Skip to main content

Another perfect Henley Day

Dear Reader

I have had the most lovely day today with my cousin Sal and her people.

Here they are, making dinner. I do love my Hansons. They have made me feel so very, very welcome in their home. And I feel so very privileged to have all of them at home with us for my few days post tour in Henley. I can’t wait until Easter when they come down under, and October when Ali and I return for the Gastronomic Noughties. Sorry, Sis. I just named our tour. And I can tell you Sal and I have found some additional gastronomic pleasures. The Hand and Flowers at Marlow has been added. As well as Ottolenghi. And other options. We shall book post haste.



And here is the evidence of our lovely walk to Hambleden, which was just wonderful. Lots of mud, water and tramping. Lavinia will attest to the wonders of tramping with Sal and Zuki.





















Our final stop was Hambleden where we sat in the pub (The Stag and Huntsman) at Simon West’s table. He had it booked at 6 but we had it until 5:45pm. Probably the best seat in the pub.

First I took photos of the church, which was just so lovely. It is dedicated to Mary the Virgin.







Then there was the “Main Street” and the Stag and Huntsman, which I think define Hambleden.




And now for the after dark photos, which I also love...








Possibly the cutest Hanson is Zuki, who is allowed in the Stag and Huntsman as well as on trains and in Chez Hanson. His photos are below.

Please don’t tell the absolutely beautiful Hanson Girls that I think Zuki is the cutest. They are so very beautiful, but this Puppy Little is mighty cute.







 I have loved being with the Hansons. I love being with the Hansons. The girls are all so supportive of each other, and love each other so much. There is a naturalness about their love. They love their Mum and Dad, and so do I. Sal and Mark have welcomed me into their home and let me just be. After a few weeks of doing it is wonderful simply to be. Until tomorrow, when I head off for the next adventure.

One of my favourite things this morning was sitting with Sal and working out how we can accommodate nearly 70 people in Middleton at Easter this year. And what bed linen will be needed. And how we can feed them on the first night.

This will be another wonder-filled Ross Family Reunion. I googled things while she did the heavy lifting. Thank God for Sal.

WARNING: to any unsuspecting Adelaidians, DO NOT HEAD TO MIDDLETON AT EASTER 2020. There will be too many Rosses.

Cxx

Comments

  1. Not me! I shall be listening to AFL on radio. ABC 891 of course!
    And services for Holy Week.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Is the first night Maundy Thursday?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Big One, St Paul’s

  Dear Reader Today was the Big Event of tour. St Paul’s Cathedral, London. If you are observant, you will notice my absence from the photo above, along with several of my colleagues. Sadly, this happened.  After nearly four years and six vaccinations I finally succumbed to the dreaded Covid. At the worst possible time. My multiple vax status has meant I only feel a bit rotten, like a cold, but I do feel sad to have missed the day. And to miss Windsor tomorrow. I was grateful for the considered medical advice provided by Dr Ritesh, father of one of the trebles, who also updated my supply of paracetamol and ibuprofen.  So I am relying on others for the report about this special day.  The good bits started with four of the young Lay Clerks heading to St Paul’s for singing lessons with my friend Patrick Craig, who is an Alto Lay Vicar at St Paul. In have yet to hear from Nicholas, Marco, Charlie or James, but Patrick was very complimentary about their singing. This is what he said: Such a

And now the deadline is hours away...

Dear Reader! What an amazing fortnight we have had! We have rehearsed every Saturday as well as Friday. And sung on Sundays.  We travelled to Victor Harbour to sing to a capacity congregation for Lessons and Carols. Yamba had a ball.  We have done our Christmas Rounds - Lessons and Carols, Midnight Mass and Christmas Day. Precious Lillian was privileged (and rather nervous) to bring the sweet Baby Jesus into the Cathedral at Midnight Mass. She performed her duties beautifully. Zoom in to the second picture and you can see just how wonderful she was.  And now there are bags of robes and music in my front room, ready for the 6:45am departure.  Dear Reader, Please remember us in your thoughts and/or your prayers (whatever works for you) as we prepare for this big adventure.  Off we go. Christine 💖

Worcester - that’s a wrap

  Dear Reader Well, that’s a wrap. After a free morning to shop, skate, scoff scones or the like, we boarded the coach to Worcester. Annabel Crompton continued the proud tradition set by her late father, the beloved Prof David Thomas, and shared history and interesting information about the Cathedral, always including the South Australian connections. We had a very warm welcome from the Interim Dean, Canon Stephen, and Anita the Virger. On the musical menu was Hunt Versicles and Responses, Howells in G Canticles and Be Present O Merciful God  by Australian composer, Owen Elsley. I thought the Anthem went particularly well. We sang two psalms, 131 to a Willcocks chant and 132 to a chant by a random (will update later). Turns out the second chant was by Richard Massey. David played a beautiful postlude, Rhapsody by Daniel Cook (b1979). When we arrived in Worcester it lived up to the reputation England has for wet and rather miserable weather, so we headed straight into the building out o