Thursday, January 28, 2016

Descendants




I have no idea why some of these photos have come out big. I exported them all in Picasa so they all ought to be small. Hmm. There was an unexpected big one in my last post too. Ah well.




We've just come back from a visit to Daughter 2 in London. There were daffodils blooming at the sides of the road, which seems wrong for January; but it's been very mild, especially down south where she is.







I always think that views through doorways are intriguing. You'll notice the quilt that I made for her; it's nice to see it in situ (and indeed being used).







There's something very soothing about being served food by one of one's children. It makes me feel that we've succeeded in raising a competent and caring person (which indeed we have. Three of them).




We visited the Geffrye Museum (very interesting), the Liotard exhibition (very impressive) and the Foundling Museum (very touching).








We went to Dr Johnson's house - very exciting to stand where the great man stood. It was only rented to him, but he wrote quite a lot of the dictionary there and it looks just as you might imagine: panelled, wooden-floored, slightly crooked as befits a 300-year-old house.







Here's a statue of his cat, Hodge. It doesn't look all that catlike to me, but maybe cats have mutated slightly in the last few centuries.




And we visited one of Dickens's houses, too. He lived there for only three years but again, it was a bit goose-bumpy to see his desk and so on. There were more of Dickens's possessions in that house than of Johnson's in his - people didn't think to keep Johnson's things on the whole - but the emptier Johnson house seemed more redolent of the man, somehow. The Dickens house was a bit more tricked out for tourists.







And we walked by the local pond...






And admired the sunrise from Daughter 2's windows.


So we had a nice time. But we didn't like leaving her behind. And yes, I realise that she could be in Australia or somewhere equally (lovely, no doubt, but) distant.


Thanks to all commenters - it's lovely to feel a connection with the world and I do try to respond, though some of you don't have blogs, eg Virginia (hello!)


Son has just sent us, via What's App, a sound file of his five-centimetre-long baby's heartbeat.  And of course we've already been sent his/her scan picture. Isn't technology amazing?

18 comments:

  1. Technology is indeed amazing. You visited some museums I've never heard of, any pictures coming?

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  2. WHAT????? I can't see anything on this screen except "his five-centimetre-long baby's heartbeat." OHMYGOSH!!! Did you tell us this already??? How did I miss it??? (I was probably at my parent's house when the big news broke LOL!) How Exciting!!! You know it had to happen -- our boys are the same age -- it's only fitting that they should become fathers in the same year -- how fun!!!! I'm so excited for you guys!

    And, having met all your children, I can vouch for the fact, that you did, indeed, do a beautiful job. So fun to see DD2 and her lovely flat!!!

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  3. An interesting and special trip. I hate having to go so far to visit my kids; I wish they would just stay in the country at least. Alison is back from Korea, but working a lot, so I rarely see her. Ashley will come back from Senegal at the end of March, but she lives in Los Angeles. Too far.

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  4. A baby!!!! you are one lucky grandma.... and yes, technology is amazing, although at 5 cm they really are just squiggle blobs

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  5. A lovely stay in London and it must be good to see your daughter settled in her flat, despite wishing she lived just around the corner!.

    Exciting news about the new baby. Our first Granddaughter was the Little Bean for ages, because that`s what she looked like on her first scan.

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  6. Sounds like an excellent visit to your girl in London. Lovely baby news, too.

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  7. Congratulations to your daughter-in-law and son! Yes, these are really wonderful aspects of technology - the instant pix of far-away new babies, and even of future babies on the way to becoming.

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  8. Anonymous4:15 pm

    Congratulations to all concerned!

    I would love to see the Liotard exhibition but that won't be possible I fear.

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  9. Wonderful to have a visit to DD2 in far off London! And see your quilt in use!

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  10. What lovely news! Breaking, I think, unless I missed something. You covered a lot of ground during your visit down here. I nearly went to the Liotard today but was with my cousin who was keener to go to Tate Britain so it was Frank Auerbach instead. Not at all the same thing.

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  11. What? Did we know? How lovely!

    What a marvellous trip to London Town. Very jealous, as you know well I am too of the relatively close children, lol!
    trip

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  12. Congratulations! Missy is getting a little brother in May as well - such a long wait. So exciting for us both!

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  13. That is one scary cat!

    I'm impressed by your energy and commitment to museums. I love them when I go but only ever seem to manage one every now and then.

    Horrid to leave "baby" behind.

    Oh and, I hope my mum and dad were/are soothed when I fed/feed them. They always seem to enjoy it!!

    Lesley xx

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  14. Whoops, forgot to mention the doorway, lovely, can we all come in?

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  15. What a joy to be a grandparent! Congratulations! Of course it is more joy to be a parent, but being a grandparent has special compensations!Lovely to have raised all those competent and caring adults!

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  16. Oh, how wonderful - another grandbaby! You must be absolutely thrilled. And yes, technology amazes, but it does make pregnancy very long indeed, I think; we find out so much sooner these days!

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  17. How nice to see your family, Pam. And I so agree about Dickens' house and Dr Johnson's; I far preferred Dickens' house before they did it up a couple of years ago - it is characterless now. But wasn't the Liotard exhibition fabulous!

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  18. What a lovely trip! I know about visiting distant children - my son 1 and family live 9+ hours drive away. He doesn't cook much (he CAN) but his wife cooks for us. Son 2 is the wonderful cook. YES, it is SUCH a delight when they display the skills we so diligently taught them. Hurrah for us!

    On the clutter issue.... I do TRY to keep "things" to a reasonable amount, but sometimes.... check my blog and you will see why I comment thusly.... sigh.

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