(work in progress)
What a
great year it has been! I think I have been trying to fill it up with
as many extras as possible in anticipation of my 65th, and the
increase in health insurance costs which will likely mean no more
crossing of borders for me. I have been blessed with out-of-town
visitors--from cousin Carol and Skot, cousin Brad, Elsie and Alan,
Uncle Maurice and Aunt Irene, friend Candace, and cousin Wilma and
Gord. And enjoyed the opportunity to visit with Karen and Terry,
Candace, and Marilyn in Vancouver, and John and Elizabeth in Glasgow.
Most of
my spring was busy with preparations for travelling to England,
Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and Wales. My 30 days was
divided into a ten day guided bus tour. There were 52 travellers,
only four of us travelling alone, and 48 who seemed to be senior
citizens on their honeymoon. This proved to be a false impression
once I got to know them as several couples were not married (although
some others were, some for almost 50 years.). They came from
Australia, France, California, Florida, Ontario, Calgary, Richmond,
Vancouver, Cultus Lake, Quesnel, and Kamloops. Our guide was Bridget
who had been born in Ireland but grew up in New Zealand. This was the
first time in my life I had trouble understanding a person's accent.
The vowels were so different. When I heard "leek" she was
saying "lake". It was a "fast and furious" tour
and I got to go to three special places I have visited before and
wanted to see again--Edinburgh Castle, Dublin (and, this time, the
Book of Kells), and Stonehenge. And other special places I have
always wanted to visit. The Lake District and Bath and London. I took
the London tour bus including a ride on the river but I avoided
places where I had to stand in line to get in and again when inside
(Tower). I did that in Edinburgh and said "Never again! I'm
Canadian! I don't stand in lines."
After
London, I spent three days in Richmond doing Family History research.
I visited the house my great-great-grandmother, great-grandmother,
and grandmother lived in and the church they attended. I found the
war memorial with my grandmother's brother's name on it, and in the
local history research centre, I found out when my great-grandmother
died and where she is buried. And I visited that cemetery where at
least three of these females are buried. Richmond and the Thames were
very beautiful. I walked all over, including down to the station when
I was ready to leave.
Then I
took a train to Axminster and used it as a base to visit four towns
on my list. I rented a car (not recommended) and drove to Ilminster
where my other grandmother went to school. I took the train twice to
Exeter. The first day I spent in the cathedral. Awesome! And the
second, in the museum, to see the Canadian collection of Fraser River
baskets and other First Nations artifacts. They even had a pair of
moccasins from Norway House on display in the World Cultures exhibit,
and, behind the scenes in the storage area, Chief Crowfoot's shirt
which he stripped off to don the Treaty Coat and Hat. I took the bus
to Lyme Regis where many of my favourite stories and movies are
set--Persuasion and The French Lieutenant's Woman to name two. And
Remarkable Creatures by Winnipeg writer Joan Thomas. That last is
about Mary Anning, the woman who discovered the fossils which began
the towns geology tourism industry in the early eighteen hundreds.
Visited her grave and the stained glass window honouring her in the
Norman-era church. And I took a bus for a day with Thomas
Hardy--Dorchester, his birthplace at Higher Bockhampton, and his
mansion Max Gate which was not part of National Trust the last time I
was there.
From
Axminster I took a train to Portsmouth to visit more houses and
graveyards (great-grandfather) and HMS Victory again where this g-g-f
worked, and the house where my grandmother was born and lived the
first ten years of her life. And Charles Dickens' birthplace.
Then I
took the train to Glasgow to visit. My ex-brother-in-law was my own
right private chauffeur and guide around Glasgow. We visited
buildings designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh--the Glasgow School
of Art and Hill House. The one disappointment is that no photos are
permitted inside either.
My trip
home was a bit of a horror as the train from Glasgow to London broke
down so the 4.5 hour journey took me 11 hours all together, and then
five in Gatwick airport and nine on the plane the next day. It took
me way longer to recover than I expected.
I took a
local geology field trip a week after my return. Another twelve hour
day on a bus, but the sites, especially formations around Merritt and
Kamloops, were spectacular. Then the wedding of a friend's son in
Vancouver.
I also
had to replace my old car when I got home. I bought a 2005 Chevy
Cavalier from one of my Scrabble buddies. It's a stick shift which I
have not driven since 1993, but I'm getting used to it. I put on 4
new tires but not snow tires as I never drive if the roads are bad.
Another advantage of never having to be anywhere specific at any
specific time.
I have
been working on writing projects. My first article I sold from my
trip has been published by Travel Thru History and I hope to place
one about Portsmouth soon. I also did a presentation on Canadian
Literature for Elder College in Chilliwack, and prepared slide shows
of my trip. I have also been working on Family History. I completed a
timeline, complete with new photos from Richmond UK and Portsmouth,
of my grandmother Winifred Joan Hayne Bubar's life and presented it
at a Show and Tell in Cloverdale the last Saturday in November.
I leave
town only rarely, lately to visit a friend in a nursing home in
Agassiz. My life still revolves around writing, walking, taking
pictures, meeting for coffee at the Blue Moose, and playing Scrabble.
I dread winter here although it is unpredictable and varies a great
deal from one year to the next. This year I am trying to heat with
free wood given to me by a neighbour, which means even inside the
house, the 'weather' varies. My “boarder” (old homeless man with
older dog) is still here, but expected to re-locate shortly. Looking
forward to the money I will find in my birthday cake. Then, back to
more serious business for 2014. Love and best wishes to all.
