I had a really lovely day yesterday. I will post some more photos of York etc, when I get the chance this afternoon, so the journal will look a little out of order. But I have time now to write about my day, so I will!

I met Sarah and Orlaith at Liverpool Street Station just after 11am. We wandered around a bit, ending up in Spitalfields Market. I have been there a couple of times on a Sunday, but never during the week. It was vastly reduced, with very few stalls there, but the food places were there. We got very excited about the prospect of langos, a Hungarian food. Unfortunately the place did not have any, so I settled for chicken paprika. Very nice, but never as good as mum's!! We caught up with each other's news - Sarah's honeymoon on the Isle of Wight, etc. I do wish she lived closer so we could catch up more often, but maybe in the future.....

We made our way to Shoreditch station, so we could head to Wapping. BUT!! The station is closed as they are extending the East London line. So much for that idea. So instead we wandered down Brick Lane in the hope of getting the tube, but we got a bus to the tube station (Whitechapel) and then the tube to Wapping. I was holding a sleeping Orlaith all the time we were wandering about. She is lovely, and very floppy when sleeping. Poor Sarah's back was killing her (and that was before we went mudlarking) so I gave her a rest. And I got in my Orlaith-cuddles quota.

When we finally got to Wapping, we met up with some friends of mine from work - George, Imogen, another Alex, and Alison who now no longer works there. We found them in the outside area of the Captain Kidd pub, a lovely riverside pub, well worth a visit. I bought Sarah and I a drink, the CHEAPEST pub drinks in history. It cost me 80 pence for two pints of soda water, one with blackcurrant cordial in. Tops! Then it was off mudlarking!! We headed down to the foreshore, just in front of the Wapping Water Police station (they look after the entire Thames from Teddington downwards, which is the tidal bit). My first find was a plastic sheriff's badge - very appropriate considering the setting. ;-) So everyone decided it was the find of the day. I was going to give it to the police as we left, but there was nobody about.

Mudlarking is quite relaxing really. You get a bit of a crick in your neck after a while, though. Or if you have a heavy bag on your back and a huge baby on your front, like Sarah did, you get achey all over!! But I think Orlaith enjoyed herself. How many other four month old babies get to spend time hanging from their mums while they pick up bits and pieces of once-whole items, such as pots etc. Bits of people's lives. It's an interesting thought - you can wander along the Thames any old time, well, preferably at low tide(!!!), and pick up the most amazing things. Tudor pottery, glass, modern rubbish, plastic, metal parts, rope, etc etc.

After mudlarking, we went back to the pub, to compare our finds. I picked up two whole clay pipe bowls, lots of bits of pottery, including one with a crown and GR on it, not sure which George it is though. After the pub, it was on to King Edward Memorial Park for a picnic, some relaxing in the sun and some frisbee throwing. The frisbee idea lasted all of 15 mins, when George threw it into a rather large tree, and then he, Alex and Alison spent the next half an hour trying to get it out again!

Then it was home. A great day all in all. :-D