And in February 2019, we celebrated her 8th birthday there with 8 of her friends. It was George’s first.
That was really the last time we had a birthday party for her. The next year, I was in Japan skiing when she turned 9 while at The House of Mutt, and in 2021, we were in lockdown when we celebrated her 10th. She never made it to her 11th. That made the Cliveden birthday celebration even more special.
We had even organised a Doggy Christmas lunch in the Astor Grill in December 2019.
The next time we were back there after lockdown in 2022, it was bittersweet. It was just me and George.
This year Lulu came with us.
We always took a photo from the balcony with a view of the formal gardens – exactly where we had always done so with Darcy. And then George.
So we did the same this time with Lulu.
And for a moment, I imagined what it could have been if we were altogether.
But that would probably never have happened. I don’t think I would have adopted Lulu if Darcy was still with us. And Darcy did bring Lulu to me.
Cliveden House, a 5 star country house hotel in Berkshire near London is part of the National Trust. Formerly home of the Astor family, Cliveden has a glorious garden overlooking the Thames, plus woodland and riverbank paths wandering the estate.
