'House Proud' -

My Mother trained me young...........to keep a clean, organized and picked up house. She always worked outside the home but you could, as the old saying goes, "eat off her floors." She was a perfectionist. A hard worker, competent in everything she put her hand to. Sunday was our cleaning day. It was often the only day off from her job. She didn't rest, relax or crawl under the covers recovering from an exhausting week. She was up with the sun, the larks, or whatever birds were singing in the garden at that time of year, in her cleaning clothes, sometimes her hair tied in a scarf, the usual headgear in the 1950's prior to rollers, hooded hairdryers, blow dryers and curling irons. Back then facilities in the middle class English home was usually one bathroom with a bathtub, no shower for a quick wash, shampoo and rinse. I recall washing my hair under the taps in the kitchen sink, not easy or comfortable. Many years ago on my first visit to Florence, Italy, we stayed in a hotel that was at one time a palace. We had a suite which had only a deep tub. I recalled my childhood whilst kneeling on the hard, cold marble floor with my head under a conglomerate of gold-plated faucets while Bob assisted in rinsing off shampoo and conditioner. I complained, he laughed. Somehow I lived through it wondering why a Medici Palace in a piazza, steps away from the River Arno, couldn't be modernized. A building, historic, patinated, antiqued and gorgeous, and me, spoiled by all the mod cons of America. I soon learned of Italian history and beauty, and made a vow to return as an Italian in a future life!

My childhood Sunday mornings also became a cleaning day. . . . . .until my brother came along when I was eight. Once he was a toddler my mother decided Sunday morning cleaning was easier for her if I took him to the park for a few hours. I don't recall complaining. Pushing swings and roundabouts was more fun than vacuuming and polishing furniture. 

With the winter months approaching 'housework' becomes annoying. Burning wood on the hearth is wonderful and warming, keeping up with the dust it makes is a chore. Gardening is comfortable at last, cooler days and no mosquitoes, but we have no mud room in this small house so garden debris stuck to footwear results in gritty floors requiring extra cleaning. As Christmas approaches an assortment of live greenery, berries and such make their way to the mantel, tops of armoires, stairwell etc. Things are dropped, roll under furniture, disintegrate as the weeks pass by.........and all cause more dust.  Reminders of those childhood days of vacuuming, dusting and polishing come to mind, sadly the bending and kneeling required to do a bang up job is not so easy now. So, we do what we can, promising to declutter, downsize, perhaps hire a cleaner, anything to 'make life easier' and take away some of the stress of keeping house more perfect. Fewer years on our calendar mean we need time to do exciting things while we can. 

By the way, did you know dust is invisible to most grown men . . . . . . . .and small birds, such as my wren, are extremely 'house proud', just as my dear mother was.

Aging, snail mail, and keeping the homes fires burning.........

As they say, 'age is just a number.'

Just in case you missed the news, here's proof that I really did turn 80 in October. I received many much-appreciated cards, most arriving just before, a few a day or so late, even some on the actual day. No matter how one tries for the latter option, the postal service here, and now obviously across the pond, is totally unreliable. One should mail a card perhaps a month in advance of a special occasion and write a little note on the back of the envelope, such as "To be opened on......and the date." We won't even go into the postage charges these days - let's just say they are exorbitant, and the more they increase, which now is frequently, the service decreases and a lot of mail sometimes never even shows up. Sending mail with monetary enclosures has become a no-no as many are stolen. I had this happen when mailing a paper money Christmas gift to a young family member in England last year. Today, in a local newspaper story, a man was arrested, and is now imprisoned, after 500 pieces of mail containing over $30,000 in checks, gift cards, money orders etc. all stolen from North Carolina residents' mailboxes and Post Office mail boxes, were found in his home!

This unusual card arrived over a week after my birthday. It came from my family in France and although all international mail now goes by air rather than ship, it took 17 days to cross the pond by plane. Of course any fool knows that transatlantic flight takes less than 9 hours from most European airports. Wherever the card went before and after the flight took up the remainder of the time!  I love this card and the fact that 80 is 13 in Scrabble tiles. . . . . . I'm a teenager again!  

If you burn wood in a stove, or on the hearth as we do, you are probably out searching for firewood during these beautiful early November days. We received our annual delivery, a cord of neatly chopped and split oak and hickory wood, last evening, and this morning Bob headed into the back garden to stack the woodpile for the coming winter. Fortunately we had a little wood remaining from last year and last Saturday evening, being a cool one, we had our first fire of the season. 

Changing over to using the fireplace that sat dormant since springtime when the chimney sweep came, is a bit of a palaver. Bob heads into the attic and brings out the fire screen, heavy metal tools, fire resistant hearth mat. Saved newspapers and fire starters fill the old olive basket on the hearth. Chilled rosé wine of summer is now a memory and a glowing bottle of Malbec is opened, poured and swirled. We clink glasses with a toast to the winter evenings ahead. I think this small annual happening can be classed as a memoir for us. It's part of the coming season where warmth and light in the home is important. It brings thoughts of holidays ahead with family and friends. Sometimes we sit by the fire enjoying the patterns in the flames, with a mug of chocolate, perhaps a bowl of homemade soup. . . . . or another glass of warming wine. 

Still in the throes of autumn here in the southeast, the days are warm and long hours of sunshine strong and extremely bright. Now the earlier sunset of daylight savings time changes the garden colors quickly. The leaves are falling and the canopy of trees is taking on a lighter look. The moon is visible in the early morning sky. Birds are returning to the feeders and bird baths, and squirrels look chubby and healthy in their winter fur coats. Winter months can be bleak. Many loathe the cold days and even colder nights. A blazing, crackling wood fire on the hearth is a way to make those times delightful . . . . . . . along with a hot water bottle perhaps.

But that's another story . . . . . . .another memoir!

. . . . . . . . and here it is, Bob's woodpile completed. 

Looking forward to many warm hearthside nights ahead.

Hello from New England -

Just a quick post!

As most of you know, the New England states are not strangers to me.

I lived in New Hampshire and Massachusetts for 12 years when first

 married. Bob took me to live in his hometown, Manchester, NH. 

I spent summers on the beautiful beaches of Maine, time in Vermont 

enjoying the countryside and mountains. Boston was the place when

 city life was required for a change of pace.

Almost every year since moving south to North Carolina, 46 years ago,

we've returned here to visit family, friends. . . . . . and favorite places that 

remain in our memories. There's nothing like 'the old days' and, although

the city is not the same, we still enjoy rambling around!

Our trip to the coast of New Hampshire and Maine is always the best. 

We had a wonderful time in perfect weather, around 80F and no 

humidity.

Look across the beach and you can see Cape Neddick with the lighthouse.

Nubble Lighthouse, Cape Neddick, York, Maine.

A really beautiful spot to sit, relax, and just look out across the water,

grateful for so much in life.

Enjoying this trip, as always.

Eating good seafood. . . . . . . in fact just leaving the hotel now for

another favorite restaurant in town. I can already taste a fresh broiled 

 haddock dish which I'll enjoy as I haven't eaten since breakfast!

More another day.

Time away -

The storm of Monday evening arrived so suddenly. 

It was a scary hour of terrific winds driving heavy rain, west to east.

Thunder so loud and close made the house shudder, art, foxed mirrors,

 sconces on the walls chattered and slid sideways.

The lightning was blue and made the night sky almost as bright as day.

The power popped on and off briefly but then stayed on in our area.

I ran out to move the cushions and decorative items on the porch

 but realized it was too late and not safe outside in such elements.

Thankfully they were still there, though tossed about, in the morning.

No trees down but Bob spent time picking up small branches, 

twigs and leaves scattered around the garden.

The storms of summer can be brutal just like the storms of life.

It's a bright morning.

We're packing again today and will be gone for a while.

Heading north is always a good feeling, especially in

 summer where we hope to enjoy some cooler weather, 

fewer late day storms, seeing old friends, the vast ocean,

the green mountains, the places where we lived so long ago.

Time goes by, often too fast, and we try to keep up.

This world spins. Life brings joy and sadness and this week

I'm experiencing both.

More stories another time. I sit here listening to gentle music

 for the ear, for the soul, but I must away. 

Early to bed tonight, up very early tomorrow for the airport!

Memoirs - RMS Queen Mary and Me!

News over the weekend included a story of the 'rescue' 

of this beautiful and historic ocean liner which is dear

 to my own heart.

RMS Queen Mary - docked in Long Beach, California

"The landmark Queen Mary ocean liner, owned by the City of Long Beach and a popular tourist attraction and hotel, will be closed to the public for much of 2022 as it undergoes $5 million in “critical repairs.” 

This is good news for fans of the historic ship. After the city took control of the rundown vessel from a financially strapped leaseholder last year, one option under consideration was sinking the ship. The 88-year-old Art Deco-style ocean liner, which has been permanently docked in Long Beach since 1967, has been closed since May 2020 due to COVID-19. The repairs are expected to begin in February, with the plan to reopen Queen Mary to visitors by the end of the year.  A first step in the repair, and expected to be a two-week project, will be removing deteriorating lifeboats. "The lifeboats exert stress on the side shell of the ship which has created severe cracks in the support system,” the city said in its statement. “Removing the deteriorated lifeboats will enhance the structural stability of the ship."  Since the lifeboats are historic objects, Long Beach plans to preserve two for future display and to temporarily store 13 others, while seeing if there is interest from museums or other non-profits that want to preserve the boats.  Other projects include the installation of new permanent bilge pumps to discharge water in the event of an emergency, with additional repairs to follow.  The Queen Mary is a popular filming location, and during the repair period the city still plans to welcome film crews, a move that officials said would help “generate revenue to support the ship operations.”      via The Points Guy website

RMS Queen Mary in her heyday, sailing out of New York and headed to Southampton, England.

The RMS Queen Mary, built during the height of transatlantic ocean travel, sailed more than a million miles and transported over 2 million guests over a career spanning 30 years.  Built by Cunard as a the bigger and more powerful of two ships, the luxury liners and sometimes cruise ships, the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth reigned as a pair providing weekly express transatlantic service.  

February 25, 2006 - the two Queen Marys met for the first time!

This is yours truly just after boarding RMS Queen Mary for my

first transatlantic sea crossing home to England from New York to 

spend Christmas 1964 with my family. Two years earlier I came

 to the USA by air to work in Washington, D.C.

Since then I have sailed on many ships and had many adventures

at sea, but this first memory of crossing an ocean in the bitter

 cold of winter has definitely stayed with me.

The ship was taken out of service in 1967 and has been docked

 in Long Beach ever since.

Today I decided to treat myself to this book.

It's an older book and hard to find at an affordable price - today I

 was lucky and have found a used one online, hardcover, and

supposedly in 'good condition' - I've had it on my 'wish list' for

 several years.  Reviews are awesome - I'll let you know when

it arrives, I'm excited.

I'm missing ships and sailing so reading about them will fill the

 void for now.

 

A Memoir for Mother's Day 2021 -

Leaving home and mother . . . . . October 1962

Heathrow Airport suddenly appeared so small. Knowing she was standing down there somewhere, my father at her side, my much loved mother perhaps was looking skyward where the grey clouds soon enveloped every plane going and coming, but having no idea which one was taking her only daughter so far away. She already missed her own mother so dear to her, and must have wondered what on earth was I thinking, leaving her, father, brother, family, friends, home, and even country, even though I had been given her blessing, and she worked hard to help me in my dream to see America.

The airplane food was strange. Different, with lots of caraway seeds. Scared?  Yes definitely as this was my first ever flight. Travel to date had been in cars belonging to friends with wealthier parents for Sunday picnics on Dartmoor; double-decker buses into town; the old Western Lady ferry across Tor Bay; day out motor coach trips to Cornwall or North Devon with maiden aunts; tiny row boats on herring fishing trips along the Torbay coastline; trains now and then for school trips to London followed by a boat up the River Thames in the rain to see where the Magna Carta was signed. Another major school trip was a memorable endless train ride north to Shakespeare country to visit Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, then swooning over a very young Albert Finney in an amazing production of 'Othello' at the Royal Stratford Theatre  . . . . . . but never an airplane.

Coming into New York was exciting. It still is. Breaking through the late October cloud cover, seeing such a huge city from above in shades of dusty grey and misty blue, two thoughts came to mind. How does one ever find the way around a place so huge, and how does the pilot get this huge plane back on the ground! Of course only first time flyers feel that way. When you’ve done it once you know all the answers for ever more . . . . . . . . .

A tribute to my wonderful mother. 

I "crossed the pond" home so many times to see her, and

 she came to visit me many times in the ensuing years.

I miss her and think of her every day.  

A special lady - Gladys Mary 1911 - 2003

 

A Memoir - Lakeside in Summer

Besides the bold Merrimack River which rushes over falls near the city's

 former world famous textile mills, where the water provided power in those

 long ago manufacturing days, there is a place of calm and beauty at 

Lake Massabesic in Manchester. 

We always stop at least once when in town, and it's especially

lovely on a hot summer's day, sitting on a bench waterside, watching 

sailboats and kayaks silently drift by - no motorboats permitted.

  

We pick up an ice cream at nearby Goldenrod, the best in town, and sit

 licking the huge cones of 'Frozen Pudding' our favorite old fashioned

 flavor - which we can never find anywhere else these days.

Bob tells me again of his happy childhood days here. They were mostly with

 his older brother John. The things two youngsters could get up to when sent out

 early morning and told not to come home until the street lights came on, would

 scare the heck out of today's parents whose children know very little about

 running free in their suburban neighborhoods, let alone in a bustling city.

This scenic lake is one of those places where one can truly feel relaxed and is

 just a few minutes drive from the cacophony of downtown traffic and bustling

 city sounds.

Manchester, New Hampshire has an extremely interesting history - read more
HERE if interested in the phenomenal growth of the American textile industry, 
sadly now just about gone.

I lived here for a couple years when first married. It was the town where I
 learned how family life was in America. I was fortunate as Bob's parents
 and other family members were close by, and very kind to me, and I needed
 all the help I could get! 
Although the family are gone from town, I enjoy going back and remembering
 those sometimes hard years. They were long ago, yet often feel like yesterday. 
 Sitting and reminiscing at the lake on that recent August day was perfect, and 
I'm thinking we'll be doing it again next year hopefully.