pub

Just back from the pub and watching the opening game of the rugby World Cup. This is big stuff over here. Big stuff. I'm watching, but I have no idea what I'm looking at.

Could be the pint of Wild Goat at the pub that was delicious! I think it was a shanty like thing. Delicious!  Effective!

We poked around the guts of the Bath Abbey this morning. We climbed over 200 stairs. They call them stairs. Think circular staircase that was meant for teeny bell ringers. Climbed for over 400 years, worn to a frazzle. There was a channel worn through the stairs where a leak came in. We would never let people walk them in Canada. The safety fence on the top of the abbey was chicken wire.

They expect you to be responsible for yourself over here. The view was amazing, but you got to climb in around the bells (while they rang!) see the different apparatus to ring bells from over the centuries, sit behind the clock face and look down into the Abbey through holes in the roof. So neat! The staircase was still most amazing. It was so teeny, high and treacherous. Just like an old scary movie.

We rented a car this afternoon. DH drove and I navigated and called out signs and what was happening. Nothing  is familiar. You need to watch and interpret everything. Success! The car rental was cheap. The add ins were beyond belief! We didn't get GPS. It cost more than the car. All cars are standards. No AC. Insurance is way more than the car. Parking is a whole other matter.

Got it all worked out eventually.  DH drove beautifully! We go to the race track tomorrow. So exciting!

Study Day

A study day. We went to see the Georgian house and the Bath Architecture museum. We actually find that stuff interesting.

The house also had a doll house display. It was eye opening! Children did not play with these. They were rich adult toys and money seemed to be no object. How about a set of blue and white hand blown wine glasses - and only about 3/4" tall?

The house was well done. They have a guide in each room to tell you stuff. Makes the entrance fee easier to take. No one hurries you. These houses had arched vaults under them for storage. These woul be under the basement floor which is already below ground level, but with a walk out courtyard to give it light. As most floors are about 10 feet tall, this gets quite deep. The vaults also pop out well under the street. Neat stuff.

We have to stop eating out. It's horrendously expensive. A cup of tea starts at $5. And I'm getting fat. That's hard to do with all this walking.

Tomorrow we pick up a car. OMG! But there is a big day at the local car race track on Saturday, and we need to be there!

Kaffe

It was a perfect rainy day. I hit a lovely wool store, an amazing fabric and haberdashery store and slid into my seat at the Jane Austen fashions talk just in time.

At an English talk the audience is ever so well behaved. You do not talk, whisper, cough or breathe loudly. You would never rustle anything. You just listen attentively. It's refreshing.

The fabric store lady told me about a Kaffe Fassett talk tonight. I googled it and set off. The tickets were sold out, but I was ushered in, handed free wine and Kaffe hand lotion and got a seat. It seems the ticket was meant to be a coupon towards the book. I sat with a lovely local couple.

Kaffe needs no introduction to most, but for my family - he designs knitting, fabric and quilt patterns. Very colorful! Mom would know his knitting patterns.

Kaffe was very entertaining and also mentioned the woman who taught my bead workshop. She supervises all his sample work. At the end of the night I bought his new book- with the 7& help of my neighbor's husband's ticket. What a sweetie! It's now autographed, of course.

DH was not into any of this. He broke his toe today and spent most of the day talking to the cat. He'll be fine by tomorrow.

A really great day

I had tea in the Pump Room. THE PUMP ROOM!

Ron took me. I am speechless about the whole thing. It was perfect. I spent the whole time amazed by the experience. Not describable. Not at all. Wow.

Big wow.

This should be the end of the entry, but the day was even more full.

This morning I went to a workshop led by the woman who coordinates the samples for Kaffe Fassett's books. We made felt and ribbon beads with embroidery stitches and beads and such. It was an event to launch her new book on what to do with his ribbon line. I really enjoyed meeting other ' makers' here in the UK. They were very nice. We chatted about all sorts of things. They prefer the term makers to fabric artists. They were quite clear as to why, but I'm not sure I got the point.

I got news this morning that I got in to the sold out workshop. A bit of panic, but I trotted off to the center of town, found a bus stop, a student at the local university to help me get on the right bus a wonderful bus driver to direct me, and there I was - on time even!  No problem!

Then tonight we went out to find a pub. We found one and I got quite soused watching a soccer game on the big screen.  However, while searching for the perfect pub we ran into the Australian rugby team twice. They were hard to miss, in their suits with funny tasseled hats on top of their heads. The police escort and no parking zones also marked them well as they walked from an official function to and from their big Australian bus. Big team. Good looking team. They also went to the pump room.

I think I enjoyed it more. What a day!

And I didn't mention my visit to the sewing machine dealership, did I? Maybe tomorrow. They were great people as well.

The Rain Begins

The saxophone store is having a 'blow out' sale. 'Nough said.

It's raining. A proper Englush rain. It's a good wet rain that turns on and off without warning, all day long. Rain jackets just soak your pants first. English carry umbrellas instead. We went to the Fashion Museum.

It was amazing. I have seen Mecca and it looks like this. They even let you book in and poke into boxes in the back rooms. I'll see if I can book in. I spent hours there, and even Ron enjoyed it. He was allowed to antique shop, but did get back in time for the second half.  Ask him about the evolution of bustles and crinolines. They had a special display of Georgian wear, but then a great overview of fashions from 1800 to present. I saw dresses by every one of my gods and goddesses. Schiaparelli! Chanel! Yves! Gaultier! And so many more. Even a Fortuny. A Fortuny!

Divine!

Then we had lunch (another $50 for a basic bite). It is not cheap here. At all. Found Liberty cotton and would not buy it at 22& or about $45 a meter. Just couldn't.

Now, I can't post pics from my iPad. I don't know how to connect the dots. If you want to see pics email me and I'll give you access to my Bath cloud.

I'm Gaining Weight

I nap well here. The house is quiet. The walking and fresh air do you in.

Very nice.

There is a saxophone store in the middle of a bridge.  Just saxophones.

There are 2 floors of pianos in another store. 2 full, complete floors dedicated to pianos.

Today we discovered Cornish pastries. I need never eat again. I am full.

It's the beginning of Jane Austen week. People in costume everywhere! We went to the 'Bath in Austen time' art display. We both enjoyed it. The building was amazing as well.

But not as amazing as finding a fashion clothing store with windows lined with old sewing machines! The designer found them piled in the warehouse and thought they would make a good display.

He was right!

Finally a Fabric Store!

Yesterday we walked about 2 hours to find the abandoned churches and graveyard the neighbor mentioned.  It was about 10 minutes away, actually but the wander was breath taking! We met some volunteer caretakers there who were chatty. Saw the grave of the man who wrote Danny Boy.

In the main square today I watched this costumed Roman pull up and set up a pedestal. He arranges his sign and leaflets and steps up on the pedestal to take his position. You could watch him settle into the most perfect statue pose ever! His costume has a perfect coating of grey statue whatever - as did his skin, right to the eyelids! As he's posing motionless (and he is the most convincing statue you ever saw) he would wait until some unsuspecting person walked by and maybe extend his hand for a handshake.  I've never seen anything so well done!

The sign said "ask me for a selfie" so I did. He doesn't speak. He just rearranges himself slightly to be in the pic. He was up too high on the pedestal and me - well, you know. He gave me a pat on the head and I gave the camera to Ron to take the pic.  When he patted me even his hands felt and looked like stone. He keeps his eyes closed so he really looks the part. He was advertising the local museums.

We went to the American Museum today. It's on a huge and beautiful estate just a few minutes out of town. We took the free shuttle. It's a different type of museum. It looks just like what you expect, but the Englush see the Americans a bit like a curiosity. Think of what we would do with a British museum in NS. The picture was not complete. I was there to see the quilt collection. It was lovely.

I found The Makery this morning! A lovely fabric and craft store. I bought neat things like ribbons, make your own espadrilles kit, a few fat quarters. Fabric is double what we pay. I would not be happy about that here.

The local university is completely enclosing a field with a visible barrier. The Australian rugby team will be practicing there and want to be private. The city is rugby possessed right now. The world championship is coming up I think. Every pub has a countdown sign in the window. P! Do I need to pick you up anything?