Birthday in Basel

May 8, 2025 / fgrtommo / 1 Comment

Unusually, my wife Jane picked up a copy of the Financial Times (FT) a couple of weekends ago. On Saturday’s, it’s a thick paper with a variety of sections – some more interesting than others. In the travel section, there was an article on Antwerp which we visited several years ago and, alongside that, an article on visiting Basel in Switzerland. Upon reading it, Jane suggested that we book a trip there the following weekend to mark my birthday. Within 20 minutes, we were booked into car parks, flights and a hotel and were set; retirement flexibility, a bit of money in the bank and the internet on our phones makes delivering on a whim so easy!

*^{View Of The Rhine on Our First Evening in Basel}*

We arrived late in the evening, checked in to our room and ventured out to a brasserie recommended in the FT article for something to eat. We chose simply – just a beer and a burger each – but were taken aback by the cost of restaurant food. Meal prices are about twice those in our part of the UK. It took us a couple of days to recalibrate our expectations as we picked up menus in a variety of places over the next few days. The food quality was excellent everywhere but the prices were eye opening.

Other aspects of the city break in Basel weren’t so expensive. Our hotel (Hotel Märthof) was very central, perfectly comfortable and decent value. The service there was exceptional and there were some useful addons, notably including the free BaselCard which all Basel hotels provide for overnight stays and which offers half price museum and gallery entry, and free public transport.

That last perk was very useful on our last afternoon in Basel when the weather was rainy, almost all the public buildings and bars were shut, and we found ourselves wanting to kill some time in comfort. We simply got the number Line 10 Tram, one of the longest tram rides in Europe and one of only five tram lines in Europe to span more than one country (in this case France and Switzerland). It was an interesting hour or so that enabled views of misty hills and nice, green French and Swiss countryside.

Our first full day in Basel was very sunny and warm. After substantial pastries at Bio Andreas, we walked a lot and got a feel for the old part of the town and beyond. We visited the Cathedral (Basler Münster) and took in our first daylight views of the Rhine that separates the two halves of the city.

*^{View From Basler Munster: Rhine, Bridges And Chestnut Trees (Which Were All Over The City)}*

The cathedral dominates much of the south bank of the Rhine but, inside, it is of a good scale. The extensive roof has pretty coloured tiles and, while the exterior walls are mainly red, inside the walls are a muted grey/brown colour. We both liked this colouring, the lighting and the simplicity of the interior. It was also clear even at this early stage of our trip that we were not going to be overwhelmed by crowds of other tourists; nice!

We walked on to the Tinguely Fountain which was an amusing array of mechanical, moving fountains and then to the nearby Offene Kirche Elisabethen. The nave of this church was (or at least seemed) taller than the cathedral and I loved the airiness and, again, the lighting.

*^{Tinguely Fountains (Created By Jean Tinguely In 1977)}*

Our hotel had a roof terrace and so we thought that we would try that out while the sun was shining. We enjoyed a couple of complimentary glasses of fruit infused water while perched over the market place, watching the market customers choose from the pricey but high-quality fare for sale and listening to the bells of the surrounding churches. This was all very relaxing but, with phones now recharged, we thought it time to find a bar.

*_{Panorama From Our Hotel Roof Terrace}*

Jane did a couple of searches on her phone and re-consulted the FT article. This led us over the main bridge to the north side of the city where we could see seating in front of hotels and bars on terraces leading down to the Rhine riverbank. These would have been fine I’m sure but we wanted something a little quieter and offbeat.

*^{View OF Basler Munster From The Main Bridge Across The Rhine}*

Jane found a description on her phone of a ‘quirky’ bar and, despite the significant distance to it, we set off west along the Rhine. The walk was delightful. It was initially between rows of lime trees with seating along the river on one side and some substantial houses on the other. Then the walk became indispersed with small pop-up bars and DJs with portable sound systems. Finally, past some rather run down industrial buildings and cranes, we came to Holzpark, an alternative cultural centre and play-space, and the quirky bar called Landestelle.

*^{Holz Park, Landestelle Bar and DJs Playing En Route}*

Landestelle was almost perfect for us. It was buzzy with interesting looking, local people but not crowded. The staff were friendly and the music choices were unusual but to our taste. The Rhine – already wide despite still about 1,000km from the sea – was right alongside. We watched huge barges slipping past and the sight of swimmers and divers on the far bank near modern offices and imposing factory chimneys. The only drawback for me was that the draft beer was so continental and lager-like – not the hoppy IPAs we have become used to in our local pub. Notwithstanding that, we felt as though we had found a lively but relatively undiscovered aspect of Basel. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and the walk back to the hotel.

Our step count merited a nice dinner. Jane had already booked us in at the Volkshaus restaurant. The weather was still warm and sunny enough for us to eat outside in a charming courtyard under a canopy of heavily managed plane trees and next to a continuous tinkle of a fountain. I was braced for the price list by this time (and I wasn’t disappointed there!) but the asparagus soup and steak frites (with the steak covered innovatively in a tarragon sauce) was top notch.

*^{Volks Haus Restaurant: Courtyard Dining}*

Much of the rest of our time in Basel was spent indoors avoiding the increasingly heavy cloud then rain. However, we had planned for that and were very happy in the Kunstmuseum, with its very large collection of art from the 15^th century onwards, the Swiss Architecture Museum and, on the Monday when the rain was heaviest, Fondation Beyeler where there was an exceptional exhibition of paintings by artists’ works portraying the boreal forests around the Arctic. More on those visits, for those who are interested in art and architecture, in the next blog post.

We had a great break from our normal home routine whilst we were in Basel. Despite the impetuousness and short notice of our trip, Jane had done enough planning to make the trip full and thoroughly rewarding. I enjoyed especially the mix of good food (once I had adjusted to the price shock), relaxed drinking, friendly and helpful people, and the impressive galleries and museums we had time to visit. It was a very memorable birthday weekend.

Spring Blossoms

April 29, 2025 / fgrtommo / 2 Comments

In the weeks since we got back from our month in Edinburgh – a month we have already booked again in Edinburgh for 2026 – we have settled into a home-based routine. This has been especially pleasurable due to the exceptional Spring weather. It has been largely sunny, the mornings have been fresh and clear and, since the clocks went forward, the evenings have been long and getting longer. It has been a lovely time to be back at home in the country and to see the trees, bulbs and perennials start to come back to life and into flower.

*^{Cherry Tree In The Local Town of Nailsworth}*

The walks into the local town for the newspaper and daily provisions have been chilly on the way in but warm on the way back. The dry weather has opened up previously muddy routes across the fields. The paths have offered views in the local woodlands and hedgerows of, first, the last snowdrops, then daffodils, then bluebells and primroses, and, now, wild garlic and cow parsley.

The bursts of white from the blackthorn and, now, the hawthorn have been terrific while the early flowering cherry trees have now been supplanted in their splendour by later flowering cherry, apple, plum and pear tree blossom.

*^{Apple Blossom In The Neighbouring Field}*

In the midst of all of this we have had a late Easter celebration with our grandchildren and their parents. The weather was kind and made the construction of my Easter Egg Hunt for the grandchildren easy. First Grandchild in particular, really enjoyed it and we all enjoyed watching him gather up rather too many Easter eggs. FG and his parents live in a central Edinburgh flat and he really appreciates the contrast of English countryside. It was so rewarding to see his excitement on the Easter Egg Hunt and on other nature hunts and adventures we had organized.

FG also loved seeing and holding the brand-new baby goats owned by some village friends of ours. I was amazed at how gentle both the baby goat and FG were.

^{Easter: First Grandchild And A Brand New Kid}

Second Grandchild was too young to join in everything directly but he too seemed to capture the vibrant atmosphere of our Easter weekend. He always seems to be smiling. That was particularly the case at Easter with so many people around including, especially, his cousin.

The good recent weather has allowed me to catch up on clearing vegetable patches. There is more to do and I need to be careful not to aggravate joint aches and pains, but I am pleased with the progress I have made. Plus, the sunny evenings are starting to beckon us out for relaxed drinks amongst the euphorbia, Judas Tree and wisteria and, soon, the alliums and salvias.

Against this Spring backdrop, there have been a few other highlights. We made a rare trip to London for a wedding (of Jane’s God-daughter) and to see and stay with some old friends of ours. The finale of a decade-long set of ‘boy’s nights out’ with mates dating back to the 1970’s was arranged to coincide with our trip to London. Apart from the hangover, it was a splendid trip and very enjoyable, particularly as we got to see our friends’ newly renovated house. It was great that the final boy’s night out was a little extravagant with a private room, silly hats and a wonderful souvenir booklet produced by the prime organizer. This included pictures of long-ago evenings together that encapsulated fading but amusing memories.

Also, back in March, friends in the village took Jane and I on an excursion to Dyrham Park. We have long admired this couple for heading out on quickly arranged short breaks and excursions when the weather looks promising. This time they took us off with them for a very relaxed and interesting time together.

We didn’t venture into the Dyrham Park house which has been renovated comprehensively recently, but the gardens were lovely. The daffodils were in peak season and the beautiful pale limestone of the baroque hall provided a great backdrop to views of the planting. The parkland around the house offers splendid views of the south Gloucestershire and Avon landscape.

I hadn’t been to the park for several years, when I went with my parents well before my Mum died, but I’m keen to go again in Autumn. By that time nature will have moved on and the trees and gardens will look very different.

Two other highlights: first a very enjoyable visit to Tetbury Goods Shed to see a band we have seen a few times called Faeland. They were on good form with an extended lineup and the lead singer’s beautiful clear voice resonating around a well-designed venue.

Second, I finally pickled the crop of shallots that I harvested well over six months ago. They have been winking at me from the string bag I had stored them in every time I went into the shed. Two years ago, I set myself a New Year resolution to do something creative at least once a month; I have failed on that. But pickling well over a kilogram of stored shallots counts as being creative for April – even if I haven’t actually tasted them yet.

Not everything in March and April has gone smoothly. My knee and ankle are improving slowly with help from physiotherapy but both have been annoyingly painful at times. Plus, a couple of weeks ago, I had a ‘fall’ (when approaching 70 one seems to call them ‘falls’ rather than a ‘trip’ or a ‘slip’ which would have been a more accurate description of the event) which wrenched my shoulder. But, overall, it has been a very good early Spring and I have appreciated being retired and so able to fully appreciate it outdoors rather than from an office window.

Edinburgh: Holiday or Home?

March 7, 2025 / fgrtommo / 1 Comment

We have visited Edinburgh many times since Eldest Son (ES) moved there and increasingly frequently since he and his wife had a son there. We have fallen in love with the city.

I have always liked city living. Jane is more of a rural lover. I too have really enjoyed my several years of retirement in a comfortable home, out in the beautiful countryside of Gloucestershire and our lovely community in the Stroud valleys. But now we are beginning to recognise that our current levels of mobility won’t be forever and that we need to plan for that. Living in a town or, better, a city like Edinburgh, might be the solution.

*^{Classic Edinburgh View – The Castle From Princes Street}*

We have spent a lot of time debating the options and it is a privilege to have those choices. To help in the decision making, we spent a month from late January in Edinburgh. All our previous visits to Edinburgh had been little more than long weekends. This time we wanted to see how it felt to get a more profound and thorough feel for the city, and to think about how it might be to live in it for at least a substantial part of the year.

The month we spent in Edinburgh deepened our regard for it. We managed to get to the cinema once and the pub a few times, but barely scratched the surface of the nightlife that is available. However, I could already see that there is a lot going on and that I could resume my love of small-venue music gigs that absorbed me in the latter years of my working life in London. It seemed clear too from a couple of visits to the local pub with ES’s parent-in-law, that making new friends wouldn’t be too hard.

In the event, I don’t think that we are closer to a decision about where our next couple of steps will take us in terms of where we live. We continue to toss ideas around.

I think that we have concluded two things. First, that the model of hiring a flat in central Edinburgh for a month is one that we want to repeat (although the flat we stayed in this time was really good and set a high expectation for next time); we had a great time and I think the arrangements were helpful to ES and his wife without putting so much pressure on them to provide the hospitality.

The second thing is that we want to keep a base in the Gloucestershire area so that we can stay close to Jane’s roots and the ones I have put down since we moved here, and be close to Middle Son, his fiancé and Second Grandchild. Now we need to work out what that means. Fortunately, we don’t have to make a decision immediately; to an extent, we can see how events unfold and influence things – goodness knows that recent world events have shown how quickly perspectives can change.

^{Our Rural Idyll – Different From Edinburgh But Not Too Shabby As A Location}

Regardless of all that, our winter Edinburgh month left us with a huge number of happy memories.

Best Solo Moments for me during this visit were those alone with First Grandchild (FG). One was when Jane was rather immobilised with her broken arm, and I took FG out to a local park. He played wonderfully considerately in the playground and then we went on a long walk during which we chatted incessantly. I felt so proud of him .

^{Me: “It’s Like A Trampoline”
FG: “It Is a Trampoline Grandad!”}

The other, was when I was babysitting and putting FG to bed but couldn’t work out how to zip up his sleeping bag. FG (like me) is a person who likes routine and I could see that he was struggling to manage his emotions about my zip incompetence and the impending break in routine. Just as he visibly got control of those emotions, I finally worked out that the zip went downwards not upwards and we could celebrate together.

Best Moment with Jane was probably one of her earliest ventures out after her accident when we went to The Port of Leith Distillery for lunch. This a building that stands alone amid demotion works On one side it overlooks the port and the Firth of Forth and, on the other, The Royal Yacht Britannia and the adjacent, drastic demolition and renovation of a chunk of Leith. The views were great, the demolition work was entertaining to watch (for me, anyway), lunch and drinks were nice and going to Leith on the tram felt like a very positive step in Jane’s recovery.

*^{Port Of Leith Distillery: The View From Our Table, The Building And The Inside}*

Best Pub was Teuchters Bar & Bunker just over the road from where we were staying. It has a great range of local beers, really good comfort food and a very convivial atmosphere. ES’s father-in-law took me there a couple of times and he seemed to know everyone which led me to…..

….Most Embarrassing Moment was in Teuchters when, leaning back to meet yet another new acquaintance standing just behind me, I slid off my chair onto the floor. I did say the beer was good!

This just beat another embarrassing moment when I again fell on my backside. This time I was blown over by the a gust of wind during the last vestiges of Storm Eowyn. At least I fared better than a magpie that was also caught out by the gusty wind and died yards away having been blown against a building.

Best Bar: Spry, as usual. We managed to get there almost every week.

Best Cinema: Everyman Cinema. It was our first visit to an Everyman cinema that serves food and drink to you in the auditorium while you relax on their sofa-like seats. I made two mistakes; first I didn’t understand the ordering system and needed to be prompted by the staff to indulge. Then I unwisely chose their largest bottle of beer – daft if you need to sit through a two-hour film without a loo visit. We saw the Dylan biopic ‘A Complete Unknown’ and really enjoyed the whole experience.

Best Toastie: The toastie I had at the aptly named Toast in Morningside Road was exceptional. But for consistency over several visits, I’d recommend Cairngorm Coffee just up the road from where we stayed. We even had a special Valentines Day orange flavoured toastie there.

Best Restaurant: We didn’t make it to as many as planned but taking our Edinburgh family to The Free Company, a farm and restaurant in the outskirts of Edinburgh on the edge of the Pentland Hills was a real treat. FG behaved impeccably and did some good dancing on the way out that put my Dad-Dancing to shame.

*^{The Free Company Restaurant As We Arrived (It Was Almost Full When We Left)}*

Best Museum was, of course, the National Museum of Scotland which we visit almost every time we are in Edinburgh. However, for the first time, I also visited the Surgeons’ Hall Museum and enjoyed that. This museum has several parts covering the origins, history and the future of surgery. The section called the Wohl Pathology Museum was very impressive although, after 20 minutes of looking at exhibits showing deformed, vitamin-deficient skeletons and the results of cancer on internal organs, I felt a little squeamish and cut the visit short.

*^{Outside The Surgeons’ Hall Museum (No Photos Allowed Inside)}*

Correction. I covered best art galleries, cathedrals and graveyards in earlier posts. However, before moving on from Edinburgh posts, I should just correct a prior statement about there being two cathedrals in Edinburgh. ES’s father-in-law corrected me and pointed out that there is also St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral nestled next to the new St James’s Shopping Centre and overlooking a plaza with modern and old statues. For completeness, here it is…..

Maybe we will pop inside and have a closer look during our next Edinburgh visit.

Edinburgh: Graveyards and Galleries

February 28, 2025 / fgrtommo / Leave a comment

I have always been interested in visiting old graveyards. They are generally quiet places for reflection, a secluded refuge for wildlife, and also a rather oblique representation of history and of lives lived. For me, those characteristics more than offset any feeling of sadness or mournfulness derived from their function.

Edinburgh has a number of graveyards in or near its centre. While Jane was resting her broken arm, I took the opportunity to visit a few.

*^{St John’s and St Cuthbert’s Churches At The End Of Princes Street}*

At the west end of Princes Street is Saint Cuthbert’s Churchyard. It seemed to be the nearest cemetery to our holiday flat. This is a very old graveyard with burials believed to have dated from the 14th century and probably much earlier. It is one of a few graveyards in Edinburgh that has a watchtower, built in the 19th century, for guards aiming to prevent bodysnatching for the purposes of medical science.

*^{St Cuthbert’s Churchyard Between St Cuthbert’s And St John’s Churches}*

Another such watch tower is in New Calton Burial Ground. This has great views over Holyrood, Arthurs Seat and the government buildings and alleys off Canongate. Like many of the graveyards I visited, it has a map to show the location of graves of the Edinburgh ‘great and good’. On the day of my visit, the northern end was full of birdsong.

*^{New Carlton Burial Ground Including Its Watchtower}*

*^{View From Near The New Carlton Burial Ground – Canongate Kirk, Salisbury Crags and Arthurs Seat}*

New Carlton Burial Ground was overspill from the nearby Old Calton Burial Ground which I have visited before and which has memorials to a number of notable Scots, including famous radicals of whom some were deported to Australia for their troubles.

In Canongate is Canongate Kirkyard. The Kirk and its Cemetery which was created when decreed that the inhabitants of the Canongate would no longer be allowed to worship at Holyrood Abbey in 1687. It is the resting place of Adam Smith, the famous Scottish philosopher and economist.

^{View From Canongate Kirkyard – Carlton Hill In The Background}

This cemetery has views back to Carlton Hill and is a peaceful haven just yards away from the many tourists – even at this time of year – strolling between Holyrood and The Royal Mile. I too, wandered down to Holyrood Palace but, impressive as it looks from outside, I demurred from paying £25 to enter the grounds and house; maybe I will on a future rainy, rather than just grey, day in the City.

*^{Holyrood Palace On A Grey Edinburgh Day}*

Unlike the other graveyards I visited, Greyfriars Kirkyard was crowded with tourists eager to follow up on apparent connections to Harry Potter characters and the famous story of Greyfriars Bobby, a terrier who sat by and guarded the grave of his owner (a nightwatchmen at the cemetery) for 14 years, without a break, until he too died.

The more interesting aspects for me were the scale and disposition of the mausoleums in Greyfriars Kirk. These proliferated from the 1660s when burial in Greyfriars Church was prohibited. Families of the dead apparently compensated for not being allowed inside by erecting very large monuments outside. Some of these directly attach to the houses around the graveyard (see below).

*^{Greyfriars Kirkyard and The Greyfriars Bobby Monument}*

Further afield, I stumbled across two other cemeteries. Dean Cemetery, behind high walls and full of mature trees, was very quiet except for the birds. The cemetery is attractive – if you like this sort of thing – but the grey skies gave the cemetery a rather melancholy air and I plan to return when the trees are in leaf and the atmosphere is brighter.

Even prettier – perhaps helped by the blue skies overhead when I visited – was Grange Cemetery. I found this during a rather random walk south of the centre of Edinburgh. I noticed the imposing surrounding walls and found a way in. Like Dean Cemetery it is in two halves. Here however, the divide here is not a wall but a long array of catacombs that are halfway underground; an interesting dimension to the site.

The Grange Association do a great job of maintaining the cemetery and of documenting its history and its ‘residents’. Thanks to that, I found the grave of Robin Cook who was one of my political heroes 20-25 years ago. His gravestone has a nice epitaph referring to the Iraq war: ‘I may not have succeeded in halting the war but I did secure the right of Parliament to decide on war’.

*^{Grange Cemetery And Catacombs (With Robin Cook’s Gravestone Top Right)}*

In the last week of our Edinburgh stay, I returned to the National Gallery of Scotland to see the permanent collection and we also returned together to Dovecote Studios to see an really excellent exhibition presenting the Scottish Colourists.

^{My Favourite Picture In The Scottish Colourists Exhibition At Dovecote Studios Exhibition – By Arthur Melville, A Forerunner and Mentor to the Colourists}

The Scottish Colourists were a group of just four artists who were at their peak in terms of quality and influence in the art world in the first half of the 20^th century. Unlike Jane, I hadn’t heard of any of them as I entered the exhibition. But interesting information about them was carefully presented and their influencers, and those they influenced, were summarised and then underlined with examples. I loved the exhibition and felt I learnt a lot.

*^{The Scottish Colourists: Works By (clockwise from top left) SJ Peploe, FCB Cadell, JD Fergusson And Leslie Hunter}*

Another interesting exhibition I saw was at the Talbot Rice Gallery. The gallery is part of Edinburgh University and is within the wonderful buildings of Old College. The art on show was at another end of the spectrum from that of the Scottish Colourists. Let’s just say that the anti-woke brigade would not have approved.

The first part was an exhibition of videos by Gabrielle Goliath relating to violence against women. The videos were images of women describing their experiences but the words were truncated so that only the gaps between their words remained. It was strangely powerful albeit with really just the one idea and the explanations of the videos were too high-falutin for me to absorb properly.

Much more aesthetically pleasing but equally, weirdly impactful was an exhibition of work by Guadalupe Maravilla, an child refugee and cancer survivor from El Salvador. It’s hard to describe the work (see below) but the allusions to healing, trauma and displacement were fascinating. All this was in a single, splendid room bedecked with hammocks for the ‘healing gods’; it was all very dramatic.

*^{The Work Of Guadalupe Maravilla At The Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh}*

Jane and I also visited a couple of the multitude of private galleries in Edinburgh. One, the Open Eye Gallery, had some work by a friend of hers, Gail Turpin, who’s exhibition we visited last summer when we were in the city. I liked her watercolours but was even more taken by a room showing paintings by James Fairgrieve and by a few ceramics by Rachel Wood.

*^{Inside The Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh}*

The other was the oft-visited The Scottish Gallery just up from where Eldest Son lives. As soon as I walked in my eyes fell on a couple of Joan Eardley paintings. I’d never heard of her until we started to visit Edinburgh a few years ago, but love all her paintings of sea and fields that I have seen since.

*^{One Of Joan Eardley’s Paintings At The Scottish Gallery}*

We originally planned day trips to Glasgow and Fife whilst in Edinburgh. In the absence of those, I was very happy visiting Edinburgh’s graveyards and galleries, and wandering through the wonderful Georgian architecture of central Edinburgh, where most streets seem to have a monument or imposing building at their end. It’s a great city to visit, and, I think, to live in.

^{Buildings At Night At The End Of The Street Of Our Holiday Home, Edinburgh}

Edinburgh Cathedrals and Outskirts

February 14, 2025 / fgrtommo / Leave a comment

Before Jane broke her arm, we spent large parts of each day absorbing Edinburgh: the city and its sights. We walked to the shops, to the cinema, to the bars and cafes we frequented and even, somewhat aimlessly, to just take in the Georgian architecture of New Town or to discover slightly unfamiliar areas on its margins. We were priding ourselves on our step counts while taking in the ambiance of the city and seeing some new places.

For example, for the first time in all our past Edinburgh visits we went to both the cathedrals in the city. St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral is actually just at the end of the street with our Airbnb. It’s a relatively modern cathedral but it is in a gothic style. It is large, imposing and pleasantly airy, and set in grassy grounds.

St Giles’ Cathedral is far older and is set right in the heart of Edinburgh next to the Royal Mile. It has a lovely open spire and a pleasingly compact shape. Inside, the layout is unusual with a central altar. I liked the atmosphere, the scale of the place and the fact that it encouraged donations rather than imposed an entrance fee.

The Thistle Chapel that was bolted onto the side of the Cathedral in 1911, is a particularly interesting aspect of the building. The chapel was designed and built in the neo-gothic arts and crafts style for the Knights of the Thistle, an order of chivalry associated with Scotland which dates back to 1687. This order consists of sixteen members and a new member is only ‘invested’ when another dies. Each member is represented around the chapel with statues or, more recently, plate crests. I loved the cool, almost damp atmosphere in the chapel and some of the diverse stories of the past and current members.

*^{The Thistle Chapel, St Giles’ Cathedral}*

We also ventured outside of the City. We visited South Queensferry which Jane had seen described somewhere as the UK’s second prettiest town. It has a quaint high street and some interesting buildings and gardens nearby.

*^{South Queensferry Looking West From The Beach}*

However, I think the most remarkable thing about the town is the view across the Firth of Forth between the road and the rail bridge. The rail bridge was originally built in 1890 and I’m not surprised that it has been voted Scotland’s greatest man-made wonder; it is a terrific, dramatic structure.

*^{Road And Rail From South Queens Ferry; A Panorama}*

We spent a day in Border Country south of Edinburgh. The journey south through the Pentland Hills and past the Eildon Hills to Melrose was very attractive.

Melrose is a pretty town with a number of tourist attractions (mainly closed for the winter). The Abbey on the town outskirts looked great in the sunny weather. However, it was clear that it is undergoing significant renovation and repair so we didn’t venture into its grounds. Instead we simply strolled around the town for a while and then set off to see nearby Dryburgh Abbey.

I vaguely recall visiting Dryburgh Abbey when I was a teenager. It has changed a lot less than me since then but Historic Scotland have, I suspect, increased the information available around the site. This did illuminate what it must have been like to be a Premonstratensian monk in the 12^th century. Apart from the 2am nocturnal mass, the vow of silence and the bitter cold, it didn’t look like being such a bad life!

The abbey is now a lovely ruin surrounded by very mature trees and well-kept grassland leading down to the River Tweed. Sir Walter Scott is buried amongst the ruins. We were almost the only visitors at the time and the Abbey and its environs were peaceful and relaxing to walk around.

We drove on to Selkirk and then Peebles. We started on roads along the sparkling River Tweed but were diverted, due to bridge repairs, onto a hillside route. I was surprised at how wild the landscape is around Peebles and, given that we were in no rush, the diversion proved to be a welcome one.

We found a relatively fast electric car charger on the edge on Peebles town centre and walked into the town. We took on board cake and coffee at The Milkman and wandered up the high street of what was a spa town. It was all very relaxing and pleasant, and, all the while, reminding me of childhood holidays with my parents in the Tweed Valley.

We headed home chattering about our impending day of baby-sitting First Grandchild the next day, unaware, of course, that subsequent events would prevent that, or further big trips before we return home. At least we managed to see some Scottish countryside and we can comfort ourselves with the knowledge that it will be there still when we return in the future.

A Different Way In Edinburgh

February 7, 2025 / fgrtommo / 3 Comments

We are booked for a month into a very comfortable, nicely warm and well-furnished Airbnb in central Edinburgh that has a view of the Castle. Our idea has been to try a model for visiting Edinburgh that is different from our usual 3-4 night stays with Eldest Son, wife and First Grandchild. In part it is just an extended holiday, but in part a test as to how we might find living more permanently in this wonderful city.

*^{Sunrise Over Edinburgh Castle From Our Airbnb}*

The first two weeks have been extremely successful – until a bit of a disaster yesterday; more on that later.

We have already visited lots of Edinburgh sights – the museums, cathedrals, galleries and exhibitions – got into the hinterlands of Edinburgh and, of course, done a bit of grandchild entertainment. Were lucky enough to have a double dose of grandchildren when Middle Son, his fiancée and Second Grandchild visited us on our second weekend. That visit, plus the nature of the intermittent contact with First Grandchild over a longer period than usual, has created a bit of a feel of living here rather than just holidaying here.

*^{Edinburgh From The Top Of The National Museum of Scotland}*

No doubt that feeling would have been further enhanced by Youngest Son and his wife being able to join us as planned on our first weekend in Edinburgh. Unfortunately, Storm Eowyn put paid to that. Their flight was cancelled and Edinburgh was all but shut down during the worst if the storm. Even at the end of the storm, the gusts of wind were strong enough to knock me off my feet!

Because of, first, Storm Eowyn, and then a visit from Middle Son and family, we have tended to eat in rather than out. However, we have sampled a couple of our favourite bars and a few cafés, and we love the local pub (Teuchters). Anyway, there are two more weeks for trying some more recommended restaurants.

*^{Another View of Edinburgh Castle From Flodden Wall}*

Cooking in a holiday home is not new to us but doing so most evenings over a few weeks is another way of generating a feeling of being ‘home from home’ rather than just being on holiday. Next week, we are even entertaining Eldest Son’s parents in law. That will be a further novelty but a nice reflection of how things might be if we moved to Edinburgh more permanently.

During our days here, we have been very active. We have, of course, sampled the normal delights of the Royal Botanic Garden the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, the Modern Art Gallery of Scotland the Scottish National Gallery and the National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh is a capital and has public buildings, exhibitions and collections to match that status. There were new exhibitions in all of the galleries and all were a pleasure to visit – although it was sad to see the Storm Eowyn damage in the Botanic Gardens.

*^{Storm Damage – One Of The Largest Cedars In The Royal Botanic Gardens Has Gone}*

The Scottish National Gallery is celebrating 40 years of its photography collection and curation. Photography is not my favourite art form but it was good to see some pictures by some famous photographers (such as Robert Mapplethorpe, Annie Liebovitz, and Lee Miller) among the often gritty, local Scottish fare.

*^{40 Year Celebration Of Scottish Photography Collection – Including The Iconic Lennon/Ono Photo}*

The Modern Art Gallery continues to show the substantial Everlyn Nicodemus exhibition which I saw on our last Edinburgh visit. I sped through that but perhaps somehow enjoyed it a little more on a second viewing; plus, there are several other works in the gallery’s permanent collection I had not focused on before.

^{‘After the Birth’ By Everlyn Nicodemus}

The Scottish National Gallery had a sequel to an exhibition of JMW Turner watercolours that I had seen in the gallery two years previously. That had shown the section of the Henry Vaughan collection of Turner watercolours that had been bequeathed to Scotland. This new exhibition was of the selection of watercolours bequeathed to Northern Ireland that again, as part of conditions of the donation, can only be shown to the public in January.

*^{Turner Watercolours at the National Gallery of Scotland}*

There were no surprises in the collection of blurry seascapes, sunrises, sunsets and mountain valleys shrouded in mist. But I like Turner’s style and enjoyed the viewing despite the long queues to get in.

Also at the National Gallery was a small exhibition of art inspired by the landscape of the Orkneys, called ‘In Orcadia’ and including large, interestingly constructed paintings by Samantha Clark.

That was good but even better, I thought, was the large exhibition of paintings by the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour. There were hundreds of paintings on show and of course, not all hit the spot for me. But overall, I thought the quality was very high and I could imagine several on my living room wall.

^{The Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour Annual Exhibition}

We also went to diverse art exhibitions at Dovecote Studios and the City Art Centre. At Dovecote we saw textiles and paintings by Ptolemy Mann. The designs were colourful and bold but Jane was a little disappointed that the majority of the textiles were manufactured in India not Scotland.

*^{Dovecote Studios And Ptolemy Mann Artwork}*

At the City Art Centre were two exhibitions of modern Scottish art and of pop art; I liked the pots by Lara Scobie at the former and the typically irreverent set of cartoonish watercolours by the seemingly slightly unhinged, David Shrigley.

^{Works By Lara Scobie and David Shrigley At The City Art Centre, Edinburgh}

We made a couple of trips to the National Museum of Scotland. The first to see some of the displays that we don’t get much of a chance to see when accompanied by First Grandchild. The second was with him; his increasingly calm inquisitiveness was a joy to participate in.

One concept we discussed, as we passed some of the dinosaur and wild animal exhibits, was that of skeletons. Subsequent conversations indicate that he understood how creatures often have skeletons and that you can’t see until after they are dead. It’s fascinating to watch children learn.

*^{Everything From Dinosaurs To Hi-Tech On Show At The National Museum of Scotland}*

And now we come to the misfortune of yesterday….. Apart from Storm Eowyn, the weather during our stay has been largely dry and sunny. However, it has also been cold and yesterday morning my wife, Jane, slipped on some ice and, it turned out, broke her shoulder. The pictures of x-rays that we came away from the hospital with have helped First Grandchild understand the importance of bones but there is no other upside to the accident.

We’ll cope and enjoy the rest of our stay in Edinburgh but plans regarding how are changing……

Heading Into 2025

January 13, 2025 / fgrtommo / Leave a comment

My memories of Christmas are beginning to dissolve into a blur of having felt very good about the convivial familial get together. It was great to have our close family in our house – the only exception being Youngest Son’s wife who had to dog-sit in Belfast. It was, once again, amusing and interesting to see the two grandchildren in close proximity and to compare and contrast their current, very different characters. Jane ran the kitchen with help from all and we ate and drank well. But now we head into 2025 with the promise of new challenges and entertainments.

The cold snap has brough some frosty and icy conditions underfoot but some beautiful clear air and skies. My physiotherapist has advised me to continue walking despite my uncomfortable knee and so I have limped around to keep it mobile. I think that continued walking, and the daily exercises I’ve been given, are helping my knee although they have also strained other parts of my hips and legs so health sometimes feels like a running battle.

I’ve been thinking about New Year resolutions as I always do at this time of year (but, usually, not so much thereafter). I will maintain my ongoing targets for drink free days, limiting alcohol unit intake, weight and walking steps. However, I also want to be more proactive generally about the various health niggles that I suppose are inevitable at this time of life.

*^{More Cold Walking On The Way To Town}*

I’m also keen to do better on a resolution I made this time last year: to be more creative and do more creative things. I made some progress early last year with visible sock darning, devising and running a darts competition in the local pub, and creating a few treasure hunts for First Grandchild. But my creativity petered out and, for example, the Kintsugi kit remains untouched and making sourdough bread is on hold. I must do better.

I also need to read more books and not just newspapers and magazines given that I enjoy fiction so much. I have resolved to read more during the day since, currently, I never manage more than a few pages each night in bed just before nodding off. Currently a 500-page book takes me almost 6 months to get through even when it’s a good read (as I think Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver is).

My ability to find that daytime reading space is related to a resolution to nap less after lunch. I love our very comfortable sofa adjacent to the kitchen with its view out into the garden and nearby copse so I just have to avoid sitting on it after lunch!

Our local Talk Club for men sharing how they feel and what they are going to do about improving their mental health, has restarted after a 6-month hiatus. At the first meeting of the year, held in a new location above the village pub, I realised once again that my only real anxieties at the moment are rooted in health – which I need to take a bit more control of where I can – and world events. So, another resolution is to reduce use of social media (I have already left the increasingly toxic ‘X’) and continue last year’s resolution and listen to the news on the radio even less. I’m not sure if that will help but Talk Club is a good mechanism to ensure that I think about how world news affects my well-being and if increased abstention from hearing about it makes any difference.

The year has, apart from the ongoing health irritants, started well. Following the family-oriented period over Christmas, I have resumed visits to the village pub and contacts with friends and acquaintances in the village. It is clear from talking to them that I, and Jane, have been fortunate to avoid flu so far this winter.

*^{Promising Sunrise Viewed From Our House}*

Also, Jane has gone off for a week-long sewing retreat at Merchant & Mills, her favourite sewing pattern manufacturer and textile sales room in Rye. That has been a nice change for us both; she has enjoyed the retreat and learnt some new sewing skills while I have fended for myself successfully and have got to watch some streamed series in the television that Jane has no interest in (Series 3 of Industry on BBC iPlayer is, again, remarkable).

Next, we have an innovative trip to Edinburgh – innovative in the sense that it is a month-long stay rather than just a long weekend. We are both excited about how it will feel to be on holiday for so long (with the logistics helped a little by the likelihood of a bit of house sitting by some family members while we are away). We are looking forward to seeing the Edinburgh branch of the family in a different context and over a longer period than usual and to getting to know Edinburgh even better. The icing on the mid-winter break cake is that we are accommodating the Bristol and Belfast branches of the family on a couple of weekends while we are there. It’s a stimulating start to 2025.

A Birthday and Christmas Prep

December 20, 2024 / fgrtommo / 1 Comment

Having grandchildren coming to stay with us at Christmas has added a higher than ever level of expectation of fun around the festive period. I keep envisaging their excitement when the big day comes. For example, I’m looking forward to the wonderment of First Grandchild (who is now three years old) when the sherry, mince pie and carrots we will leave out for Father Christmas and his reindeer disappear overnight, to be replaced by present-filled stockings. We are ready!

But first, the last few weeks have contained much enjoyment of different kinds. First there was FG’s third birthday and a visit to Edinburgh to share in that. Then we had friends from London staying with us, followed by a choral concert in the nearby town of Tetbury and a test of our grandparenting skills while looking after Second Grandchild unsupervised.

In between, there has been preparation for Christmas, a bit of physiotherapy for my knee, wrapping up of my volunteering duties for the year at the local school and food bank, and the writing of a draft Parish Nature Action Plan for the Parish Council. It’s not work but it’s felt quite busy.

As usual, we loved our time in Edinburgh. The trip up in the car was pretty smooth (though the freezing cold weather slowing operation of some of the electric vehicle chargers on the way back was problematic).

*^{Freezing Weather On The Way South From Edinburgh – Lovely To See But Limiting On EV Battery Capacity And Charging Rates!}*

Once in Edinburgh, the hospitality Eldest Son (ES) and his wife lay on was as lovely as ever and further enhanced by their newly refurbished kitchen. It was great too to see ES’s parents in law, as we usually do, over a big Indian takeaway. We got out and about to see some of the sights that are now becoming familiar to us. Plus, of course, the centrepiece of our visit was FG’s birthday party.

FG’s birthday party was shared with that of his best male friend and it was very successful. The bouncy castle was very popular and FG spent a lot of time on that. There were a variety of other toys and activities around the room and these were also well used. The brutal beating of a Piñata in the form of a cardboard donkey full of sweets felt a little incongruous and unsettling but was a highlight for the birthday boys. For the adults, there were a few beers to provide some relaxation amid the hubbub of the kids scurrying around and the simple, raw excitement in the room.

*^{Along The Water Of Leith Near Dean Villag}*^{e, Edinburgh}

I skipped out of some of the post-party clearing up to watch Forest Green Rovers Football Club play (and win!) a vital top-of-the-table game on the television. I also skipped out on one, sunny afternoon to walk down the Water of Leith to Dean Village and then to the Modern Art Galleries.

*^{View From Outside Modern One Gallery, Edinburgh}*

At Modern One gallery (there are two separate national galleries of modern art) I saw an exhibition by Everlyn Nicodemus. It was a larger exhibition than I expected (especially given that it was free) and, by the end, I was also surprised by its variety. I can’t confess to have been moved much by the work but a lot of it was wonderfully colourful and vibrant. The whole experience of walking around the exhibition with so few others was quietly pleasing. It always seems worthwhile visiting Edinburgh’s art galleries.

*^{Some Of The Colourful Paintings By Everlyn Nicodemus}*

We also always seem to make time to take FG to the Royal Botanic Garden and the National Museum of Scotland. The Botanic Gardens are great year-round and FG likes the visits to the café there. FG also loves both seeing the exhibits at the National Museum – especially the natural history section – and getting to and from it on the bus. Watching FG’s mind take in all the sights in the museum is very rewarding and I never tire of going there.

*^{Natural History Hall At The National Museum Of Scotland}*

Next month we are visiting Edinburgh again and, this time, for a month. It will be a very different experience our usual long weekends with ES and his wife. I hope the Air BnB we have chosen is as good as it looks.

Although the weather is bound to be wintery, our stay will, at one level, feel like an extended holiday and we will be a couple of tourists taking in the sights again. But, on another level, it is a bit of a trial run for seeing if we would like to move more substantially to Edinburgh. We are both excited by the prospect of spending more time in the city; Edinburgh is such a wonderful place and being near ES’s family for a few weeks will enable a different relationship with all of them, at least temporarily.

Back home, we entertained our London guests with extended chat, Jane’s cooking, plenty of drink, a lunch at The Woolpack Inn in Slad (in our opinion, the best local pub food) and a walk by the Severn to see the Purton Hulks.

*^{Along The Canal Walk Towards The Severn And The Purton Hulks}*

These ‘hulks’ are boats deliberately run ashore and filled with debris and concrete to form a barrier between the tidal Severn River and the adjacent canal. They create a rather ghostly atmosphere and an interesting historical distraction from the huge views up and down the Severn estuary.

*^{One Of The Purton Hulks Overlooking The Severn Estuary (Tide Out)}*

Our entertaining skills were also tested when we looked after Second Grandchild (SG) for a few hours while Middle Son and his fiancée went out for lunch – their first outing together without SG since he arrived. It turned out to be a breeze. SG seemed curious about us substituting for his parents but calm and quietly playful. When he refused to have a nap in his nursery, I took him out in his buggy. While we were out, he was attentive to his surroundings, regarded me with apparent interest and occasional smiles, and then gently fell asleep. What a pleasure retirement is when one can do things like that with a grandchild!

Now Christmas is approaching. To get in the mood we went to a choral concert in a very Christmassy Tetbury. The concert was in the main church which is very spacious and dominated by rows of high, enclosed pews. The church looked marvellous with so many candles lit on huge chandeliers and elsewhere, and the concert sounded great when the choir was in full blooded flow.

*^{The Standish Consort And Ensemble La Notte at St Mary’s Church, Tetbury}*

Now we look forward to our sons arriving for Christmas. Youngest Son arrives later today (unfortunately without new wife who is bound to Belfast by their dog for this trip). Then Eldest Son’s entourage arrives next week before Middle Son, his fiancée and SG arrive on Christmas Eve. The semi-planned Christmas schedule is full of fun and games, walks and meals, Secret Santa, and sitting around the wood-burner and kitchen playing and chatting with the little ones and adults alike.

Now I have retired and I have no background (or foreground!) thoughts of work to contend with during the festive period, I can focus on all of the above. It’s a treat and a luxury.

Autumn’s Hidden Notes and Gems

November 7, 2024 / fgrtommo / Leave a comment

We are well into Autumn. There are mushrooms underfoot and local trees are looking lovely in their yellows, browns and reds as they shut down for winter. Our social whirl, which was so active with weddings and holidays a few weeks ago, has slowed but it hasn’t shut down. We have enjoyed several very pleasurable outings and visits and have a few more lined up during the rest of the month.

The backdrop to this has been activity to prepare our rental property for a new tenant after a several month gap for repairs and, now, moving furniture around to enable restoration of our house’s ground level wooden floors. It’s been a busy period of the routine, of renewal and of entertainment gems.

Back in September, still in our ‘wedding period’, we attended Stroud’s annual Hidden Notes festival of electronic and ambient music. We last attended in 2019 and the festival has become much more popular since then. We underestimated that and only just managed to get a seat before the central concert event became standing room only.

We saw five different artists over a six-hour period (thank goodness we got those seats!). Not all the music was to our tastes but all the performers were interesting in some way. Laura Cannell kicked things off with pleasant, off-beat, folky music on violin and a strange-looking bass recorder.

Hekla was even stranger. She is an Icelandic expert in playing the ‘Theremin’ which is a Soviet invention from the 1920s and is now an instrument that makes sound without physical contact as the artist moves around it and disrupts the electric signals it emits. It produced a rather bizarre, eerie sound and it was fun to watch Helka waving arms and hands around.

^{Mary Lattimore and Suzanne Ciani At St Lawrence Church, Stroud During The ‘Hidden Notes’ Festival}

Echo Collective, a group of classically trained Belgian musicians, sounded rather sombre. Their set was a rather slow burn but ultimately satisfying. Then came Mary Lattimore, an American harpist. I know her work well and was very much looking forward to hearing her in person. I wasn’t disappointed; it was great to see how the sounds she makes on her albums are actually made. Those sounds were lovely with occasional unexpected twists.

The evening was completed by Suzanne Ciani. She is an electronic music pioneer and she brought some very retro equipment with her. The most remarkable thing about her performance was her sprightliness at the age of 78. The music, however, was a difficult listen for our ears. That didn’t dent our enjoyment of the Hidden Notes event; it’s a little gem in the Cotswolds.

A more substantial outing was, more recently, to South Somerset and ‘a restaurant with rooms’ called Holm. I have wanted to revisit Wells Cathedral since passing it unexpectedly while following SatNav on the way back from Youngest Son’s Stag do in the summer. Holm in South Petherton was a hotel and restaurant Jane had been attracted to during one of her Instagram searches. Our trip was a win-win for us both.

*^{Wells Cathedral (Top), Vicars Close (Medieval Houses Built For The Cathedral Choir), And The Bishops Palace}*

The whole outing was bathed in Autumn sunshine and was very rewarding. The area immediately around Wells Cathedral and the Bishops Palace is beautiful. Wells Cathedral itself has some really wonderful features.

Holm provided very attractively decorated, comfortable rooms and innovative and excellent food. Despite a problem with the hot water on the first morning, we had a very good stay.

^{The Studio at Holm and Our Tasteful Room}

Holm is in the small market town of South Petherton. The church was attractive, there were numerous interesting old houses mainly constructed from a limestone that had a lovely orange hue.

*^{South Petherton Church And A Fives Wall (Bottom Right)}*

Perhaps most remarkably, South Petherton has a ‘fives’ wall in someone’s garden (and we saw another later in a nearby village). The game of fives became a popular sport in South Somerset from the mid-18th century. Churchwarden accounts record damage from fives being played against church towers. To prevent this, purpose-built fives walls were constructed in the yards of inns and large gardens and here was a surprising example of that (see below).

On the way to South Petherton we stopped off at the familiar and elegant At the Chapel for a coffee and then Hauser & Wirth in Bruton. We have been to both several times before.

There always seems to be an exhibition at Hauser & Wirth that is worth seeing. On this occasion it was an exhibition by Dame Phyllida Barlow who Jane seemed to be familiar with (I wasn’t). Her work was both in the indoor exhibition spaces and in the gardens. The scale of some of it was impressive and I quite liked the collection of small paintings but I don’t believe either of us was much moved. Instead, we retreated to a good lunch in Da Costa, the new Hauser & Wirth restaurant..

*^{Works By Dame Phyllida Barlow At Hauser & Wirth, Bruton}*

*^{Hauser & Wirth Gardens With Dame Phyllida Barlow’s Sculptures}*

Of course, once settled into our very nice hotel room, we used Holm as a base to visit a few other local places of interest. Once again, the life memberships of the National Trust that we were given as presents decades ago by my Mum and Dad came in very handy and were much re-appreciated.

We visited Montacute House gardens and benefited from an informative guide to the late Elizabethan architecture. The house itself was closed due to an ‘incident’ but, armed with our membership cards, there was no disappointment – we can simply come again another year. The house is very impressive from the outside and the gardens were quiet and pleasant in the Autumn sunshine.

We popped into East Lambrook Manor Gardens which is famous as an archetype cottage garden created by Margery Fish in the second half of the 20th century. Because of the lateness of the season there was limited colour in the garden. Even so, the mix of old buildings, autumnal trees, seed heads and densely planted beds were lovely. All this was augmented by a selection of steel plant-like sculptures by a local artist (Chris Kampf). We were left wondering how much longer the attractive set-up will last given the ‘For Sale’ sign we saw on the way out – we hope it does as it’s clearly lovingly looked after by the current incumbents and was another little hidden gem for us to see.

*^{East Lambrook Manor Gardens, Somerset}*

Finally, we visited Barrington Court and its twin, Strode House. This was owned by the Tate family of sugar, golden syrup and Tate Gallery fame. The spacious gardens and vistas were wonderful in the late afternoon sun. Inside the house, was the long and interesting story of restoration and development of the house – first by the Tate family and then the National Trust. This restoration is ongoing but the areas that were open were very nicely presented.

*^{Barrington Court And Strode House, Somerset}*

Back home we went to a gem of very local entertainment: a rather surreal but very funny village pantomime. It poked fun at the local village of Horsley and its hamlets, the misplacement of parcels delivered to village residents and other local peculiarities – all in a very quirky way along the theme of Alice in Wonderland. In a village of just 300 households there is a lot of talent and the entertainment provided was priceless.

*^{The Village Panto: ‘Alice’s Adventures In Horsley’}*

The rest of the last few weeks has been more routine but with highlights of visits by Eldest Son’s family and his parents in law, and a few visits by Middle Son and his fiancée. It is so heart-warming to see our grandchildren. It’s a different love to that we felt towards our own kids. Maybe recollections of our love for them when they were growing up is blurred by time. Oddly, my love for our sons feels even greater now, and my adoration of both grandchildren is incredibly intense; we both love it when they visit us.

We have more visits by London friends and another visit to Edinburgh for First Grandchild’s third birthday coming up in the next few weeks. Each event will be a welcome distraction from disturbing international events and a little fillip to our lives; autumnal gems for the memory banks.

Joy At A Belfast Wedding

October 9, 2024October 10, 2024 / fgrtommo / 2 Comments

The last weekend of September was one of life’s memorable high points. I’m still humming from the pleasure of that weekend during which our Youngest Son (YS) got married to a lovely Belfast woman who he has known for almost 10 years.

The tear-jerking (for me, anyway) formal ceremony itself was in the impressive Belfast City Hall. Before and after these formalities, there were great opportunities to meet up with the bride and grooms’ friends and family and to celebrate the marriage. There were weekend events in a hipster brewery bar, in a traditional central Belfast pub, at the newly married couple’s home and at an impeccably organized and delivered reception at Waterman House. The vast majority of our close family was there – including both our grandchildren. Jane and I loved every minute. I think the bride and groom had a rather special time too!

*^{Sun Shining, A Beautiful Building And A Happy Couple}*

Life can be wonderful (if you can avoid things like climate-change-accentuated weather catastrophe’s, poverty, wars, and ill health). I have always been a ‘half-empty’ person who worries about the news and the future. However, Jane would say that we need to live in and appreciate the current moments and certainly this Belfast wedding weekend was compelling encouragement to think that way.

Jane and I know how fortunate we are to be able to have experienced grandchildren and to see our sons married to such lovely people. It is now just Middle Son (MS) to go on the marriage front but he and his fiancée have already given us the privilege of Second Grandchild. He was a little marvel throughout the Belfast trip and celebrations. He was so calm as he was passed around the revellers and I was personally chuffed by the number of instant and gorgeous smiles I got from him during the weekend.

First Grandchild (FG) was a treat too. Although he struggled with my explanations of the concept of marriage, he fell further in love with the bride – perhaps that was because she was dressed a bit like an angel – and he loved the hugs he got from her.

We, and our two elder sons and their families, stayed at the ideally located, cool and very comfortable Bullitt Hotel. Our room was large enough for us to give Eldest Son and his wife a break by playing indoor games with FG. Jane played a card pairing game and we introduced him to the idea of paper planes. He played enthusiastically with one for ages; who needs manufactured toys!?

Jane also took FG off during the wedding reception since he was struggling with the noise levels and needed a break. Jane only just made it back in time to deliver her speech. I found a draft version of her speech on my phone in case I needed to step in but the Master of Ceremonies – a naturally funny and larger-than-life Australian friend of the now married couple – had the situation under control. Jane returned just in time to deliver perfectly. All the speeches including those from the bride’s parents and another Australian friend of the married couple were amusing and hit their mark.

We ate extremely well and Watermans Restaurant did a tremendous job of delivering four choices of three courses of food to so many very efficiently and effectively. The drinks flowed and the music and dancing started. As the music got louder so I spent more time in the adjacent alley so I could hear conversations with my ageing ears. My ageing knees didn’t prevent a bit of Dad-dancing though. However, I saw from subsequently released video that the dancing became increasingly rumbustious after Jane and I left the youngsters to it.

In between all the wedding related events we enjoyed the sunny weather and Belfast. Breakfast each day quickly settled into a routine of meeting with grandchildren and their parents at Established, a café we seem to visit during every Belfast trip. The food is simple but just right for me and the Americano coffee is great. We also had excellent lunches there and at General Merchants in Ormeau Road. Belfast is small relative to, say Bristol, London or Edinburgh but it has become well equipped with enough excellent, modern cafes and restaurants.

^{Belfast’s Botanic Gardens And Ulster Museum}

We wandered through the Botanic Gardens and visited the Ulster Museum again. Our intention was to visit an exhibition on Belfast political murals. That was closed so we diverted to another exhibition of textiles created around the world to illustrate conflict and humanitarian issues (“Threads of Empowerment: Conflict Textiles’ International Journey”).

*^{Inside The “Threads of Empowerment” Exhibition}*

*^{A Collective Catalonian Arpillera Called ‘Hands On’ Showing Community Self Help With Over 200 Characters – One Of The More Positive Pieces On Show}*

We had seen something similar at Kettles Yard, Cambridge about a year ago. That had exhibited Palestinian embroidery. This Ulster Museum exhibition covered a wider international scope. Many of the works focused on South American conflicts and especially ‘The Disappeared’ but the most moving works for me were reflections on the Holocaust by Heidi Drahota, a German (below).

The museum has an excellent ceramics section and a very good permanent exhibition covering the Northern Irish Troubles which we saw last visit. We saved revisiting the latter for another trip so as not to risk the upbeat mood of the weekend. Not that much could have dented that.

*^{Inside Ulster Museum: The Ceramics Section}*

It was great that the wider family made the effort to come to the wedding, it was great to meet or re-meet the married couple’s friends, it was great that the sun shone and that the whole event passed off in lovely locations without a blemish. It was a perfect Belfast wedding and we are very happy that YS and his partner have (finally) ‘tied the knot’ and that we have more visits to Northern Ireland in prospect.

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