The Faults of Memory

I find it interesting that there are parts of my trip around the UK last year that are quite clear in my memory and other parts are not.  I have theorized on the reasons this might be.  One factor I believe is how much it was my responsibility to know where I was going, did I have to catch a specific train at a specific platform for example. Another factor I think is what kinds of pictures I have in the files. I took a lot of pictures on this trip and the program they loaded into in my computer automatically grouped them by date taken which has been a tremendous help to my memory.  Another factor I think is what I was doing, where my mind was focused during the travel.

And so we come to October 2, 2012. I put myself in the capable hands of my hostess who drove me around in the car all day. I had been tired the night before and did not plug in the battery for my camera for overnight recharging. I have only three photos from this date. Two were the view from Mary's place and one was the Irish Harp Symbol done in sculptured hedge from the garden we visited that day.  I remembered we went to a National Trust property to see the gardens and home there. Then there was mind focus.  I was centered on my hostesses on this trip, catching up with various things they have been doing and plans for the future. There was also quite a bit of time spent in thinking about what I had just been through in Japan and my leave taking of the job and friends and places that meant a great deal to me.

So I emailed Alison to ask if her memory was better than mine.  I knew it would be. She had planned for my visit and had so many things to show me in her homeland. Here is her account of the day's travels:

We drove from our home near Ballyclare to Mary's home in Groomsport. We then drove down the east coast of the Ards Peninsula to Greyabbey where we had lunch. After that we drove across to the west (inland) coast (Strangford Lough) of the Ards Peninsula and stopped off at Mountstewart Gardens. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mount-stewart/                                                                                                                                                   And, here are the photos:

Another Day Another Country

October 1, 2012 bright and early I caught a train to meet a bus that took me to a ferry.  I had decided to make the crossing to Northern Ireland by boat, just for something different.  One of the biggest ferry lines in the area is Stenna.  They have all the transportation links set up and if you follow along in those set up ways, you reach your destination.  The crossing itself took several hours, combined with the other transportation it ate up a big part of the day.  It was cloudy and rained most of the way across. Below is a photo of the deck of the ferry in the rain. 

There were several people I wanted to see in Northern Ireland and they had conspired together to provide me with a variety of activities an diversions.  John was scheduled to meet me at the ferry port in Belfast and I was to go to his house for dinner.  I was really happy to see wee Anna and Emily as well.  

We had meat pie for dinner and John's mom introduced me to Wheaten Bread which I have written about previously here. I think Wheaten Bread is on of the best kept secrets in NI. Just thinking about it, I think I need to make some very soon. 

After dinner I was picked up by Alison and we went to the airport to pick up Graham before heading to their little house on top of a hill overlooking farm country.  I was intrigued by the hedge all along the little road going up the hill and thinking of what it looked like in winter when it snowed.

Into the house we went and I was engaged in the entryway, saying hello to the children and watching as dad gave them the onigiri he had brought them from the airport. In this short interval, Alison had disappeared into the kitchen and in a few minutes reappeared with a cake and candles in hand.  She had seen on Facebook that it was my birthday and had made me a cake sometime in her busy day. I was really surprised because even I had almost forgotten my birthday with all the other excitement.

California Sunshine Bag

So, I took the plunge and became a pattern tester.  In today's sewing world, young designers often depend on the fans of their previous work to help them by testing their new patterns, working out the kinks and giving them a host of examples of possible colors and fabrics.  The testers are not usually paid, except they receive a copy of the pattern and have at the end one of the projects for their very own.

I've been working with Anna at Charmed Liebling on some editing jobs and when she asked if I'd like to test a pattern, I decided to do it.  She has announced the pattern today on her blog, so I am free to share my work with you.

She's calling this the California Sunshine Bag and the fabrics I chose remind me of being in LA in the late 60's, the era of peace, love and psychedelic colors. I used four fabrics from the Amy Butler Lotus Garden collection.

If you think you'd like to make one of these yourself, you can find her patterns available here as a download-able PDF.

If you think you'd like to be a pattern tester, start hanging out with young designers on your favorite social network.

Church and a Party and Fish and Chips

It poured with rain on Sunday, September 30, 2012, but we found a reasonable parking place didn't get too wet.  This is the inside of St. George's Tron church where we worshiped that morning.

In the afternoon there was a birthday party for Taylor's grandson.

Here's mom holding the cake for the candle blow out.  (She might be helping a little.) The party theme was monsters and we were virtually overrun by children under a meter tall.

When I entered the room I thought I probably wouldn't know too many people.  I was shocked when a tall young man came directly to me and gave me a hug! Thinking this was a rather warm welcome for Glasgow. Then he said, "Don't you remember me, Georgia? I'm Robbie Brodie!"  Here is a photo of him and his family.  Robbie also was a volunteer on the OMF Office Project in 1999.

Seonaid and Tom were at the party too. Nice to see all the Taylor kids married!




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    I may have the day wrong, but one evening when I was in Glasgow we had fish and chips from the local chippy.  What's not to love about this meal?  I didn't have mushy peas though either of the times I had this in the UK. Not too sure if that's a regional side dish.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      John also got one serving of haggis and chips and gave me some to taste.  In this modernized form, without it's sheep's stomach casing I found it to be quite tasty.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Am I a Scot or what?      

It wasn't there when we were young, but it's not new!

(I need to say up front that this picture of the Taylors and the one below of the Andersons  are ones that I got from Facebook.)

The 29th last year was a Saturday, of course. My gracious hosts, the Taylors had not only extended to me the hospitality they are now world famous for, but had devised a full schedule of activities that included meeting up with some special old friends.

















James was on the 1999 OMF Office Project Building Team. Since then he has married and they have had a son, and he has gotten fit enough to fit into his kilt again.

You have to love the Anderson tartan; well I do anyway.













In the afternoon we drove to Largs and had ice cream with this great couple.  Gerry and Emmie were also on the building team.  They were newlyweds then. A year ago they were going strong.









In the early evening Elspeth and I drove through their neighborhood to see another couple, Ailsa and Ralph. Ailsa had been the OMF Field Nurse in Japan when I was there in previous years.

What a day, full of great reminiscences, laughs and catching up.

North to the Land of My Forbears

I suppose, since I spent the majority of the day on one train or another, it is not so surprising that this is the only photo I took on September 28, 2012. I remember trying to take some out of the train window that were not successful.

On that day one year ago, I went from the Midlands of England to the heart of Glasgow. It was a Friday, and as the afternoon progressed, the train became a sort of rolling party with people leaving their weekly toil behind and kicking back on their way to the weekend.

Unlike the day before I had a window to watch the passing landscape. There was quite a bit of rain, and in late afternoon there were rainbows.

At Glasgow Central I was met by dear friend John and was whisked away to join Elspeth for dinner at home. Great beginning to some great reunions in the next two days.

On the Move Again - 27 Sept 12

 Being careful not to mistake King's Cross for St Pancras (I was heading north, but didn't need the Hogwarts Express!) I was able, with my knowledgeable guide to enjoy this interesting old station before boarding the train for my next destination - Loughborough.

This was the trip that taught me the truth about travel in the UK on a Rail Pass.Walking up the platform I saw the First Class cars and kept walking. There were two cars for those who had not paid the extra fee. I went clear to the front of the train, which in my experience in Japan might have meant more space.  I pressed the door button and was flabbergasted to  see several people sitting and standing in the section at the end of the car where there are no proper seats.  After a brief exchange with a male passenger about my kind of ticket, he arose from his fold-down jump seat and said I should "Go on then." He was adamant and I gratefully accepted the seat where I had a clear view of the luggage storage closet. There were several people standing in there too. During the trip people, bags and bicycles came and went. I held on to my seat and was grateful to arrive in Loughborough.

There were no apologies from the railway people.  Repeated announcements simply stated that the train had one fewer car than had been intended. This too was far different to my Japan experience where announcements are commonly made to apologize for being two minutes behind schedule for the next station.

A quick phone call had my host on his way to pick me up for my one night stay on my way to Scotland.

Thanks to the Aylings, G and H who made my brief stay in the Midlands enjoyable.