A Chapter Closes

Just to clarify: most of the post identified as being composed on Monday, May 25, was actually composed today, Saturday, May 30 - the day when the chapter closes!
(I had the first part saved as a draft, and assumed that it would all go under today's date... still lots to learn!)

How Time Flies!

I can hardly believe that it is now way more than two weeks since I returned from England - and I have hardly had time to sit at the computer to post a blog! I'm sure you all assumed that no news is good news, and that I had returned safely, even though I hadn't actually reported the fact... All flights were on time, and more importantly, uneventful.
My time away concluded with another pleasant gathering, this time in St. Alban's. I met up with a couple of gals with whom I started at The Abbey in 1954, so there was lots of ground to cover! Good to see you both again, Kay and Gill - and thanks, Gill, for picking me up in Oxford, and dropping me off in St. Alban's after lunch, at Di and John's home. Di and I were on staff together at the Abbey Junior School, the year just before I left for Canada in 1968 - so we go back quite a while! It was a lovely, relaxing visit to round off my time away, and many thanks, Di and John, particularly for getting up early to drive me to Heathrow airport through the challenging M25 Monday morning traffic!
Since my return I seem to have been busy, busy, busy, as I've settled back into my routine, plus been drawn into the decision-making process for the required remediation of the building. The decision to have the work done is now official, and apllication for the government interest-free loan is underway. Apparently it takes some six weeks before approval is given - if it's going to be given! - so it will be at least early July before I hear know what's what....
We have been having some wonderful sunny, warm weather, so I have been making the most of that, with daily walks along the waterfront, plus biking excursions. It's good to be home for a while, and so far I have no definite plans for another trip, as I discovered that grandson Tony's official high school grad ceremony isn't until the end of October! He may come out here for a visit sometime after school finishes, but that will depend on summer work plans at the Golden Arches...!
If he does come, I shall look forward to having a personal computer coach on hand, and - who knows? - one of these days, there might even be some pictures for you to view on this page. Perhaps on Facebook too - but time will tell, so don't hold your breath!
Apart from that possible development, please consider this, oh faithful reader, the official conclusion of this chapter of the blog (but check back once in a while in case a new chapter begins!).

I Rode Trigger at the Badminton Horse Trials....

...and have the pictures to prove it!! However, you'll have to wait for the picture(s) until such time as I figure out how to include them in 'F 'n' J'. I should add that great-niece Lily (5) also rode Trigger, once Grauntie Di had him well warmed up! As mentioned on the ad beside him, Trigger had real horsepower, in fact he had unlimited horsepower because.....he was a mechanical horse!! Fortunately there was a mounting block conveniently located, so climbing aboard wasn't a problem - all that swinging of the leg over the bike seat stood me in good stead, but dismounting was another story... Somewhat reminiscent of the 'beached whale' act, for those of you who remember that! Anyway, the ride would have been worthy of a place on my 'Bucket List', if I had one, and I surprised myself at still being able to canter - gallop? - without falling off. Of course, little Miss Lily rode like a real pro, with Mummy Sue and Grandma Judy on either flank 'just in case'.
Despite the strong winds all day, we had a most enjoyable time at the Badminton Horse Trials yesterday afternoon. There wasn't a lot of action by the horses and riders, other than in the dressage ring, but there was a great deal of action on the shopping front! Apparently, that is the main thrust for the first two days. Very interesting to poke around the endless rows of stalls and stands, and see what is on offer, but neither Judy nor I found anything we couldn't resist. A good thing for me certainly, as I have limited space for extra stuff.... Thanks, Sue, for arranging the afternoon for us, and thanks, Judy, for accompanying me - and making sure I didn't get lost!
And now back to that gathering of the 'lovely ladies of a certain age who left the Abbey School in 1962', in London on Thursday. It was a most successful day, a real blast from the past, as several of us hadn't met since 1962! Lots to catch up on! I arrived last, as the ticket I had didn't permit travel until 9:30am, and the journey from Bristol to London is 90 mins, without counting the time to travel by tube then cross the Thames (by bridge). Things were well under way by that time, the old photo albums were being scrutinized (must remember to take a magnifying glass next time) and the anecdotes were in full swing. Our meeting place was at the National Theatre coffee shop, then we moved on to a nearby restaurant for lunch, stopping en route for pictures by the Thames (hopefully with St. Paul's Cathedral in the background) kindly taken by a good-hearted and patient passerby. After our 'power lunch', some had to head off home, while the rest of us continued our reminiscing in the foyer of the Royal Festival Hall. So long did we reminisce that I almost didn't make it to Victoria Coach Station in time to catch the Chippenham coach. Had it not been for a man standing at the coach door, with tickets in hand, waiting in vain for his wife to turn up, who was happy to recoup anything he could on those tickets I would have been left behind, as I was too late to buy a ticket in the regular way. Anyway, everything turned out fine - and thanks to Beryl for leading me at a brisk pace to Victoria, to Judy for picking me up in Chippenham, to Ruth and Gill for arranging the gathering, and to Anne, Jane, Judith, Pam and Sandra, plus the previously mentioned, who travelled from various points to be there. To those who weren't able to come - we missed you, but hope we'll all manage to get together in the not-too-distant future.
Well, my time in the UK is drawing to a close. I leave Chipping Sodbury tomorrow morning - thenks for picking me up, Jim, to drive me to Chippenham, and thanks, Gill for picking me up in Oxford, then driving me to St. Albans., hopefully to meet a few more of those'lovely ladies....' for lunch, before overnighting with friends, Di and John, who have very kindly offered to drive me to Heathrow on Monday am in time for my flight. thanks, D & J! I know I shall be very happy to get back, to my own place, and particularly to my own bed!
Aside from all the adventures related in 'F 'n' J', I have had some good visits with Mother at 'The Heathers' - and have the pictures to prove that too! Some of the time, I think she knows who I am, and when she doesn't, well, it doesn't really matter , so long as she is enjoying having me there.

Ceilidhs and Other Assorted Gatherings

I think I made mention of the dancing in the street in Pitlochry in the past, but didn't describe the two ceilidhs we attended this time around. They proved to be a lot of fun, as active participation was definitely encouraged! Despite aching muscles and weary bones after the activities of the day, at the sound of the accordion music, we were up on our feet and ready to go! We had great fun joining others of the same ilk, as we tried to remember how to dance 'Strip the Willow', the 'Gay Gordons', 'Circassian Circle' etc. etc. There was much hilarity, particularly when there were women having to dance the man's part, and it was unclear who was who!
The Saturday night festivities included a Highland Feast - no haggis though! - as well as a demonstration by two gold-medal dancers. The 'wee laddie', who looked about ten, but was actually 13, was multi-talented, as he also played the bagpipes. Some of the local dancers were on hand to encourage and guide us, particularly in the intricacies of the 'Grand March', a popular dance at Highland weddings, led by the bride and groom.
Another gathering, this time in Leicester, was the first item on the agenda when we returned from north of the border. Cousins three - Ann, plus her sisters, Gill and Judith - Gill's husband, Chris, plus Simon, the eldest of their five sons, and Matthew, son number 4, as well as Simon's girlfriend, Katrina, made up the party gathered at the Yews - a Chef and Brewer. It was a very cheerful - and perhaps a little noisy? - gathering, and we were the last ones to leave, around 11pm, so we were obviously having a good time! It was certainly great to see everyone who was able to make it. I sat beside Simon, and we were able to chat a little about Simon's visit to Canada a couple of years or so ago, when he stopped off to visit me in Sidney for a few days.
The next gathering, on a smaller scale, was in Chipping Sodbury, where four of us who had been at college together in Portsmouth, gathered at the 'Beaufort Hunt' to enjoy a 'Golden Oldies' lunch together in the lounge bar - which we fortunately had to ourselves, as, once again, things got a little noisy! Thanks, Brenda and Maggie, for making the trek down from London and Godalming by train, and thanks to Jane for doing the pick-up from Chippenham station to C/S, and then taking us on a lovely drive out to Stout's Hill after lunch. (Although we ate well at lunch time, that wasn't the reason we chose to visit a hill of that particular name! Stout's Hill is actually a beautiful old country estate, formerly a prep. school, but now a timeshare where Bill and I had stayed in the past, and where I have stayed since then.)
Yesterday was the gathering of 'lovely ladies of a certain age who left The Abbey School, Reading in 1962' in London - again another larger gathering. The previous day it had been a quiet lunch gathering at the 'Dog' in Old Sodbury, with Stella and Graham. Stella and I taught together in Cumnor - just outside Oxford - in 1966/67, and we have met up several times in recent years at the 'Dog'. We had a very enjoyable lunch together, then they very kindly dropped me off in C/S before heading back up the M4 to the Swindon area. Thanks so much for coming!
as I have just been warned that my session is about to come to an end, I shall leave you on tenterhooks, as you wonder what transpired at the gathering of 'the lovely ladies of a certain age.....' yesterday!

Motoring and Meandering!

Tomorrow's travel plans having been finalized, and a few e-mails dealt with, I can now turn my attention - and remaining allotted time on the computer - to filling in some of the details of our Scottish doings...
Friday was our day for venturing farther afield - by car, not by bike! - and it turned out that we chose the right day. There were some heavyish showers at various times throughout the day, when we were particularly glad that we weren't either walking or on our bikes....
From Aviemore we drove to the farthest point, then worked our way back, stopping at the places that particularly interested us. I had a query as to whether we had made it to Kenmore, a quaint little village at the head of Loch Tay,and that was our farthest point out! Its claim to fame is that its hotel, the Kenmore Hotel, is the oldest inn in Scotland! IDates are not my strong point, but it seems to me that it was built sometime in the late 1500's. We were very taken with both the village and the hotel, enjoying a coffee-time sit down in front of a blazing log fire in the lobby. Of course we were very interested in the name, because our grandmother's house in Leicester - the house where I was born - went by that name, and we were wondering whether there was any connection with the Scottish Kenmore.....
Aberfeldy was our next stop. On a trip to Scotland with my father, when I was perhaps fifteen, I remember going to the Aberfeldy Agricultural Show in the area. This time we wandered along the main street, buying meatpies for our supper at the local butcher's, but declining the black pudding and other 'delicacies' on display... A couple of doors down was a very old-fashioned looking clothing store, not too inviting, but the rain propelled us in. Despite appearances to the contrary,we discovered that there were good buys to be had, particularly on rainjackets, which was just what I was looking for! Then it was a question of what to do with the jacket I already had? No problem! A thrift sale underway in a nearby church enabled me to do a 'shop-drop', and I'm sure the ladies running it - very busy at the time when we were there - wondered later where a certain royal blue jacket appeared from on the ladies' coat rack, still covered with raindrops! No doubt some local'sauncy lass' would have been very happy to find it!!
Our lunch stop was Grantully, at the 'Inn on the Tay', formerly the Riverside Inn. A little side trip up a narrow track on the opposite bank of the Tay to a bluebell wood, brought us to the spot where the Wilkie cousins gathered a few years ago to scatter the ashes of Uncle Sandy and Auntie Anna. Such a beautiful and peaceful spot...
It seemed that, at every turn along our route, we were 'wowed' by the scenery - the intense green of the grass (all that rain!) the sheep, with lambs either nestled beide their mothers or gambolling nearby, plus the occasional 'hairy coo' in the distance.
Driving through Pitlochry, we recollected our time of dancing in the street there on 'N'er Day' (New Year's Day) 2005, and spotted the hotel from whence hot chocolate and sausage rolls had been brought at that time! We continued on through Pitlochry to the Soldier's Leap in the Pass of Killiecrankie, en route for the Queen's View (Queen Victoria? Queen Isabella?)to enjoy both the view and a wee spot of tea.
By the time we reached Blair Atholl and Blair Castle, it was getting too late to see around the castle and grounds, but we were rewarded with a close encounter, fortunately behind several strands of electric fence and barbed wire, with several 'hairy coos'. (In case you have been wondering, these are those hairy highland cattle with the decidedly manacing horns, native to the highlands of Scotland!)
On previous visits to the area I myself have explored both Blair Castle and grounds, of particular interest to members of the Wilkie clan as Peter Wilkie, cousin of our grandfather Alexander Wilkie, was Pipe Major some forty or fifty years ago, of the Duke of Atholl's army, the only private army in the land. Peter Wilkie's picture even graced the cover of the glossy magazine 'The Field' for one issue during his tenure!
In relating the doings of last Friday, I am surprised at all the things we managed to accomplish in one day!
There is yet more to tell of our Scottish adventures, so continue to watch this space!

Back in Chipping Sodbury!

Well, here I am, back sitting at the computer in Chipping Sodbury Library! Much to tell, but little time in which to tell it. My allotted computer time is running out, as I have had to use much of it to research possible travel plans for the next few days. Now I must away to pay a short visit to Mother at The Heathers, before meeting three college friends for lunch here in C/S. Just wanted to post a few lines, though, so that you, my loyal readers, would know that there is the possibility of more news being posted here in the near future!

Haggis, Osprey, Pipes - Not to Mention More Biking!!

The days - and evenings - are so full that there is little time to journal before moving on to the next thing, so apologies for the silence during the last few days. Amazingly the weather has been mostly dry, with even a little sun, and has in no way limited our outdoor activities.
Wednesday saw us taking a trip back in time as we rode the Strathspey Steam Train up to Broomhill station - Glen Bogle station to those who are fans of 'Monarch of the Glen'. The scenery was spectacular, and quite varied - heather-covered flattish heathland, billiant green hillsides dotted with sheep and lambs of several different varieties, with the Cairngorms themselves making a backdrop of purplish mauve. Our time in Broomhill was brief, just long enough to take the requisite pictures, then we began our return journey to Aviemore. We had opted to take a 2hour stop in Boat of Garten, which proved to be the right decision as there was a lovely, peaceful bird sanctuary where we found a very convenient bench for our noon 'wee piece'! In fact, we were so taken with boat of Garten (so-named because of the ferry that crossed the River Spey at that point prior to the building of the bridge) that we decided to rent bikes again the next day, and bike up there for ourselves. Needless to say, the 'flattish' areas did not feel that way when our legs were providing the power....It was 7 miles in each direction, then we added on a further 2.5 miles in each direction as we visited the local Osprey Protection Centre, where we were able to view, through binoculars, the osprey - both mama and papa! - sitting on the eggs, but not both at the same time! The 'expert' there was very passionate about osprey, and we gleaned a lot of info.
Later that same day we drove into Inverness, to dine out on some wonderful haggis and attend a concert with the pipes and drums of the Scots Guards!