Monday, November 12, 2007

A November Jaunt

Aside

It wasn’t an official girl’s day out – we were going to Porlock to see a vintage fashion show in aid of the Porlock Museum and the Visitor Centre so it seemed only sensible to have lunch first. The old Red Lion at Minehead has been given a new name – The Quay _ and refurbished. When MTL and I first came to the area we had lunch at the Red Lion and then – for years - sort of mislaid it and couldn’t find it again. It’s all been freshly done, and when I said it was a little sombre Margaret corrected it to autumnal. Anyway we had a very comforting Shepherds pie with lots of vegetables and a large fruit crumble.

Obviously the whole world and his wife were going to the show so we had to park in the public car park which took us past the house where we had the adventure with the very large lady and her tremulous husband. Not a sign of life. We did consider dropping in for coffee but thought better of it.

The village hall was full to bursting and I politely asked if I would be allowed to take photographs. This request was forwarded to the powers that be and finally the answer was a doubtful ’no!’ There were comfortable seats but we were on a wooden form with our backs against an uncomfortable wall. Still we’re British and mustn’t grumble. As soon as the show started there were flashes from cameras right left and centre so I threw politeness to the winds and joined in. I do apologise for the poor quality (serves me right) and my battery ran out before the up- to- date fashion. The vintage ones were the ones with the style however.

By the time it was over we were quite stiff and decided not to join the scrum for tea.

Margaret was excited that – at last – her younger daughter would soon be going out to China to collect her little toddler daughter she and her husband are adopting; Margaret’s son and wife have already adopted a boy and girl from South America.

Jackie is busy reading to a blind lady, a book on old Minehead, but progress is slow as every other sentence the lady reminisces about something mentioned that she remembers. I think it’s great that at 83 Jackie is still doing things for others when she no longer drives and finds the hill a bit taxing. She’s a tough old girl.

18 comments:

Kim Ayres said...

Maybe you should invite Jackie to join us on The Storytellers Blog

Pat said...

Kim: next time I see her I'll sound her out.

Anonymous said...

Glad you broke the rules with your camera Pat. Pub lunches are something I might admit to missing from England. The village local where we used to live was also called the Red Lion (but it has changed now) and the landlord and his wife were popular and generous - always ready to talk and to listen but never gossip.

Anonymous said...

Good for Jackie! "Slow progress" doesn't matter. I'm in a reading tutor program at the local school with a couple of 7-year-olds and we are instructed to help them make connections between what they're reading and their own lives. So, blind as she may be, the other woman is doing exactly what she should!

Now I'll go and look at the pictures.

Pat said...

Jack: she's also -presumably - enjoying herself which is what it's all about. Glad you didn't have a glitch this time.

November Rain said...

I always love coming here and reading :) (even when Michele doesn't send me LOL)

I myself don't just write on my novy news and through the storm blogs I also have role-playing blogs where I write with others

I have entered with one of my RPG characters this blog game


Now we are voting who is to get kicked off

unless friends vote for someone other than me (I am TX) then I will be thrown off lol (Hint hint hint)

if you want you can go and vote one of my competitors off ;)

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Jackie's reading reminds me of my mother telling me how she, as a child, used to have to read to a group of village women. When she got home from school they'd all be waiting...she read the newspapers to them.

Pat said...

Novy: the deed is done. Good luck!

GG: just like your Mum. It's such a lovely thing to do.

Sam, Problem-Child-Bride said...

I agree with Kim, it'd be nice to have Jackie read on Storyteller's.

I favour the fifties too in terms of style. I loved the nipped in waists and full skirts and men still wore hats.

rashbre said...

Great you were able to take some pix. Its a difficult one to decide whether to 'ask' or just 'do'! Some of your pix would crop well. I did one just for fun

Pat said...

Sam: when I wa modelling I had no hips so used to wear a waspie - very uncomfortable and it gave on bags under the eyes. Well the fat had to go somewhere:)

Pat said...

Radshbre: that's brilliant. I wish I could do that. It makes such an evocative photo - shades of Rita Hayworth in 'You were never Lovelier'

Anonymous said...

Loved the rayon halter.

Good luck to the friends with overseas adoptions. I've done a few of those over the years. Truly, the nicest thing one can do in a legal practice, and the one sort of case where the clients are happy to pay the bill.

Cheers.

Pat said...

Randall: did you see the cropped version Rashbre did?
It must be very satisfying helping all those would be parents. I know from Margaret's experience there is a lot of heartache.

apprentice said...

Sounds like a great bunch of pals Pat and a super day out.

I enjoyed the photos too!

Pat said...

Hi Anna: hope your bite's better.

Kanani said...

Still we’re British and mustn’t grumble.
Oh, this made me laugh! I have an Australian friend who says this about the British, as he complains and grumbles about almost everything!

Pat said...

Sablonneuse: the pubs are a great British institution and I would miss them although we never have a local as such - just spread our largesse far an wide.

Kanani:It's the 'stiff upper lip' syndrome.