Archive for March, 2009

C70

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

The car is awesome…we have had the tour, lunch and we are waiting an hour until it is time to take the ferry. I will post when we have wifi next! But we are thrilled!!

Sweeeeeeden

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

I can’t even make out this language…dots and dashes and shapes that all make up the language of this barren and intriguing country.

We landed  here after two successful flights on Ryan Air, and because of their strict weight allowances on baggage, we were wearing 5 & 6 layers of our heaviest clothes to make it under the 15 gram  per bag ( we were within half a pound on each).  We roasted on the planes, but needed it when we got off.  It is a gorgeous day, puffy clouds, and snow falling like dandruff but not sticking: it is 32 degrees. Having left Gails at 5am, we will take a quick walk around our Radisson Artrium Hotel, clean up, and call it a day.

On a side note, everyone here sounds like the swedish chef on the ol’ Muppet show.  

 tak,tak (thank you in swedish)

Gothenburg City

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

We have arrived in Gothenburg, been picked up at the airport, and now are in our room on the 4th floor overlooking the lobby…very nice.  No extra charges for baggage on Ryanair, but 6 layers of clothing made for two very warm flights. More later.

PS.   Saw quite a few Volvos on the road coming in, can’t imagine why.

On The Road Again

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

We  are packing up and weighing our luggage for our flights tomorrow to Sweeden via Dublin . We hear there is quite a steep penalty for any overage and we have two legs to pay. This will be a lot like KC and J to Korea . So we ask that you shoot up a prayer as you go to bed and as we are getting up for EARLY flights…that our luggage arrives with us, doesn’t cost us a fortune, and that  we have travel mercies as the big Volvo  adventure begins!

We have had such a marvelous time here…it’s become safe haven for us, but it is time for the BIG ADVENTURE 🙂

Designing Woman

Sunday, March 22nd, 2009
Designing Woman

Designing Woman

Gail Usher

• Shop Owner
• Newly Elected Chamber  of Trade President (by a landslide)
• New Rotarian
Hollies Fan
• Good Friend
• Devoted Daughter, Sister, Mother, Confidant, Girlfriend.

Gail is THE designing force behind all that is good and creative in Barnoldswick! 

And right now she is one tired puppy, having survived yet another Mothers’ Day in England. Heading up a staff of 8, she served the community and handled 450 orders on Saturday and nearly 100 on Sunday (all while being hostess to two foreigners from across the pond).

Cousins

Sunday, March 22nd, 2009
cousins

Cousins

Carol and Chris Howarth live in Barnoldswick, they  have one son Warren, who is married to Michelle and they are parents to Owen! ( are you with me so far?) Carol and my Dad are cousins: my Dad’s mother (Marion Mc Nabb Fear)  is half sister to Carol’s dad, Sam(Nice). That makes us related! They are also the ones who introduced us to Gail (her favorite florist) when we were here 6 years ago. . . and the rest is history.

We have fallen in LOVE with Owen; rosy cheeks, blue eyes, spikey hair…and he even comes with the cutes accent. And his favorite sport is golf.  Owen turns 4 in May.

Owen

Owen

Ramblin’ Raymond

Thursday, March 19th, 2009
Guide Extrodinaire

Guide Extrodinaire

“Oh, to be in England, now that spring is here.” ( I think that’s Shakespear) What a wonderful day Steve and I had with our personal quide, Raymond Chadwick!!( Gail’s Dad) We had an eight hour tour of the English countryside; from Whalley to Mortcambe , Windemere to the Trough of  Bowland,and all glorious parts in between. From frolicking new born lambs, to colorful pheasants, ancient churchyards to blooming daffodils!

It was a wonderful day and filled with stories and jokes from our guide, Raymond. ( “If you look out the window and see Pendle, if will rain soon. If you look out the window and can not see Pendle, it IS raining!”)

We had fish and chips in the lake district on Lake Windemere and enjoyed a British marvel….SUNSHINE!  A family meal around Gail’s table completed a perfect day with lots of family jesting and love:)

Kooking with Karl

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

cooking-with-karlI am in love…and the man of my dreams is a wizard in the kitchen! Karl is an old friend of Gail’s and has reentered her life after many years. He is in residence. Besides being brilliant with his own internet company, he makes sure that Gail comes home from the House of Flowers to a warm meal. We have had the most sumptious of dinners here…Thai shrimp, Chicken Cassoulet, Chicken and dumplings,and to-die-for Croissant Bread Pudding (all from SCRATCH)!

–4 (stale) Croissants
–200g.sugar
–4 T water
–250 ml. double cream
–250 ml whole milk
–4 T Bourbon
–4 eggs,beaten

thai-cookingTear the Croissants in pieces in put in casserole dish. put the sugar in a sauce pan with the water and caramelize by letting it bubble away with out stirring until it turns deep amber. Turn the heat down and add the cream ( ignore the sputtering) and the bourbon. Take off the heat and while still whisking, add the beaten eggs,.  Pour over the croissants and let them soak it up for 10+ minutes. Place in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes and be prepared to swoon!!  

I hope , I hope we can talk Karl into coming to Italy and letting his cooking imagination run wild.

HenryVIII

Sunday, March 15th, 2009

henryviiiGail has pulled out all the stops with our mad-cap visit to Lancashire. This was not your typical Sunday as we were priviledged to spend an hour with THE Henry the VIII. Our time together was an education in architecture, word origins, and the Church. Salmesbury Hall was the venue, which was preceeded by a trip to the flower market for M-Day flowers, and  ending with a late lunch at the BEST Pub ever! We had a delicious meal of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding…only equaled by my grandmother’s. Last night we looked up the 1911 Census for the area and “found” my grandmother, Marion Mc Nabb Fear, who was born only 70 miles from here in Baron in Furness. We ‘Googled-earthed” it and found the actual house still in service! This is where I feel my roots.

The Charm of Barnoldswick

Sunday, March 15th, 2009

A lot of this country is going wrong , but alot of it is so right and nostalgic,quaint,typically English! here are a couple shots of what I speak of.

New delivery van

New delivery van

sawley abbey

sawley abbey