Cider with Rosie

At the weekend our book group went to Slad, the village where Laurie Lee lived and that he wrote of in the book about his childhood, 'Cider with Rosie'. We were there to discuss the follow-on, 'As I walked Out One Midsummer Morning,' when he leaves home for the first time and travels to Spain.

First of all we  walked around the village. This is the house where he lived. His family occupied the righthand side of the house while the two grannies, 'Er-Down Under' and 'Er-Up-Atop' lived in the T-shaped section.

Er-Up-Atop and Er-Down-Under.

Illustration copyright Rosemary Murphy.

This is the first page of, 'As I Walked Out..' where he describes his mother standing at the top of the bank watching him go.

And here is the path that he took.

The village houses are arranged, higgledy-piggledy, on the sides of the valley.

They are built from an attractive cream-coloured stone of irregular size.

The church is next to the village two-room school where Laurie started his education

and just across from his regular pub, The Woolpack.

His tombstone

with one of his poems on the reverse.

His memorial window in the church.

Then we went to the Woolpack to discuss the book and have a meal. Steve sat In Laurie Lee's favourite spot by the window. 

I forgot to order cider!

St Swithin's Day

We were married on St Swithin's Day - fifty years ago! After the ceremony and celebration meal we had held a dance at Bolton Castle in the Yorkshire Dales, a semi-ruinous pile where Mary, Queen of Scots had once been imprisoned.

We thought we should hold another dance to celebrate our  Golden Wedding last Saturday and hired the village hall. We asked friends who play in a seven piece swing/jazz band if they would provide the dance music for us.  I spent a busy week preparing food for fifty people. How much would I need? Had I bought sufficient drink? Not a clue. 

Singer and drummer confer before the start.

Friends and family arrive.

It was a happy occasion.

We had the first dance.

The band members gave it their all.

Then everyone was up on their feet.

Just what is Alban telling them?!

Drum roll

and Himself gives a speech.

 

(That's when I remember that I brought my camera and take my only photo of the evening - out of focus!)

We had a lovely time. The band was terrific. A big thank you to everyone who made it such a happy occasion.

A lovely bouquet from June.

On Sunday we ate some of the leftovers!