I spend a lot of time here talking about Brooks - today, it's time to introduce our nephew!! This week he and his parents moved to Tokyo for their jobs, but we're looking forward to seeing them back home at Christmas time. Until then, I'll just watch this precious clip over and over again! The pledge of allegiance was never before recited with such enthusiasm... :)
Friday, October 3, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Yorkshire Trip
I'm an entire season behind on my blog... Here's to catching up quickly!!
The last Monday in May is a bank holiday here in the UK, so we decided to enjoy the long three-day weekend by taking a driving trip to the northern part of England. We rented a car and headed up to Yorkshire on Saturday. We had found a lovely little Bed and Breakfast on a working farm with a charming couple who loved children. They had a special crate full of old toys for Brooks to play with - really cute. Brooks enjoyed checking out the sheep and baby lambs when we arrived and we wandered in for a quick peek at the pig barn (whoa, the smell!)
Before heading to the local pub for supper, we drove into the North York Moors National Park and were amazed at the landscape. The elevation and the rough and rugged plants and the loud sharp wind, even in the beautiful May evening, made for a very lonely scene.
The next day we got up and enjoyed a yummy breakfast (everything local and organic and fresh!) and drove further north still until we were almost at the border of Scotland. We pulled off the highway and followed signs for Hadrian's Wall. Roman Emperor Hadrian (c 100 AD) built this stone wall across the width of England, and placed soldiers there to oversee security and taxation. Once the most heavily fortified border in the Empire, the wall was built primarily to deal with the pesky ancient Scottish tribes who were regularly raiding the borders of the Empire (I kept thinking of my friend Ewan Kennedy's ancestors). Much of the old wall and neighboring ditches and garrisons remain, and we spent a wonderful day hiking around a couple of sections of the ruins, enjoying the countryside, the fields, the views.
Note the built-in stone staircase to use to climb over the wall. I love those!
We also really enjoyed the WIND. I tried to picture being stationed along this wall, waiting for the Scottish next raid, and stoking the fire to try and keep warm. Notice - I was wearing my winter coat in late May!
We passed several creative stiles which allow ramblers a way over and into the next pasture, but keep sheep and cows safely in. I always love approaching a fence and seeing how the farmer would provide a way through, over or around.
Eric and Brooks passing through a traditional "kissing gate" ... These are everywhere in the UK.
At the highest point of the wall, Brooks and Dada enjoyed playing Scots and Romans (our local version of cowboys and indians), mostly because Brooks was so tired from battling the wind that it was easier to get around by crawling!
Running along the south side of the wall, protected from the gale force winds, Brooks could usually keep himself standing up right!
Brooks, can you say "Wind"? Can you catch the wind?
There were rock climbers just out of sight on the northern face of this ridge, and when Brooks saw me lean over to observe, he wanted to check it out himself.
That afternoon, we returned to our BnB in Northallerton by way of Durham. Home of England's third oldest and most prestigious university (after Oxford and Cambridge), Durham's town center is crowned by its cathedral, abbey and the university itself. Several of the buildings in the old part of town were used as sets for the Harry Potter movies, so we had fun picking out various hallways and courtyards from the Hogwarts scenes. I always love walking into a cathedral to organ music - performance or rehearsal, it doesn't matter... I just love hearing the music bounce around the old stones and resonate in the lofty ceilings. We had great timing in Durham!
Brooks LOVED the cathedral door-knocker. In the Middle Ages, fugitives could seek sanctuary by knocking on this door. They would be given 37 days to get their affairs in order, at which time they would either stand trial or leave the country by way of the nearest port.
On the way home from Durham, Brooks fell asleep in his carseat...
So we decided to take another longer drive through the Moors... It was strange, a sort of... park road, I guess you could call it, wound us up and into the rocky hilly areas, past the craggy plants and the sheep pastures, but then we meandered around a corner and there would be someone's house and barn. Their family farm was just right there, the middle of the park. It was charming, both appealing and terrifying to think of living such an isolated life. We didn't see more than one or two people for the whole hour of driving. All I could think of was the Bronte sisters and the lonely life they lived as they dreamed up their sad stories.
After supper in a local pub and a good night's sleep, we enjoyed another ridiculously tasty breakfast and then said goodbye to our working-farm-with-BnB...
And we headed out to the Yorkshire Dales for more hiking and driving. We passed field after field of rapeseed, one of my absolutely favorite sights in rural England. Entire hillsides full to the brim with this sort of shimmering liquid joy... Only when you get close to it can you see the individual plants. From far away, it looks like God just took out His paint brush and slapped some happy sunshine onto a field. I adore it, even the yellow pollen covering my jacket when I jumped back in the car.
Eons ago, the Dales and the Moors were the same kind of landscapes, but after the English farmers reclaimed the Dales, the beautiful fields and pastures there now have an entirely different vibe. Orderly. Neat. Quite tidy. The stone in the field has been used to make houses, barns and fences. The grass is green and the sheep are white - for me, there seems an overwhelming sense of peace there, not loneliness. It feels as far from "rugged" as possible, though the wind blows equally as strong.
Visiting both areas in one weekend was wonderful. I thought this view captured the differences well. The farmer has carved himself a bit of pasture land out of the lonely hillside and created a different kind of beauty.
All in all, it was a lovely weekend. We drove back home to London on Monday and had great conversation in the car, singing fun songs to Brooks as he got tired of his car seat. This kind of weekend is just about the perfect way to see our current home, little bite-sized chunks at a time. Isn't it beautiful?!
The last Monday in May is a bank holiday here in the UK, so we decided to enjoy the long three-day weekend by taking a driving trip to the northern part of England. We rented a car and headed up to Yorkshire on Saturday. We had found a lovely little Bed and Breakfast on a working farm with a charming couple who loved children. They had a special crate full of old toys for Brooks to play with - really cute. Brooks enjoyed checking out the sheep and baby lambs when we arrived and we wandered in for a quick peek at the pig barn (whoa, the smell!)
Before heading to the local pub for supper, we drove into the North York Moors National Park and were amazed at the landscape. The elevation and the rough and rugged plants and the loud sharp wind, even in the beautiful May evening, made for a very lonely scene.
The next day we got up and enjoyed a yummy breakfast (everything local and organic and fresh!) and drove further north still until we were almost at the border of Scotland. We pulled off the highway and followed signs for Hadrian's Wall. Roman Emperor Hadrian (c 100 AD) built this stone wall across the width of England, and placed soldiers there to oversee security and taxation. Once the most heavily fortified border in the Empire, the wall was built primarily to deal with the pesky ancient Scottish tribes who were regularly raiding the borders of the Empire (I kept thinking of my friend Ewan Kennedy's ancestors). Much of the old wall and neighboring ditches and garrisons remain, and we spent a wonderful day hiking around a couple of sections of the ruins, enjoying the countryside, the fields, the views.
Note the built-in stone staircase to use to climb over the wall. I love those!
We also really enjoyed the WIND. I tried to picture being stationed along this wall, waiting for the Scottish next raid, and stoking the fire to try and keep warm. Notice - I was wearing my winter coat in late May!
We passed several creative stiles which allow ramblers a way over and into the next pasture, but keep sheep and cows safely in. I always love approaching a fence and seeing how the farmer would provide a way through, over or around.
Eric and Brooks passing through a traditional "kissing gate" ... These are everywhere in the UK.
At the highest point of the wall, Brooks and Dada enjoyed playing Scots and Romans (our local version of cowboys and indians), mostly because Brooks was so tired from battling the wind that it was easier to get around by crawling!
Running along the south side of the wall, protected from the gale force winds, Brooks could usually keep himself standing up right!
Brooks, can you say "Wind"? Can you catch the wind?
There were rock climbers just out of sight on the northern face of this ridge, and when Brooks saw me lean over to observe, he wanted to check it out himself.
That afternoon, we returned to our BnB in Northallerton by way of Durham. Home of England's third oldest and most prestigious university (after Oxford and Cambridge), Durham's town center is crowned by its cathedral, abbey and the university itself. Several of the buildings in the old part of town were used as sets for the Harry Potter movies, so we had fun picking out various hallways and courtyards from the Hogwarts scenes. I always love walking into a cathedral to organ music - performance or rehearsal, it doesn't matter... I just love hearing the music bounce around the old stones and resonate in the lofty ceilings. We had great timing in Durham!
Brooks LOVED the cathedral door-knocker. In the Middle Ages, fugitives could seek sanctuary by knocking on this door. They would be given 37 days to get their affairs in order, at which time they would either stand trial or leave the country by way of the nearest port.
On the way home from Durham, Brooks fell asleep in his carseat...
So we decided to take another longer drive through the Moors... It was strange, a sort of... park road, I guess you could call it, wound us up and into the rocky hilly areas, past the craggy plants and the sheep pastures, but then we meandered around a corner and there would be someone's house and barn. Their family farm was just right there, the middle of the park. It was charming, both appealing and terrifying to think of living such an isolated life. We didn't see more than one or two people for the whole hour of driving. All I could think of was the Bronte sisters and the lonely life they lived as they dreamed up their sad stories.
After supper in a local pub and a good night's sleep, we enjoyed another ridiculously tasty breakfast and then said goodbye to our working-farm-with-BnB...
And we headed out to the Yorkshire Dales for more hiking and driving. We passed field after field of rapeseed, one of my absolutely favorite sights in rural England. Entire hillsides full to the brim with this sort of shimmering liquid joy... Only when you get close to it can you see the individual plants. From far away, it looks like God just took out His paint brush and slapped some happy sunshine onto a field. I adore it, even the yellow pollen covering my jacket when I jumped back in the car.
Eons ago, the Dales and the Moors were the same kind of landscapes, but after the English farmers reclaimed the Dales, the beautiful fields and pastures there now have an entirely different vibe. Orderly. Neat. Quite tidy. The stone in the field has been used to make houses, barns and fences. The grass is green and the sheep are white - for me, there seems an overwhelming sense of peace there, not loneliness. It feels as far from "rugged" as possible, though the wind blows equally as strong.
Visiting both areas in one weekend was wonderful. I thought this view captured the differences well. The farmer has carved himself a bit of pasture land out of the lonely hillside and created a different kind of beauty.
All in all, it was a lovely weekend. We drove back home to London on Monday and had great conversation in the car, singing fun songs to Brooks as he got tired of his car seat. This kind of weekend is just about the perfect way to see our current home, little bite-sized chunks at a time. Isn't it beautiful?!
Brooks's latest declarations
Brooks is getting sooo big! And I'm loving all the cute things we catch him saying lately.
Each morning, when I go in to get him out of his crib (thank the Lord, he's still not climbing out of it himself!) he says the following, always in this order: "Dada. Bike. Hat. Backpack." He's obsessed with Eric's bike.
Last month, Brooks started counting "One, Two, Three, Five." Oh no! Where's four!? His mathematically gifted father was a bit horrified, which Brooks thought was so funny. We started working on inserting that "four" and Brooks would laugh whenever we'd say "four" and he'd yell "FIVE!" But yesterday I think I caught him counting to himself with the four in the right place.
We're all still getting over a particularly nasty round of colds. Yesterday on the way home from bible study, Brooks kept saying this over and over - {cough} "Sick. Yep. Ok."
Eric's helping him learn the alphabet using the Mother Goose book that he loves so much. Today, I heard "H, I, K" and "Q, R, X." Well, not quite, but we're getting there...
These were all heard during snack-time this morning:
"Brooks. Raisin. Okay."
"MY raisins."
"More. Raisins. Please"
I think this stage really is getting so fun!! I can't believe how crazy we are about this little guy.
Each morning, when I go in to get him out of his crib (thank the Lord, he's still not climbing out of it himself!) he says the following, always in this order: "Dada. Bike. Hat. Backpack." He's obsessed with Eric's bike.
Last month, Brooks started counting "One, Two, Three, Five." Oh no! Where's four!? His mathematically gifted father was a bit horrified, which Brooks thought was so funny. We started working on inserting that "four" and Brooks would laugh whenever we'd say "four" and he'd yell "FIVE!" But yesterday I think I caught him counting to himself with the four in the right place.
We're all still getting over a particularly nasty round of colds. Yesterday on the way home from bible study, Brooks kept saying this over and over - {cough} "Sick. Yep. Ok."
Eric's helping him learn the alphabet using the Mother Goose book that he loves so much. Today, I heard "H, I, K" and "Q, R, X." Well, not quite, but we're getting there...
These were all heard during snack-time this morning:
"Brooks. Raisin. Okay."
"MY raisins."
"More. Raisins. Please"
I think this stage really is getting so fun!! I can't believe how crazy we are about this little guy.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Something...
I sit down today to write... something. We have so much to tell, so many stories, so many pictures, so much LIFE to share here that I'm just overwhelmed by the idea of "catching up" on the blog. But rather than delay, I thought I'd start with SOMETHING.
Yesterday, I checked out a friend's Facebook page and noticed that she had labeled some of her new pictures "Fall 2008"... What!? I thought, it's not Fall yet, is it?! I still feel like we should be in the midst of summer, or spring actually, of 2008.
I'm definitely not ready for fall this year, even though it's always been one of my favorite seasons. Perhaps because the hot weather never actually showed up over here this year. Perhaps because August and September have been a traveling and hosting blur. Perhaps (most likely) because this summer will be our only full summer in the UK, and I hate to think that it's already behind us.
But the inevitable has happened. The leaves are starting to turn and fall. The hotel window boxes around our square are filled with overgrown flowers that have started to shrivel a bit and look tired. School kids are walking around the neighborhood in their adorable formal uniforms, hats and blazers and matching school satchels. I spotted a pumpkin in the market this past week, the first official "harvest" item. Can you believe, I actually saw a reference to Christmas on a sign last week?! It's true. Fall is here. The holidays aren't too far beyond, and after that, our last term in London. I can't believe we've passed the mid-point.
Home seems closer, and farther away, than ever today...
Yesterday, I checked out a friend's Facebook page and noticed that she had labeled some of her new pictures "Fall 2008"... What!? I thought, it's not Fall yet, is it?! I still feel like we should be in the midst of summer, or spring actually, of 2008.
I'm definitely not ready for fall this year, even though it's always been one of my favorite seasons. Perhaps because the hot weather never actually showed up over here this year. Perhaps because August and September have been a traveling and hosting blur. Perhaps (most likely) because this summer will be our only full summer in the UK, and I hate to think that it's already behind us.
But the inevitable has happened. The leaves are starting to turn and fall. The hotel window boxes around our square are filled with overgrown flowers that have started to shrivel a bit and look tired. School kids are walking around the neighborhood in their adorable formal uniforms, hats and blazers and matching school satchels. I spotted a pumpkin in the market this past week, the first official "harvest" item. Can you believe, I actually saw a reference to Christmas on a sign last week?! It's true. Fall is here. The holidays aren't too far beyond, and after that, our last term in London. I can't believe we've passed the mid-point.
Home seems closer, and farther away, than ever today...
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Walk like an Egyptian...
We're in Luxor Egypt with my mom and dad. We've been here for three days and seen so much!! Photos and blog entries to come. Nice, France for our anniversary was wonderful in completely different ways. In between, my parents and I took Brooks to Normandy (Eric had to work! :-( ) and saw the beaches of D-Day. It's been a whirlwind last few weeks. More stories soon.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Learning to Jump!
Brooks was in the garden across the street from our house, learning to "jump" last Monday night. He knows it has something to do with both his hands and his feet, but he hasn't quite worked it out yet. But he's certainly enjoying the practicing! I'm not sure what I like more, his laughter and his word for "jump" or the way he's flapping his arms!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Off to the French Riviera!
Eric and I are so excited - we leave today for three days and three nights in Nice, France while my parents watch Brooks here in London. This is our first trip just the two of us without Brooks since he was born almost two years ago, and we are so looking forward to traveling light, sleeping in, and visiting restaurants that don't have high chairs!
Mom and Dad arrived a couple of days ago, and have already adjusted to jet lag and learned the neighborhood as well as all of Brooks's routines (and sneaky tricks!) so he'll be in very good hands. I know that I'll miss him like crazy, but before he was born, we swore to ourselves that we would do this kind of trip sometimes. So, in honor of our 5th anniversary later in the month, off we go for a baby-free weekend.
We're back on Sunday and then off again for adventures with Brooks and my folks... August is a fun month! :)
Mom and Dad arrived a couple of days ago, and have already adjusted to jet lag and learned the neighborhood as well as all of Brooks's routines (and sneaky tricks!) so he'll be in very good hands. I know that I'll miss him like crazy, but before he was born, we swore to ourselves that we would do this kind of trip sometimes. So, in honor of our 5th anniversary later in the month, off we go for a baby-free weekend.
We're back on Sunday and then off again for adventures with Brooks and my folks... August is a fun month! :)
Friday, August 8, 2008
Ladies Day at Ascot
Walking several blocks to the Tube at 9:30 am all decked out in formal day wear with hat was an experience I will not soon forget. In my life I have rarely felt like a celebrity (my wedding day being one notable exception), but that morning, I did! Loads of people on the sidewalks did double-takes, the construction workers paused to smile while I passed by, one woman excitedly interrupted her friends' conversation to point me out as I approached their group, someone actually took a picture of me while I was standing on the Tube platform! Ha! It was hysterical. By the time I got to Waterloo Station, I was relieved to find others dressed as I was... It felt like arriving at a Halloween party by yourself, and momentarily wondering if anyone else was going to get into it to the same level you did!
I quickly found my friend, Becky, and we got tickets, coffee and headed to the train. EVERYONE on our platform was decked out in all sorts of finery. The men in the top hats and morning coats were the best! The train was packed. The champagne corks started popping just as soon as we began to move. There were a few men sitting across the aisle who weren't on their way to Ascot and they were making fun of all of us... until some very young and extremely pretty women saddled up to them and conned them into relinquishing their seats. Funny to see them change their tune so fast.
We arrived in Ascot and followed the signs and the crowd up the hill to the Racecourse entrance. The weather that day was just perfect, sunny and breezy and cool-ish. The track and grounds are really beautiful and, covered with happy people dressed for the event, the air seemed to shimmer with excitement, even well before the Queen's arrival.
We got our barrings, realized we had no idea how (or on whom) to bet and decided that lunch was more important. After partaking in a casual picnic and a Pimm's Cup (sort of a British sangria with less alcohol), we made our way back to the Parade Ring to find a spot to watch the Royal Procession's arrival.
We had a great opportunity to people watch and fashion patrol while we enjoyed the sunshine and breeze and awaited the Queen's arrival. The band entertained us with everything from the classics to the Star Wars Theme Song. The jumbo-tron featured interviews with fashion critics and celeb-watchers describing the best and the brightest in attendance.
Finally, the Queen and her entourage approached and everyone clapped and cheered quite politely. (Note this is not a cropped picture. We were actually that close to her barouche!)
Here, some of the junior royals arrive... HRH Princess Eugenie is the young woman in the white feathers. Mrs. Autumn Phillips, the Queen's first grand-daughter in law, is wearing the pink hat.
After the Royal Procession, it was time for the races to begin. 70,000+ spectators all hurried to find a spot to watch the first race...
The electronic signs in the crowd below were betting stations, strategically placed so you never had to miss a moment of the action to get your final bets in!
The winning and top placing horses came into the Winners Circle directly after their race to be watered down and given blankets and led through a few cool down turns...
The winning horse doesn't get a flower blanket, nothing that flashy... Just a light elegant blanket with the Royal Ascot logo.
This horse had just won the Gold Cup, the premier race of the Royal Ascot week, and therefore of all the British season. As such an important distinction required, no one but the Queen herself (in blue) could award the Cup! The two owners, in pink and all those black feathers, curtsied and grinned, congratulating themselves on their third Gold Cup win in a row!
At the end of the day after all the races, the Grand Finale of the day was the "traditional sing-along" on the Lawn. I was fascinated by this (obviously! Singing involved!) and was SO glad we stayed. Wall to wall Brits, all mostly tipsy, many quite happy about their winnings, others quite happy about the beautiful day, cheering and singing their hearts out to a big brass band.
I found myself singing next to a quartet of older friendly-looking race-goers, each with a Royal Enclosure badge (their ticket to the Queen's exclusive club!) By the time we had made it through a half-dozen or so tunes together, we were chatting away like good friends. They shared their connections to Chicago (where are you from is always the first question I'm asked when I open my mouth!) and wanted to know what I thought of my first trip to Ascot. I was completely charmed by their welcoming manner and polite, what's the word... almost... hospitality? It was just delightful! We sang for the better part of an hour, and the songs included Rule Brittania, Tipperary, My Old Man, We'll Meet Again, Camptown Races, and I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (can you picture it yet?!). My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean had EVERYONE joining in, as well as Side By Side. We ended with Land of Hope and Glory (to the tune we know as Pomp and Circumstance) and people were waving their little Union Jack flags like crazy. It was really charming, sort of like everyone tearfully singing the Alma Mater at the end of an Auburn win at the Iron Bowl! :) The final song was Auld Lang Syne which we think of as a New Years' Eve song, but never mind. Everyone circled up in little groups of six or eight, crossed arms and sang at the top of their lungs.
I was thrilled that we stayed til the bitter end and got to participate in the "Communal Singing." I would not have missed a moment of that for the world! I almost broke my face grinning. When the four English men and women near me said their goodbyes, I wished them all well, and one of the men hung back a moment. In the most proper, perfect manners, he said simply "God BLESS America" and dipped below the rim of my hat to give me a peck on the cheek. Very smooth, yet adorably unassuming. I felt like I was in a movie or something. It was a never-forget moment!
One final note and I'll end for now... I knew we had a bit of a hike back to the train station, back down that lovely shady lane, and I was a bit concerned that my feet were going to cooperate and take me the whole way. When we got to the top of the hill, we discovered that one of the betting companies was handling out free pairs of pink flipflops. BRILLIANT!
All of these elegantly dressed women were almost kissing the workers, and gratefully snatching up their pairs. We slipped them on and praised the marketing gurus at Toteswinger all the way down that hill for their fantastic idea. Given that we still had to wait in line at the station for a train back to London, we were grateful beyond words for this little relief for our feet! :)
What a perfectly lovely day. I can't imagine it any more fun. Come visit in June 2009 and I'll take you back with me to Ladies Day at Royal Ascot!
I quickly found my friend, Becky, and we got tickets, coffee and headed to the train. EVERYONE on our platform was decked out in all sorts of finery. The men in the top hats and morning coats were the best! The train was packed. The champagne corks started popping just as soon as we began to move. There were a few men sitting across the aisle who weren't on their way to Ascot and they were making fun of all of us... until some very young and extremely pretty women saddled up to them and conned them into relinquishing their seats. Funny to see them change their tune so fast.
We arrived in Ascot and followed the signs and the crowd up the hill to the Racecourse entrance. The weather that day was just perfect, sunny and breezy and cool-ish. The track and grounds are really beautiful and, covered with happy people dressed for the event, the air seemed to shimmer with excitement, even well before the Queen's arrival.
We got our barrings, realized we had no idea how (or on whom) to bet and decided that lunch was more important. After partaking in a casual picnic and a Pimm's Cup (sort of a British sangria with less alcohol), we made our way back to the Parade Ring to find a spot to watch the Royal Procession's arrival.
We had a great opportunity to people watch and fashion patrol while we enjoyed the sunshine and breeze and awaited the Queen's arrival. The band entertained us with everything from the classics to the Star Wars Theme Song. The jumbo-tron featured interviews with fashion critics and celeb-watchers describing the best and the brightest in attendance.
Finally, the Queen and her entourage approached and everyone clapped and cheered quite politely. (Note this is not a cropped picture. We were actually that close to her barouche!)
Here, some of the junior royals arrive... HRH Princess Eugenie is the young woman in the white feathers. Mrs. Autumn Phillips, the Queen's first grand-daughter in law, is wearing the pink hat.
After the Royal Procession, it was time for the races to begin. 70,000+ spectators all hurried to find a spot to watch the first race...
The electronic signs in the crowd below were betting stations, strategically placed so you never had to miss a moment of the action to get your final bets in!
The winning and top placing horses came into the Winners Circle directly after their race to be watered down and given blankets and led through a few cool down turns...
The winning horse doesn't get a flower blanket, nothing that flashy... Just a light elegant blanket with the Royal Ascot logo.
This horse had just won the Gold Cup, the premier race of the Royal Ascot week, and therefore of all the British season. As such an important distinction required, no one but the Queen herself (in blue) could award the Cup! The two owners, in pink and all those black feathers, curtsied and grinned, congratulating themselves on their third Gold Cup win in a row!
At the end of the day after all the races, the Grand Finale of the day was the "traditional sing-along" on the Lawn. I was fascinated by this (obviously! Singing involved!) and was SO glad we stayed. Wall to wall Brits, all mostly tipsy, many quite happy about their winnings, others quite happy about the beautiful day, cheering and singing their hearts out to a big brass band.
I found myself singing next to a quartet of older friendly-looking race-goers, each with a Royal Enclosure badge (their ticket to the Queen's exclusive club!) By the time we had made it through a half-dozen or so tunes together, we were chatting away like good friends. They shared their connections to Chicago (where are you from is always the first question I'm asked when I open my mouth!) and wanted to know what I thought of my first trip to Ascot. I was completely charmed by their welcoming manner and polite, what's the word... almost... hospitality? It was just delightful! We sang for the better part of an hour, and the songs included Rule Brittania, Tipperary, My Old Man, We'll Meet Again, Camptown Races, and I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (can you picture it yet?!). My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean had EVERYONE joining in, as well as Side By Side. We ended with Land of Hope and Glory (to the tune we know as Pomp and Circumstance) and people were waving their little Union Jack flags like crazy. It was really charming, sort of like everyone tearfully singing the Alma Mater at the end of an Auburn win at the Iron Bowl! :) The final song was Auld Lang Syne which we think of as a New Years' Eve song, but never mind. Everyone circled up in little groups of six or eight, crossed arms and sang at the top of their lungs.
I was thrilled that we stayed til the bitter end and got to participate in the "Communal Singing." I would not have missed a moment of that for the world! I almost broke my face grinning. When the four English men and women near me said their goodbyes, I wished them all well, and one of the men hung back a moment. In the most proper, perfect manners, he said simply "God BLESS America" and dipped below the rim of my hat to give me a peck on the cheek. Very smooth, yet adorably unassuming. I felt like I was in a movie or something. It was a never-forget moment!
One final note and I'll end for now... I knew we had a bit of a hike back to the train station, back down that lovely shady lane, and I was a bit concerned that my feet were going to cooperate and take me the whole way. When we got to the top of the hill, we discovered that one of the betting companies was handling out free pairs of pink flipflops. BRILLIANT!
All of these elegantly dressed women were almost kissing the workers, and gratefully snatching up their pairs. We slipped them on and praised the marketing gurus at Toteswinger all the way down that hill for their fantastic idea. Given that we still had to wait in line at the station for a train back to London, we were grateful beyond words for this little relief for our feet! :)
What a perfectly lovely day. I can't imagine it any more fun. Come visit in June 2009 and I'll take you back with me to Ladies Day at Royal Ascot!
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