Neighborhood Castles, Palaces and Pubs
The weather today has run the gamut of bright and clear and crisp to overcast, damp and clammy, to a steady downpour of rain (rainbow included). How can any place on earth beat that? It was a perfect day for sightseeing and Derek, Heather and company did exactly that. They have filled the two days here just about as full as you possibly can.
Derek and SK got up early and traveled to Moulsford, where the Shingleton line lived and died and were buried. They visited the little church where the family most likely worshipped, and even happened upon a little service - including some lovely singing.
They got back in time to walk over to our friendly neighborhood castle and take the grand tour. They enjoyed it as much as we did, and got the requisite mug shot at the end. I didn't get a snapshot, but will copy it here tomorrow for everyone to see. Derek, like his mother just couldn't not look like he was having a grand time. He missed the instructions to look like a felon. Everyone else "got the picture."
After the castle, they walked to our quaint little covered market from the 1700's and wandered through, stopping at the "Pie Minister" where they each had a small meat pie. Everyone cleaned their plates off and pronounced the pies to be excellent. Unfortunately, they were so excellent that they didn't have room for the best gelato in Southern England (like it says on the window).
They piled on a bus bound for Blenheim Palace and 20 minutes and 10 miles later were deposited at the gate to one of the grandest castles in England (we call it the neighborhood Palace). It was all well and good, not to mention beautiful, but they walked quite a distance to get to the opening into the palace courtyard, ticket booth and palace. Undaunted, they took the grand tour - and it was grand.
After a visit to the fantastic gift shop (where the boys managed NOT to buy anything - because they are saving their souvenir money for the Harry Potter studio tomorrow) they walked the distance out to the street and the bus stop. Instead of getting off at the stop near our flat, they got off close to the "Eagle and Child Pub" where they had dinner. This was the haunt of the Inklings - a literary group who gathered there 60 to 80 years or so ago to talk about all kinds of things: Christianity, fantasy, writing, history. They encouraged and inspired one another.
Of course you know that two of the most prestigious of that little group were C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein. During the years they were meeting, both of those authors were writing some of their most memorable work.
Derek and Heather reported the food was good. They got some shopping in and returned to their rented flat a block from here. Ally and SK returned to our flat here where I was in the middle of getting a meal on for the YSAs.
I stayed home from all of the festivities today so that I could prepare a meal. It wasn't intense. It was a nice, mostly easy day. I sat down when I got tired. I went to the store first thing this morning, and I walked over to meal SK, Derek and party for lunch. I walked to another store to get fresh bread for tonight.
We served the meal at 7 and Ally and SK got here at 6. Ally was a tremendous help in the kitchen, and we got everything on right at 7. We had 17 here. We've had more before but 17 is really pressing it in that little room. Ally helped in so many wonderful ways. SK tried to help, but he just doesn't hardly know what to do.....as opposed to another woman who knows her way around the kitchen. Ally didn't need instructions, she just got in and helped. I'm thinking of kidnapping her when her family goes home.
I baked a pizooki for dessert....which I've done before, but this time in a stroke of genius, I spread it thick in the pan. It took an hour - over an hour to reach a point that the inside wasn't lava. Another lesson learned. Everyone seemed pleased enough with it.
We have the sweetest sister who will go into London to be transferred to another area tomorrow. She is a tremendous missionary and I have loved serving with her and loved her. I wanted so much to hug her this evening. She was a little down about leaving this area and all the people she has come to love, and who love her. We did get a picture with her, which may be a little bit of bending the rules.
But we are all trying not to spread anything....like the coronavirus. From everything we hear, containment is no longer a possibility. It will continue until nearly everyone has been exposed to it. I feel like we ought to get more food into the apartment here, just in case we have to self-isolate, but it is difficult when I am feeding so many people regularly.
It is a fascinating time to live....to watch the news....to see how this is unfolding. It will be interesting to see what another month will bring.
I'll think about it tomorrow (Scarlett O'Hara)....tonight I'm off to bed. Harry Potter Studio awaits SK and me - as well as the Madsens - it's going to be great.
Our district has grown. We normally have six of us here for district meetings and lunch, but starting this week we will have 10. That is two fairly big meals a week. It is hard to stay ahead of that.
Derek and SK got up early and traveled to Moulsford, where the Shingleton line lived and died and were buried. They visited the little church where the family most likely worshipped, and even happened upon a little service - including some lovely singing.
They got back in time to walk over to our friendly neighborhood castle and take the grand tour. They enjoyed it as much as we did, and got the requisite mug shot at the end. I didn't get a snapshot, but will copy it here tomorrow for everyone to see. Derek, like his mother just couldn't not look like he was having a grand time. He missed the instructions to look like a felon. Everyone else "got the picture."
After the castle, they walked to our quaint little covered market from the 1700's and wandered through, stopping at the "Pie Minister" where they each had a small meat pie. Everyone cleaned their plates off and pronounced the pies to be excellent. Unfortunately, they were so excellent that they didn't have room for the best gelato in Southern England (like it says on the window).
They piled on a bus bound for Blenheim Palace and 20 minutes and 10 miles later were deposited at the gate to one of the grandest castles in England (we call it the neighborhood Palace). It was all well and good, not to mention beautiful, but they walked quite a distance to get to the opening into the palace courtyard, ticket booth and palace. Undaunted, they took the grand tour - and it was grand.
After a visit to the fantastic gift shop (where the boys managed NOT to buy anything - because they are saving their souvenir money for the Harry Potter studio tomorrow) they walked the distance out to the street and the bus stop. Instead of getting off at the stop near our flat, they got off close to the "Eagle and Child Pub" where they had dinner. This was the haunt of the Inklings - a literary group who gathered there 60 to 80 years or so ago to talk about all kinds of things: Christianity, fantasy, writing, history. They encouraged and inspired one another.
Of course you know that two of the most prestigious of that little group were C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein. During the years they were meeting, both of those authors were writing some of their most memorable work.
Derek and Heather reported the food was good. They got some shopping in and returned to their rented flat a block from here. Ally and SK returned to our flat here where I was in the middle of getting a meal on for the YSAs.
I stayed home from all of the festivities today so that I could prepare a meal. It wasn't intense. It was a nice, mostly easy day. I sat down when I got tired. I went to the store first thing this morning, and I walked over to meal SK, Derek and party for lunch. I walked to another store to get fresh bread for tonight.
We served the meal at 7 and Ally and SK got here at 6. Ally was a tremendous help in the kitchen, and we got everything on right at 7. We had 17 here. We've had more before but 17 is really pressing it in that little room. Ally helped in so many wonderful ways. SK tried to help, but he just doesn't hardly know what to do.....as opposed to another woman who knows her way around the kitchen. Ally didn't need instructions, she just got in and helped. I'm thinking of kidnapping her when her family goes home.
I baked a pizooki for dessert....which I've done before, but this time in a stroke of genius, I spread it thick in the pan. It took an hour - over an hour to reach a point that the inside wasn't lava. Another lesson learned. Everyone seemed pleased enough with it.
We have the sweetest sister who will go into London to be transferred to another area tomorrow. She is a tremendous missionary and I have loved serving with her and loved her. I wanted so much to hug her this evening. She was a little down about leaving this area and all the people she has come to love, and who love her. We did get a picture with her, which may be a little bit of bending the rules.
But we are all trying not to spread anything....like the coronavirus. From everything we hear, containment is no longer a possibility. It will continue until nearly everyone has been exposed to it. I feel like we ought to get more food into the apartment here, just in case we have to self-isolate, but it is difficult when I am feeding so many people regularly.
It is a fascinating time to live....to watch the news....to see how this is unfolding. It will be interesting to see what another month will bring.
I'll think about it tomorrow (Scarlett O'Hara)....tonight I'm off to bed. Harry Potter Studio awaits SK and me - as well as the Madsens - it's going to be great.
Our district has grown. We normally have six of us here for district meetings and lunch, but starting this week we will have 10. That is two fairly big meals a week. It is hard to stay ahead of that.
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