Year in Review - Journeys Expected and Unexpected

THERE AND BACK AGAIN

We traveled a lot this past year. More times than we'd planned. In February, we went to Florida to return my daughter's labs, who we'd been dogsitting while she and her family settled after a cross-country move. We also went to celebrate my grandson's tenth birthday. He wanted to go to Disney Animal Kingdom for his celebration. Since we love our grandson, we went. We had a good time and I loved the lushness of Animal Kingdom, but I learned never to trust my daughter when she said a roller coaster was fun. Moving backwards and getting jerked around unexpectedly was not fun!

We experienced another unexpected trip when we rushed back to the Sunshine State two months later after that same daughter underwent emergency surgery. Our presence relieved our son-in-law so he could return to work and the angst I felt being at being far away during such a time. She'll be dealing with some lifelong adjustments, but she's fine now.

In early summer, we flew to England to see our oldest daughter and her family, and to be there for the birth of her second son, our fourth grandchild. It was a wonderful time spent with family and visiting historic sites, including one tied to the great knight, William Marshal. Posts with photos here..

Sitting one the upper level of one of London's famous red buses for a tour of the city.

The Aforementioned Bus. While these tours provide an overview of London and some of its history, much of the city was blocked from view by the bus and other buildings. Next time, we'll walk.

Obligatory Photo of Stonehenge. Sheep really do graze nearby.

This past year, my husband celebrated his twelfth year at the church where he serves as pastor. After a dozen years in the pulpit, he needed a bit of a sabbatical, but with the birth and medical emergency, vacation time had to be reserved for family. Since the church office where I work was closed on Friday during the summer, we broke up that "sabbatical" into several weekends. We went to Edenton for Independence Day, the NC mountains, and Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, where we didn't ride a single roller coaster. Been there done that this year. (Or so I thought. Read on!)

Verandah at the historic Barker House, Edenton, NC

The one we didn’t ride. 

For our anniversary, we made a quick loop around eastern Virginia, visiting Manassas Battlefield, Arlington National Cemetery, the National Mall in Washington D.C., Mount Vernon, and finally, Fredericksburg Battlefield. It was all interesting, but the battlefields were particularly poignant experiences. Standing where so much blood was shed for independence from tyranny on one side, and to preserve the Union on the other brought home the fact that this history, these people, these battles were real. This nation needs to remember that to avoid another such terrible war.

Statue of Thomas Jackson overlooking the Manassas Battlefield.

Looking down the Sunken Road in Fredericksburg.

Reflection Pool at the National Mall in D.C.

Obligatory photo of the Unknown Soldier.

We thought that would be it for travels this year, but Southwest Airlines had a fantastic sale on airfare, which would allowed us to fly to Florida for another grandson's birthday for a great price. We booked the trip for what later turned out to be the day Hurricane Dorian arrived. Southwest allowed passengers to change flights without a fee, so we left the day after. We would spend less than forty-eight hours there, but within that time, our daughter dragged us back to Disney, where we rode a few more roller coasters and walked twelve miles in three parks.

After a week in which Disney was practically empty thanks to Hurricane Dorian, thousands of other eager visitors converged on the park. Yay.

Now this was a treat for this Star Wars fan!

Yeah, we love our grandsons.

And that wasn't all. We also traveled to the mountains of Virginia for Thanksgiving with friends. It was too cold to do anything outside, but we enjoyed our time visiting with them.

It's our Florida daughter's turn now. In just a few days, they'll arrive to spend Christmas week with us. More family time, more memories. I can't wait.

Next Post: Goodbye and Hello

Year in Review: 2019 Goals

Like so many others, I'm astonished that the bullet train that was 2019 sped by as quickly as it did. On January 1st, it was my intention to slow down and enjoy each day. Time didn't slow as I'd hoped it would, but we made a lot of memories, most of which were good, one scary, and another sad. I'd hoped to add everything here, but doing so made the post ridiculously long, so I'll start with a review of my 2019 goals.

GOALS:

At the beginning of the year, I posted my 2019 goals: study the French language, be more diligent about practicing my flute, and "clean as I go," meaning declutter and keep things decluttered on a daily bases.

My French studies are going well. Je peux parler le francais maintenant? A bit, but I'm far from fluent. According to my Duolingo stats, as of last Monday (December 16th):

• I've learned 13,073 words, a good portion of which I actually remember
• I've completed 3,735 lessons
• I spent 249 hours on the app studying French (that's both good and sad.)

I plan to continue my studies throughout 2020, D.V. though perhaps not as intensely. At the beginning of 2021, I'll start on Spanish.

My decluttering efforts were also a success. We still have a few small piles of paper on our counter, but our house feels roomier and somehow lighter and airier. My musical goals suffered, though. After a month of practicing the flute, I gradually stopped. I need to improve on that front.

In my next post: There and Back Again--A Year of Travel, Some Unexpected

England Part III: Fotheringhay and The Marshal

The day after we visited the Angle-Saxon church in Earls Barton, we piled in the car and headed out. Where, I didn't know. Nor did I understand the significance of our destination when we arrived. That information would slowly unfold during our visit.

We ended up in Fotheringhay, a clean, well-kept, ancient village that appears to have been established before William the Conqueror won the crown of England after the Battle of Hastings. As we walked down a wide, shady path to the church, I learned the church was built in the 15th century. When I walked inside that impressive building, I was told Richard III was born in Fotheringhay and Mary Queen of Scots had been held prisoner and was executed in the castle that once stood nearby, and that she might have been buried temporarily in one of the graves beneath the floor.

View of the Church from the Road

Churchyard and One Small Section of the Graveyard

That was all pretty neat stuff for one who loves history, but the big history bomb was dropped a few minutes later.

We'd walked to the end of the street and onto a dirt road. When we reached a fence near a mound where, I was told, Fothinghay Castle once stood, I was informed the castled had once been owned by William Marshal.

William Marshal. THE William Marshal.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm a fan of William Marshal. Born around 1147, he was the first Earl of Pembroke and served as knight under five English kings of the Plantagenet line. He was the absolute epitome of chivalry and loyalty, staying true to his king even when that king wasn't worthy of such loyalty. When Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) tried to usurp his father, Henry II, and take the throne, William went after him. As Thomas Asbridge recorded in his, The Greatest Knight: The Remarkable Life of William Marshal, The Power Behind Five English Thrones:

[William Marshal] spurred straight on to meet the advancing [Duke] Richard. When the [duke] saw him coming he shouted at the top of his voice: ‘God’s legs, Marshal! Don’t kill me. That would be a wicked thing to do, since you find me here completely unarmed.’

In that instant, Marshal could have slain Richard, skewering his body with the same lethal force that dispatched Patrick of Salisbury in 1168. Had there been more than a split second to ponder the choice, William might perhaps have reacted differently. As it was, instinct took over. Marshal simply could not bring himself to kill an un-armoured opponent, let alone the heir-apparent to the Angevin realm, King Henry II’s eldest surviving son.

This excerpt from a David Hume volume on England’s history gives you an idea of how important William Marshal was to England. Spelling is the original author's. The parentheses are mine.

(William Marshal) The earl of Pembroke who at the time of (King) John's death, was mareschal of England, was, by his office, at the head of the armies, and consequently, during a state of civil wars and convulsions, at the head of the government; and it happened, fortunately for the young monarch (Henry III) and for the nation, that the power could not have been intrusted into more able and more faithful hands. This nobleman, who had maintained his loyalty unshaken to John during the lowest fortune of that monarch, determined to support the authority of the infant prince; nor was he dismayed at the number and violence of his enemies.

Sensible that Henry, agreeably to the prejudices of the times, would not be deemed a sovereign till crowned and anointed by a churchman, he immediately carried the young prince to Glocester, where the ceremony of coronation was performed, in the presence of Gualo, the legate, and of a few noblemen, by the bishops of Winchester and Bath. As the concurrence of the papal authority was requisite to support the tottering throne, Henry was obliged to swear fealty to the pope, and renew that homage to which his father had already subjected the kingdom: and in order to enlarge the authority of Pembroke, and to give him a more regular and legal title to it, a general council of the barons was soon after summoned at Bristol, where that nobleman (Marshal) was chosen protector of the realm.

And I stood atop the mound where a castle he once owned stood. I got goosebumps. I may have cried a little. The happiness flowing through me was only surpassed by the arrival of my fourth grandson the following day.

Me (arms raised) thrilled over my momentary connection to William Marshal

It was a great trip.

For more information on Fotheringhay and the events that occurred there, go to  https://thehistoryofengland.co.uk/resource/fotheringhay/https://thehistoryofengland.co.uk/resource/fotheringhay/

England Part II: The Anglo-Saxon Part of the Journey

Two years ago, I downloaded a book on the Battle of Hastings. It was so rich and engaging, it set me on a long journey through English history, first jumping back to King Alfred, the "White Horse King" and then forward through the Plantagenet era, up to the Wars of the Roses.

Two historic figures stood out in those pages for their bravery and character: King Alfred the Great and the great knight, William Marshal, the epitome of loyalty and chivalry. I had hoped to visit a location associated with either of those men, but as this trip was more about family and less about sightseeing historic England, I put that aside for another time.

But my family had other ideas. Stonehenge is located in Amesbury, in what had been Alfred's kingdom of Wessex, so it was pointed out to me that he likely saw the monument in its better days. From that point on, I began viewing Stonehenge from the perspective. A day after that trip, the English branch of our family tree took us to Earls Barton to visit a medieval church, the tower of which dated back to the 900s--in other words, the Anglo-Saxon era. Likely when Alfred's fourth great grandson, Edgar the Peaceable, was on the throne.

As one who loves history, I was overwhelmed--in a good way--to see, step into, and touch a structure so old (though at one point, I was so focused on everything around me, I stepped off the handicap ramp at the entrance and fell into the handrail. We had a good laugh about that.) With the constant medieval wars and Viking raids that occurred over the generations, can you imagine what that church has, "seen?" Despite those battles, time and weather, the church still stands.

Watch your step!

Inside the church. This was built, I believe, during Norman times.

Medieval doors and windows would make a fascinating study

Like Irchester, the village of Earls Barton is quaint and clean, with an abundance of flowers bringing color to the tanish-colored stones. After we left the church, we went across the street to a butcher shop where we purchased fresh meat for meals and other goodies to snack on during the drive to my daughter's final doctor appointments. However, as I would soon learn, the history portion of our trip wasn't over.

England Part I: The Old and the New

My husband and I recently traveled to England to see our daughter and her family and for the birth of our fourth grandson. It was our first trip to that country, and we looked forward to the experience. While it wasn't without a few lessons of life in the UK (finding each room had a power switch and then finding that switch, and learning how to flush toilets--it wasn't as easy as it should be) overall it was a fantastic trip.

We arrived shortly after eleven in the morning. After greeting our daughter and her family, who we hadn't seen in three years, we were ushered (at their insistence) to an obligatory visit to Stonehenge to see the famous rocks. It was more commercialized than I'd imagined, though I should have expected as much. After parking in a lot, we made our way down to the entrance, which was situated between a museum and a gift shop. As with the majority of tourist sites, an entrance fee is required. Prospective visitors should note, "Entrance to Stonehenge is managed through timed tickets and advance booking is recommended. Pre-booking is the only way to guarantee entry on the day and at the time of your choice."

After showing our pre-purchased tickets, we made our way through the crowd to a shuttle bus. The ride to the monument was short, as was the walk up to the ancient site itself. Visitors are prohibited from walking close to and within the structure, and must stay on a walkway surrounding the rocks. Because of the crowds, it isn't easy to get a photo of Stonehenge completely devoid of people, but the opposite side of the walkway is so far away, fellow visitors aren't always noticeable in photos on first glance.

It was chilly with a few sprinkles, so we didn't stay long. Afterward, we went to Wheatsheaf for lunch at a proper British pub. The meal was delicious, and we had our first of several servings of chips. I had so many during our stay in England, I haven't been able to eat French fries since our return.

It was getting late in the day and we were tired after the long journey, so our next stop was a master bedroom at a thatched cottage in Irchester that I'd booked through Airbnb.

The English countryside is much as I expected it to be thanks to a steady diet of Jane Austen movies. As we traveled to Irchester, we admired rolling hills of green with an occasional sighting of sheep. And flowers, so many flowers of various colors along with poppies that grow wild. I expected the cottage to look like something out of Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility, but it looked more like a stucco townhouse with a roof made of reeds. Believe me, it was no less impressive, especially when we opened the back gate as instructed and walked into one of the many gardens we would see.

The cottage (actually two cottages merged together) was built in the 1500s and had, over the years, served as a shop for sweets and bicycles, among many things. Now, it's a cozy haven for its owner and visitors. The village itself was quaint and clean and dated back to the time of the Roman occupation. Roman ruins are nearby, but we couldn't see them on this visit. Next time.

Anyone who knows me knows I love history. Being surrounded by so much history was both awesome and surreal. But among the old is the new. In fact, the neighborhood in which my daughter lives was built on a site of a village that dates back to the iron-age. The old and the new was evident throughout the places we visited, but with the exception of our family and our new grandson, who was born three days later, it was the old we wanted to see.

Our next stop was an Anglo-Saxon church built in the 900s. Be still my history-loving heart.