England Day 11

Sunday October 7

Oh, we had to hustle a little this morning.  Total of 8 adults slept in David and Kate's house and had to get ready to leave for church at 9am. Bec and Mark slept in her parents' camper in the driveway. They have a long way home and are ready to leave now. Picture taken in front of their car.

Oh, yes, really, it is a Jaguar! Bec drove Patricia and me to town yesterday morning for a little shopping. All I can say: Nice!

The rest of us drove to Wimborn, where Jo, Simon and their children live.
We drove to their house, left the cars there and quickly walked to church. It was Harvest Festival service. Catherine and Olivia were singing in the children's choir.
The above link is about the town and the church.

It was a very nice service and afterwards I had a little time to admire the beautiful church. I had also spied some beautiful ecclesiastical textiles.

Altar hanging on the left side altar.

A few of many cross stitch kneelers.

This is inspiring.

 View from the altar to the back of the church.

 This was a wall hanging at the right side altar.

The organ!

I like this picture. You would have also liked the tones coming out of these.

A view from the very back towards the front.

Walking this and narrower streets back to the house.

Catherine takes me on a tour through the garden.

 Tiswas the cat.

Olivia playing on the piano for us.

Simon cooking the lunch for us in a kitchen to be jealous about.

12 around a beautifully laid dining table.

Time for dessert.  I had to ask Catherine to let me take a photo of her "sweet" mouth. Ah, more of her grandma's meringues.

Edward is finished with dessert.

My kind of grandpa!

Cleaning-up crew in the kitchen.

 And off for the walk.

 We walked along the River Allen.

 Waiting in front of Waitrose (supermarket) ...

... because I was being surprised with this! We had seen a baking show on TV and chocolate marshmallow teacakes were the subject in the competition. It was an interesting show. I had said I wanted to try one.

This picture was taken from the internet. They remind me of a treat we have in Germany. I blogged about it here. Schoko Kisses! They were officially called something different when I was a child but it is not politically correct to say that now

After a wonderful time at the young generations' house we went back to Kate and David's where we had an equally nice evening. The siblings sorted more photos. Don't you love James in his Scottish kilt? Wallace tartan - family pattern on his mother's side.

Of course Stephen, the fifth sibling, can not be in this picture because he was born 10 years after Kate (the fourth).




Wallace tartan from the internet.











Many memories surfaced and stories were told. Shrieking and laughing at old photos and memories. It was so much fun listening. My favorite: The subject of diving and swimming came up. I was told that the Aunts Nep and Fi had been very good divers and were very involved in the swimming club. The parents were very insistent that the children learn to swim. The river and the pools were discussed. Patricia recalled that one of her early memory is how she was "forced" to learn to swim. She remembers screaming in the water ... and a minute later we find a photo of her and mom exactly showing capturing this.
And then it is time to go to bed. Patricia has an early flight next morning back to Girona, Spain and James, Jane and I will drive to Windsor.