If this is Tuesday, it must be England #167

 

Today would have been my sister Barbara and brother-in-law Paul's 23rd wedding anniversary.  I saw would have been because my sister died suddenly in 2022.  She was in remission from breast cancer, but the chemotherapy had weakened her heart, and she had a heart attack.  They had a destination wedding in Scotland with a small group of their friends and a few family members, 33 people in total.  It was a fun-filled weekend at Duns Castle in the Scottish Borders with croquet, golf, clay pigeon shooting, archery, a rehearsal dinner at a local inn, and a beautiful wedding at Edrom Parish Church complete with bagpiper.  I don't think I've shared photos of the weekend before so here are a few.

Duns Castle, with the massive Norman Keep or Pele Tower, supposedly dates from 1320 and has eleven bedrooms. The castle and most of the structures on the property are designated as a scheduled ancient monument.  The property also has numerous outbuildings that can provide lodging for additional guests.  There is a publicly accessible park and two man-made lakes, the Hen Poo and the smaller Mill Dam, that form the Duns Castle nature reserve.

My family headed off for a walk around the estate (Pamela, Mum, Dad, and Barbara with Sophia in front)

Admiring the swans on the lake

Croquet on the lawn - the weather was absolutely glorious for the three days we were there

Mum (in red jacket) trying her hand at archery - she was legally blind at this point; the instructor was so kind to guide her

My brother-in-law (fifth from the left), his father (far left) and assorted friends who looked magnificent

Dad, Sophia and Mum waiting for the car to take them to the church

Mum's got the royal wave going there!

Dad and Mum at the church; they were always holding hands

Paul and Barbara back at the castle after the wedding

The wedding cake - Barbara said it was whimsical, it looks like something out of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party!  After my parents picked Sophia and me up at the airport, we picked up the cake and carried it to Scotland in three boxes where the castle staff put it together

Flower girl Sophia, she was 7 years old and the only child at the wedding.  Mum bought her an art box of supplies and she could be found at various places with one of her new aunties or uncles coloring along with her - Barbara and Paul's friends were just amazing with her

It was an amazing weekend, a memory that will last forever!

Friday Favorites - The Time Capsule Part 2 of 3

  

Continuing on with Baby's Time Capsule.

Tin #2 is full of some of our favorite outfits that Sophia wore in her first and second years. 

There is the dress from our first family photo, her first Mother's Day, first Father's Day, and a cute sailor suit onesie that was a gift from friends in California.

There is a Santa union suit that was too small, but I managed to stuff her into it for a quick photo op (I know, the things we do for a photo!) as well as the Christmas pajamas (a white union suit and hat with candy canes) from her first Christmas.  I'm using the term union suit which I think now may be called a one-piece pajama - long sleeves, long legs, and zips all the way up the front.  

 The tin also contains her christening gown, bonnet, bib, shoes, and the knitted blanket my Mum made from wool that is so fine, it's like lace.  My sister sent the christening gown from Nordstrom in San Francisco.  I reached out to her to ask if she could look for something that was cool (as in not hot).  Everything I saw on Saipan was heavy satin with elaborate detailing.  Sophia would have been suffocating.  The dress my sister found was such fine cotton, it was just beautiful.  I took it to a seamstress and had her cut it vertically up the back, hem it, and then attach thin ribbons so that I could just slip her arms into it, tie it, and not have to lift it over her head.

Also in the tin is the black unitard that she wore for her second Halloween.  My Mum sewed a tail onto it and made ears to attach to a headband.

I dug around for the best photos I could find showing the outfits.

Mother's Day 1994, pink and white dress

Christmas 1994 pajamas (a white union suit and hat with candy canes)

Halloween 1995

And that is Tin #2.  Tin #3 coming next week.

Around the 'Net

 

This weekend will see the Armed Forces Day Parade in our local area.  Does your community have a parade this weekend?

Wednesday Hodgepodge - Volume 551

 

1. What impresses you? 

Self-made, successful people who give back to charity and live a modest lifestyle.  The days of "If you've got it, flaunt it" should be over when so many people are struggling.

2.  Where are you in your family birth order? Do you fit the stereotype of that particular slot? In what way?

I'm the oldest.  I had to look up the stereotype:  leaders and particularly anxious.  I don't consider myself a leader, I've always been more comfortable in a support role.  My sister is the youngest, there were just the two of us.  Her stereotype was more relaxed, coddled, and outgoing.  I suppose that's true.  You could say I'm anxious, I've been that way since I became a mother.  Do you ever stop worrying about your children?

My sister, Barbara (1966-2022) and me in the days of big hair and Merona fashions (anyone remember Merona's bright, bright colors and bold designs in the 1980s)

3. What motivates you more - a reward or a consequence? Elaborate. 

I'm not sure I understand the question.  I don't consider myself motivated by rewards - more money, more accolades, more incentives - that's not really my style.  I'm not sure I know what is meant by being motivated by a consequence.  I'll be interested to see how others have answered this.

4. May 14th is National Buttermilk Biscuit Day. Who thinks biscuits deserve their own day? Do you like biscuits? Make your own? Grab one for breakfast at a drive-through now and then? Which drive-through makes the one you like best? What do you like to put on a biscuit? What's your favorite food or dish that calls for buttermilk? 

Yes, I think biscuits deserve their own day, it seems like everything else has their own day.  I love biscuits, don't think I've ever made my own unless you count those pop out of the can ones!  Yes, I'll grab one at a drive-through, sausage and cheese, no egg please from McDonald's.  I like to put sliced ham (thick) on a biscuit.  It's a reminder of something we were introduced to in Virginia.  I'm not sure I've ever cooked anything with buttermilk.

Virginia Ham Biscuits

5. Are there any weddings on your summer calendar? What's your favorite part of a wedding/wedding reception? 

No weddings for us this summer.  So many favorites - a beautiful bride in her gown, an emotional ceremony, beautiful tablescapes, fun dancing.  A destination wedding is a fun favorite too.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Adding the picture of the Virginia Ham Biscuits made me think back to a funny story.  We were at a Christmas at the Ranch event in Virginia one December.  There were hayrides, Christmas crafts, entertainment, and a chuck wagon for refreshments.  I placed our order and, remembering past experiences where our last name always seemed to pose a problem (it's really not that difficult to spell or pronounce), I said "Jones".  Sophia was standing next to me; she was about 9 years old at the time and she said (loudly) "Our name is not Jones!"  LOL, out of the mouths of babes, isn't that the saying?

If this is Tuesday, it must be England #166

 

Happy 43rd Birthday tomorrow to Zara Tindall, daughter of The Princess Royal and niece of King Charles III.

Zara is marred to Mike Tindall, former rugby union player, and is the mother of three, Mia Grace (2014), Lena Elizabeth (2018), and Lucas Philip (2021).

She is an avid equestrian and competed in the 2012 London Olympics, winning a silver medal in the team event.

I love this photo.  After limiting his in-person contact due to ongoing treatment for cancer, King Charles III and Zara are seen embracing at the Royal Windsor Horse Show this month.

Share Our Lives - 5 Favorite and Least Favorite Foods

This month we're sharing our five favorite and least favorite foods.

Favorites:

1.  Seafood - shrimp, scallops, lobster - prepared anyway

Shrimp Scampi Linguine

2.  Steak - medium rare

3.  Gyoza and shumai with this yummy dipping sauce

4.  Bacon sandwiches - with the closest thing I can find to English bacon

5.  English, Belgian, and Swiss chocolate - Cadbury, Godiva, Lindt

Least Favorites:

1.  Liver and any other kind of offal

2.  Okra

3.  Vegetables that have been boiled to death

4.  Doritos

5.  Tofu

Join us on the 2nd Monday of each month - here are the upcoming topics.

Life Last Week - May 13, 2024

 

I'm making a few changes to my blog posts.  I have been linking up with Hello Monday, but it is quite a large link party and I feel badly some weeks when I just can't visit the other blogs and comment.  So, I'm bringing back Life Last Week as a weekend recap.

Friday was my doctor's appointment in Seattle.  Not really an appointment, it was an independent medical evaluation of my work injury (right knee).  The doctor told me he wasn't making any recommendations, he was merely preparing a report for the Department of Labor.  Not sure why that is necessary but I'm sure I'll get something in the mail to tell me why it was.

The ferry schedules have been up and down here lately due to maintenance and staffing issues, so we took the 8:45am ferry for my 11:00am appointment.  It worked out well, the ferry ride was an hour and then we drove up to Pike Place Market and parked there.

Coffee drinking is taken very seriously in Seattle

I thought the doctor's office was only a block away, in the 100 block of an adjacent street but it was actually in the 800 block, suite 100 so we trekked up eight blocks.  It was a good thing we had plenty of time.  The appointment took about 30 minutes, and we trekked back down the eight blocks, stopping at Nordstrom to see if they had the watch Vic wanted (they did not).

When we got to Pike Place Market, we stopped at one of our favorite kitchen stores, Sur La Table, for a little browse and then went around the corner to the amazing French bakery, Le Panier, for lunch. 

Who knew there were so many combinations of measuring cups?  We ended up with a box that you can barely see at the bottom, a set of eight (1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 1, 1 1/2, and 2 cups)

A "chicken water" jug

I couldn't resist this London spatula

Jambon et Beurre for me and the Toulonaise for Vic (aka ham and butter, tuna)

A Napoleon and Tarte aux Marions (marionberry tarte, Vic's favorite)

A little stroll through the market and we were back at the car.  It was a scorching day, made worse by all the concrete in the city center, so it was nice to turn on the air conditioning.  We headed for the freeway and drove to the big mall south of the city.  Still no luck finding Vic's watch, so we just picked up an order from The Container Store (a bracket for the office closet) and then headed down to Rockler for Vic to exchange an item he bought last time we were over this way.  Then it was time to head back to the ferry, a different ferry that takes us closer to home, and we were home by 5:00pm.  Malone had been alone for nine hours and he did just fine.  He was excited to see us and so Vic took him for a walk which he loves.

Dinner was fish and chips from a local eatery.  It was meh.  We're working our way around our local area, looking for the best fish and chips.  So far, the best one is the farthest away, isn't that life?

Saturday was a lazy day.  A few loads of laundry for me, computer work for Vic.  We watched Mother of the Bride with breakfast, it was cute.

We grabbed dinner from the teriyaki/sushi place (I know, do we ever cook at home?).  We tried to stay up to see the Northern Lights in our area but didn't make it.

Off to church on Sunday morning, there was a photo set-up, you can just make out the "love you MOM" behind us!

Vic made reservations for afternoon tea at what must be the only tearoom left on this side of the water.  Let's just say we're still searching for an afternoon tea spot.

It looked promising when we sat down...

...until the waitress brought this plate.  Scones first?  Uh, no...I told her I was expecting the tiered server or a plate with the savories first, but she said that's not the way they do it there...

...it gets worse...next up was the tiered server with (!) soup...some sort of puff pastry thing...and one sandwich each...

...the desserts on the top tier were mediocre at best; chocolate chip cookies, that's just not cricket!  

You may be thinking that it doesn't look all that bad, but we were expecting afternoon tea.  Remember this from several of my A-to-Z posts in April:

No soup there and what looks like four different sandwich fillings and proper scones.  I probably could have forgiven it not being a proper afternoon tea but at $58 per person plus a 20% gratuity automatically added the bill, it was a huge disappointment.

On the bright side, Vic discovered a mini Craigh Na Dun (Outlander fans can relate), and he looks like he's off to meet up with Jamie and Claire.  He'd better open his eyes, though, or he's really going to get lost!

Home now and relaxing with a couple of episodes of Grey's Anatomy.  Back to work for Vic on Monday, but not for too much longer!