Well, it's about time for me to report on my trip. It had a bit of a rough start & finish (food poisoning at the start that affected me for about 4 days & then the terrorist threat at the end), but a very nice middle part! My son, David, & I took the overnight flight from JFK in New York City. We arrived at Manchester Airport after minor heat-related delays & met Bill Sables without difficulty. We drove straight to Uppermill, Oldham to visit a relative of my ex-husband's for lunch & a chat. I hadn't seen her for 25 years & we had a great time together. Then, on to Bill's house in Rawcliffe, Goole. That was Wednesday, August 2nd. We took a brief nap, then got up for tea & went off to a music session at the nearby pub, Jemmy Hirst at the Rose & Crown in Rawcliffe. There, I was happy to meet Mudcatters Mrs. Duck & Geoff the Duck, windyb & jellybean, mouldy, Banjo-Flower, & frank-t. Great to see Sam Pirt again, who I had met in the U.S. I was sorry that I missed the opportunity to meet Dave the Gnome & Eric the Viking.

On Thursday, August 3rd, Bill & Lorna took us to Whitby & Scarborough, 2 seaside towns. Now, I'll know where you all are during Whitby Folk Week! Lovely place. On the way back to Rawcliffe, we stopped by a pub in Market Wheaton for a coffee & a little music. Friday, we did a little food shopping with Lorna in Goole & went by Selby long enough to buy train tickets & take a look at the abbey. That night, we accompanied Bill to a ceilidh he was calling at a goat farm in Seaton Ross, near Beverly. It included a hog roast & potluck meal. Bill was working w/ a 5-piece band, I think, which included windyb & jellybean. As explanation for the U.S. folks, Bill was calling introductory level line, circle, & square dances & was, sort of, the MC for the event. David was willing to be my partner & we had a great time. The food was great, too. By the time I left England, I had tried goat's cheese, butter, & yogurt--all good.

Saturday was a sort of mixed day. We drove by the paintball center run by the Sables' son & where Lorna works in the morning. Bill had a wedding ceilidh in the afternoon & David & I took a walk by the river in Rawcliffe & around the village, as well as taking a nap. Time changes are tough! Got up for tea & went out for Indian food. Sunday, we got up early & took the train 2 1/2 hours to Edinburgh. We were visiting during the Edinburgh International Festival
so Bill supposed we couldn't find lodging. Between that & the high cost of petrol, we decided on a day trip. Had a nice time looking at the castle & browsing the shops.

Monday, August 7th, took us to York, where we visited the Minster, walked the city walls, saw Clifford's Tower, visited Newgate Market & bought a gift for Sandy Paton that he doesn't know about, yet! We also walked by the river Ouse & saw the longboats & had beef & Yorkshire pudding for a pub lunch. Visited the York Dungeon
where actors allow one to experience some the the seamier parts of local history. Went home for tea w/ Lorna, who'd been hard at work all day.

Tuesday, we drove to the Yorkshire dales. Great scenery, featuring sheep, rolling hills, beautifully made stone walls & stone barns. We stopped by the Black Sheep Brewery in Masham, since we'd just had Black Sheep ale the day before! We visited Hawes & went cheese tasting at the Wensleydale Creamery. The Wensleydale cheeses truly *are* superb! We also visited a rope maker & a pottery studio. Went home for a quiet evening & off to bed.

Wednesday, for our last day, we visited Hull, a nearby seaport, famous for whaling in the past. Bill was able to contact Les from Hull, who was kind enough to walk us through his city, explaining as he went. It was a pleasure to meet Les. Hull was fun. It contains many historic buildings & pubs, as well as some interesting museums. We spent a little time in the interactive StreetLife Museum, which explains about everyday life in the past. The garden outside was lovely, too. David, Les, & I took several photos. Les & I seem to share an interest in nature photography. Bill encouraged us to visit the toilets at Princes Quay. Find out why from this website--Hull
. From now on, when I see Hull-based threads on Mudcat, I'll know where I am! We ended our last day having a meal out with the Sables & going for a brief time to a music session at the George & Dragon Pub in West Hadlesey. Got to see windyb & jellybean again & to meet selby briefly. On Thursday, August 10th, we got up early, drove to Manchester Airport & the fun began. Unbeknownst to us, many new travel restrictions had been imposed that day because of a perceived terrorist threat at Heathrow in London. It made for a lengthened & uncomfortable trip home, but we (& our luggage) eventually arrived safely.

I had been to England twice in the past, but it was a first for my son. We enjoyed the differences--driving on the left, variants in spoken & written language, foods, converting from dollars to pounds, coal power stations rather than nuclear, a much longer history that we could see all around us in buildings. Bill & Lorna made us feel welcome & comfortable & can't be thanked enough. All in all, a great visit!

best to all,

bbc