The WORST!

I am the WORST at surprises! Not that I can't plan them perfectly, but more like I just get SO excited that I end up telling! Especially when it comes to Richard. I have been planning a surprise hike, well, walk. Not much of England could be considered hike worthy. Not the Appalachian mountains kind of hiking that is. Anyways, I've been planning this surprise walk about, and all I've wanted to do is tell Richard about it! It is Thursday and I have kept mum about it this far so I THINK I can handle two more days...

However, just in case I feel tempted, I figured I can tell you all about it!

If you know my husband you know he is a big fan of the outdoors. He loves nothing more than going hiking for days in the woods with a pack on his back full of everything he would need. He finds great joy in building a campfire from scratch, drinking hot kool-aid, and exploring the woods around him for rocks to throw at..things.. Since we moved to England two and a half years ago it has been difficult to have that experience  Well, more like impossible. Wild camping (as they like to call Richard's way of the hike), doesn't happen here except in Scotland and some parts of Wales. ALL of England is owned by...somebody... And it is illegal to have an open campfire...anywhere... What people do instead is Walk. And no joke, people will walk trails (in the countryside, through farmers lands) from one pub to another. At at each pub they will stay the night (either in a tent in the beer garden or in a cheap room) and the next day move on in their walk. Richard and I REALLY want to do something like this before we move in September. This is not what I have planned for Saturday (it would've been awesome if it was!) I just wanted to give you some background on the...em...walking culture of England.

Anyways, I have planned a walk for Richard. It's in an area in Norfolk called Holkham. The place I really wanted to take him was 5 hours away. So this was second best. We will do a couple mile walks around the farmland, hopefully seeing some deer, and around the lake. Holkham is one of England's largest nature reserves, and is supposed to still be very beautiful in the British winter. Well, one can hope. We'll leave out for Holkham right after band practice on Saturday, have lunch on our walks, and head back by 3ish (it's completely dark by 4:00.) Saturday is supposed to be sunny in Holkham (yeah. right.) And hopefully it won't be terribly cold for one little princess who gets to tag along! Then, hopefully, babysitter permitting, I will get to take Richard to the local pub (directly down the street from our house) for a nice Guinness to celebrate a cold day of walking. All in all it should be a day Richard thoroughly enjoys.

And now when I get super excited and want to tell him ALL about it, I'll have to remind myself that I told you all, and maybe I can maintain the surprise until Saturday!!

Please Note: I don't own this picture. 

In fact, I technically stole it from the Holkham website... 

Don't tell? Thanks!

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