6 The History Wardrobe at Ilkley Literature Festival

A good friend of mine invited me (and several other friends from our book club) to The History Wardrobe's presentation "Agatha Christie & Art Deco" at the Ilkley Literature Festival.  Ilkley is a lovely town about half an hour (17 miles) from Harrogate, and so drew on Harrogate's proud attachment to Ms. Christie (here).  I'd not heard of The History Wardrobe before, but when Lexi and I met up in Edinburgh she said it was wonderful- and I trust her opinion, both for taste and for her literary expertise!
The performance was October 7- the day before our family was leaving Harrogate. This may have seemed like a stressful time to plan one more thing, but we were living in the holiday apartment, the pets' last vet appointment was the Friday before, and our Monday was going to be busy, but that Sunday? I could think of nothing better than a good show as a last hurrah with a great group of friends.

The History Wardrobe is a small collective of women (and one man!) who bring past eras alive through dress, accessories, and literature. This particular performance derives it's timeline from Ms. Christie's life, touching on stories from her personal life as well as from her books. All of the props and costumes are authentic pieces, but usually they are slightly damaged or in some way less desirable for museums and permanent collections- but this just means that we can touch them!! After the performance, guests were allowed on stage to view the items up close- and the stage was PACKED, as I think we were all itching to get our fingers on these historical pieces! I tried my best to snap a few pictures...

Lucy Adlington and Merry Towne were our hosts through the beginning of the 20th century. Several costume changes showed us both how women's dress evolved and how the different characters in society (and in Ms. Christie's books) would have acted in accordance with their attire- something described in great detail in most of the mysteries. 

The changing curtain where our characters emerged.

Some of the props.  Those cloche hats are back in style now!

Easily the most popular costume piece- a sequined shawl that sparkled and danced in the stage lights. My pictures do it no justice whatsoever!

I'm sure there are literary festivals and other "living history" performances throughout the States- and, with my regret in not having discovered them sooner in England, I plan to seek them out and take full advantage of them! Do you know of any?

7 Sloan's Last Trip to Brimham: I'm Calling This One for the Dogs

 If you've got furry kids, or if you're someone with human kids who has friends with furry kids, I'm sure you've taken part in the debate.

Human Kids vs. Dogs/Cats: Which Are Easier/Better?

I've definitely had my turns in this never-ending competition, and, to be honest, I think it's a draw- sure, you can leave dogs at home without a sitter when you run errands, but human kids are also welcome more places (especially in America-land). Human kids grow up too fast? Sure, but knock on wood, you get them in your life a whole lot longer than (an optimistic) 15-18 years. So shut up.  Dogs lick their butts and scoot on the carpet? Human kids do drugs.  (No, not all do, but then, not all dogs scoot, either.)

Anyway, my point is that I think having to leave somewhere they obviously love is harder for pets (dogs specifically in this post) because they don't know it's their last time. 

Friday, September 28, we had our fast shipment packed up and moved out of our house for good.  Between that little pack-out and house-cleaning, we took a late-afternoon break to go to Brimham Rocks (lots of links in the first paragraph of this post) for the last time. Watson (my Element) was scheduled to be cleaned and wait to be shipped the next morning and our National Trust membership expired that Sunday, so it was clearly a "now or never" time. We popped both dogs in the car and, as usual, Sloan got wiggle-butt excited as soon as she recognized the route.  Brimham was fairly empty, which we appreciated.  Both dogs were able to run around, sniffing, chasing, and hurtling through the heather without a care. 

I wanted to get one last picture of the two of them with Nidderdale as their backdrop, but they weren't interested in cooperating!

We moseyed around, both Paul and I walking slower and slower as we took in the beauty of our surroundings as well as the complete joy on Sloan's face. The tears I was fighting began to win, and I told Paul "She doesn't even know. And we have no way to tell her." 

That's a happy tush.

The rain earlier in the day gave us a double rainbow (the second rainbow's barely visible here, but it's to the right of the brighter one). Rainbows and double rainbows aren't uncommon in Great Britain, but that one really hit my heart, and made me smile through my watery eyes. 

We stayed for a while, playing fetch and sitting on rocks as the dogs sniffed puddles and chased imaginary beasties. I wondered out loud if it wasn't better that Sloan didn't know, because then she might not have been so carefree; so every-day in her fun. She was spared the bittersweet that Paul and I were feeling.

I know that Paul and I will see North Yorkshire again, even if it's just for a visit here and there, but common sense tells me that's not likely for Sloan (or Max & Mia).  We're lucky enough to have pictures (hundreds of them, in fact) to help trigger our memories of her favorite place, but I hope that, when Sloan's running in her dreams and kicking me during the night, she's bounding through the thick heather and leaping off the tall rocks at the Brimham in her mind. 

11 Goodbye

There are places I'll remember all my life,

though some have changed.
Some forever, not for better.
Some have gone and some remain.

All these places have their moments with lovers and friends,
I still can recall.

Some are dead and some are living;
In my life, I've loved them all.

But of all these friends and lovers,
there is no one, compares with you.

And these memories lose their meaning, 
when I think of love as something new.

Though I know I'll never lose affection for people and things that went before,
I know I'll often stop and think about them;

In my life, I love you more.

In my life, I love you more.

Many, many thanks to Lennon/McCartney and The Beatles. This song has long been one of my favorites, but has come to mean something so dear since living here. I don't know how long hearing it will make me burst into tears, but I promise, they're thankful, joyful tears- because I got to call God's Own Country home for three beautiful years.

disclaimer: Paul isn't pictured because he hates being in pictures, so my selection is limited. Mia's not pictured because nearly all of my pictures of her are indoors and sadly, don't show the beauty of Yorkshire. Also, the first picture of the dogs is actually from Jedburgh Abbey, The Borders, Scotland.  I just love it.

4 Our (old) House: The Barn Conversion in Norwood, North Yorkshire

Today we're saying some last goodbyes to friends and leaving Harrogate. We're driving down to Heathrow, where we'll spend the night in a hotel ready for the pets' 7:15AM check-in tomorrow.

In the meantime, though, I'll make good on an oft-promised post: our house here. 

Granted, it is our second house- the first was a farmhouse built in 1782. 

But here you go. Sorry I didn't take pictures until it was empty... but these rooms are strange angles and really hard to photograph. I totally get why houses look different in person vs. on websites!

Our house. We lived in the barn conversion and it was a "semi-detached", as the farmhouse was on the right. You can just see its roof on the far right of the picture, behind our front door. 

Downstairs toilet. This wouldn't be called a 'bathroom', as there is no bath. It might be called a 'loo', or 'w.c.', but in most of the North it's just called the 'toilet'. 

Those are display cabinets on either side of the sink- the only ones in the house. This was strange... but, whatever.   The front door is directly behind me, the stairs are to my left alongside a small hallway leading to the living room. 

From the hallway, between the kitchen door and stairs.

Our living room. it is huuuuuuuge, as it was the dining room as well.  The door on the left leads to a lounge, which we used as a bedroom.  The door on the far right is the conservatory.

We had large rugs in this room for Max.

The other end. The conservatory door is shown.  The door on the far right is the kitchen.

The conservatory, which would be called a sunroom in the States. It's bigger than the picture shows- we fit a full-size couch in here along the wall on the right.  

There was a jute rug in here, too. 

 The kitchen. I say it's tiny- but that's relative to the house. Were this a London flat, it'd be huge. Since it's a Yorkshire 5 bed/2.5 bath barn conversion, it's pokey.  There is no refrigerator- we had to get our own.

The other cabinets and the cooktop and oven.  Glass cooktops are my nemesis- I will do my best to never have one again. 

 Upstairs on this side of the house (more on that later).  I am standing in the "master" doorway, the wardrobe room is next on the left and immediately to the left of the bathroom is another bedroom.

The big barn window from the landing.

 The only bedroom with built-in wardrobes. It's next to the "master".  The wall on the right is immediately to the right- all of the bedrooms are very small by American standards.

 This room is considered the master. It's not "en suite", meaning with its own bathroom. We had a queen size guest bed with two bedside tables, and those three pieces of furniture fit snugly across the wall in front of you.

 The large house bath.  Paul used this one, as he preferred this shower.

The other end. 

Now, to the other side of the house!

The lounge that we used as a bedroom since Max can't walk up stairs.  It's a big room- we have a large platform king bed, and we had both dogs' kennels up as well as two dog beds.

From the stairs. There is a gas stove (like a wood stove, not for cooking) that goes in front of that hole; it's out for repair.  Oh- and Max can do those three stairs :)

Yep, that's another outside door. This half of the house used to be a separate "granny suite", or cottage. The two halves have been combined to be one home now.  There is no access between the two upstairs areas. 

(Was 3 bed/1.5 baths and 2 bed/1 bath)

What used to be the kitchen of this half. We used it as a utility/laundry room. Our washer and dryer were on the far left, with the dryer on the counter there. 

The other side, and a "barn door", which I would call a "Dutch door". 

One of the upstairs bedrooms. This was Paul's clothes' room. 

See this post for a short tour of mine, in the next room.

The bathroom on this side of the house.  It was mine.

The funny little half-tub. This shower is a good example of showers in Europe- there is a string or switch to turn it on (often by the door), and then another on/heat dial on the unit itself. 

Wish us luck and please keep us in your thoughts/prayers/anything, as tomorrow is going to be a long and stressful day.  Let's just say I'm not wearing any mascara on the plane!!

0 Sketch: The Mad Hatter + 60s Mod + Jack Skellington = A Really Cool Place

I've already shown you The Glade Room at Sketch, where we had our Bloggers' Afternoon Tea. We were given a short tour of a few of the other rooms as well. 

This is The Gallery, and it's very banquet-y feeling, but in a hip way. It was being re-set for another event  when we came through, but it feels dark and cosy despite being well-lit and wide open. I imagine it feels even more so when stuffed with furniture!

 The ceiling. I like to pretend that's a giant spinning projector.

A clever glass-flower pendant light.

 This mod bench led us to another room that had all of our jaws on the floor. I'll let you see a couple of images before I tell you what you're seeing.

 These are loos. Not space eggs, not Austin Powers travel pods, but toilets.  I want the ceiling, though- I kept thinking the lights would start blinking and dancing up and down their columns!

Meanwhile, there was another toilet that most of us had been to, returning and promptly telling the next lady she had to go check it out.

(Sidenote: Americans say "restroom" or "bathroom". Brits say "loo" or, particularly in the North, "toilet". I've adapted to using "toilet" after being correct many times in my early days. Not until being at Sketch have I asked for the "toilet" and been answered with "Oh, the bathroom?"

Wait, what??!!)

 The men's is on the left; ladies on the right.

Duh.

 In a stall. What you can't see is the loo roll (toilet paper), which hung from two chains of these fake crystals, as if on it's own very posh swing. 

Also, it's rather unnerving to pee (wee for Brits) surrounded by so many mirrors.

I completely neglected to take a picture of Sketch's sign outside, as I was distracted by this faceless dog. His story intrigues me. 

After tea, many of us headed over to Liberty to wander- I've got pictures (of course!) that I'll share with you next week!

Moving update: Today Paul finalized his last bits and pieces at work, we had a going-away lunch at The Welly (I am going to miss their food so desperately!), we walked three miles round-trip across Harrogate city centre to our vet with both dogs and Mia in my L.L.Bean tote, as it's smaller than her airline kennel for their fit-to-fly health certificates (and kudos to Mia, she didn't pee in my bag despite being a bit anxious from the street noise), and then we went to York for a ghost tour with some close friends for a last hurrah.  The final goodbyes have started...

Two full days in Harrogate left. 

9 Bloggers' Afternoon Tea at Sketch

 Laura, of Happy Homemaker UK, put up a post for an afternoon tea she was organizing in London. I was interested, but not sure how I would fit in going down to London one week before our flight out.  I began (gently!) harassing Becky to go with me, so that I wouldn't be walking into a room of total strangers- and when she agreed (which only took a small nudge!), I bought a train ticket and RSVPed. Since our temporary apartment let is in town, I walked over to Harrogate rail station at 7:30AM and caught the train down to London. While this is the first time I've gone to London just for the day, I realized how much I'm going to miss train service and the ability to go to one of the world's greatest cities on a whim. Watching the rolling hills of recently cut hay, seeing church spires, rail  car yards, and seeing livestock grazing in the fields, I fought back tears- but did my best to just soak it all up one last time. 

Anyway- back to the fun! Becky and I walked over to Sketch, located next to East India Company with a rather unassuming and deceptively simple entrance.  Our group was in the Glade room, which provided us with ample conversation to break the ice!

Despite being entirely walled, it had the feel of a screened in porch, which delighted my Southern heart! The sunlight ceiling added to the tamed-jungle feel of the room.

 The wallpaper was fascinating!

The room was dotted with cozy areas set perfectly for conversation.

The bar, adding a modern twist to the outdoor themed room.

Top left: Liz, Sarah Jane, Becky; Top right: Sarah, Sophie, Belinda;
Bottom left: Belinda, Selena, and Robynne; Bottom right: Charlotte and Laura
(see bottom picture for links to these fabulous blogs!)

The afternoon flew by as we discussed blogging, our personal lives, and, of course, our favorite bits of England! Blogs represented cover home decor, gardening, travel, and everyday English life- from English, American, and Australian perspectives!

 The table when we came in. The champagne helped us get over any nerves!

 Delicious fruit scones.

We had several tea trays, in fact, so much that we all had a good lunch and there were leftovers!

The food was just as tasty as it looked!

The ladies:

Clockwise, from top left: Charlotte, Sarah Jane, Becky, me, Sarah, Selena, Robynne, Laura, Liz, and Belinda

not pictured, as she had to get back to work: Louise

I had the best time meeting these other women and finding further connections to keep England alive in my daily life- not to mention seeing Sketch, which was a clever find on Laura's part!!

We were given a quick tour of some of the other rooms, so come back tomorrow to see them!