I apologise for not having blogged since last year but it has been a traumatic time which finally came to an end on 19th June when we lost Mike. He’d endured two operations on his eyes but unfortunately he completely lost his sight and last June he was diagnosed with vascular dementia.
He is now out of pain and at peace but he’s left a gigantic hole in our lives.
The Art Exhibition is an annual event and is always held the first week of August. The Club members set up the Hall on Saturday and in the evening they have a Preview Night for friends and family.
On Sunday the Exhibits are free to view by the general public until the following Saturday evening when all is dismantled.
We popped in on Sunday to see mum-in-law Pam’s stand and I had a good look round while Mike and Hamish sat and waited for me. Hamish was peeping at me through one of the chairs …
On Tuesday afternoon we were back again as Jo and Paul came down. I’d seen a picture I really liked on Sunday and it was still in a browser on Tuesday. When we got home I grabbed some money and nipped back to buy it before it disappeared!
It is a watercolour called ‘Wistful Gaze’ by Mandi Baykaa-Murray and it so reminded me of my Dales mare Meg that I just had to have it!
It was a very good Exhibition with some amazing work but unfortunately the sales were a little down this year. One person who sold a picture was Pam who sold her painting of Glenfeadon Castle …
The Millennium Hall was filled with art work …
After popping round to see Pam and getting the boys to do a couple of small jobs for her, we dug out the wetsuits and all made our way down to the beach. The weather was glorious but there were no waves. Jamie volunteered to stay with Mike so that I could go in the water then we’d swap places …
While Mike had a snooze we swam and played with a ball in the sea …
I changed places with Jamie but it was very windy and not very pleasant on the sand. Mike and I decided to make tracks for home and the boys would follow on. We had to get a pic first though …
After lunch we piled into Phill’s car and drove to Perranporth where we parked high up on the hill …
The boys walked down into town where Phill bought another camper for his collection and then when they got back we drove to Callestick for a cream tea …
Mark had to milk the cow and do his James Herriott impersonation …
and then we had a look at the animals on our way back to the car. I just fell in love with this beautiful calf …
All too soon it was time to say goodbye to them all but it won’t be long and they’ll be back for their camping holiday.
When I noticed that Priscilla - Queen of the Desert was coming to Hall for Cornwall in Truro I immediately contacted Jamie and asked if they wanted to come down for it. It was a big yes from him and their friend Mark would like to join us as well. Tickets were booked early so that I could get the second row in the middle and then it was a case of waiting and counting the days. I bought myself a pink feather boa from eBay – well you can’t go to Priscilla without a feather boa!!
The boys drove down overnight and arrived in the early hours. We had a lazy morning and then set off for the Park and Ride.
We arrived with time to spare so had a wander and shop in Truro then made our way to the theatre. The boys had a drink to get in the mood …
then we found our seats and waited for the main event …
WOW!!! What a fab show! If it ever comes your way then book seats because it’s worth every penny. We had Pimms ordered for interval drinks …
and then it was back for more singing and clapping. We even managed to get an encore out of them!!
We’d gone to the Matinee performance and so the cast had an hour to kill before getting ready for the evening one. We waited outside the Stage Door and managed to get loads of autographs. We even had our photo taken with Noel Sullivan who was playing the lead role of Tick …
We finally dragged ourselves away and got the Park and Ride back to the car. It had been an afternoon I’ll never forget but I took a photo of all the mementoes …
Mike taught at Gordon’s in Surrey for almost thirty years. It was called Gordon Boys’ School when he first began there but became co-ed and so the name had to be changed. Every summer they have ‘Annual’ which entails marching, presentations and music by the Pipe and Drum Band.
The school was set up by Queen Victoria as a tribute to General Gordon and it started as a Home teaching lads a trade – tailoring, bootmaking, carpentry and smithing. In 1985 the Queen visited the school for its centenary and Mike was photographed with her. That photo must be somewhere deep in our attic because I can’t find it anywhere!
When I realised that Annual was today and we were on our way home this weekend, it seemed silly not to make a trip to the school and see some old friends and Old Boys. Having only taken casual clothes with us we had a couple of shopping trips to find something smart to wear and I ended up with a complete new outfit – great!
We had a terrible drive down as the M25 was clogged but we arrived just as the Band began to play and march into the school. I’ve heard them play so many times but every time it gets to me! They are brilliant.
Once all the formalities were completed we were able to wander around. An Old Boy had spotted Mike and came over to say hello …
Simon was waiting for us when we arrived and although he hadn’t attended the school, it was very much part of his childhood. Jamie had attended and he met up with a pal of his who was there with his family. We saw Woolwich House where Mike was Housemaster …
Unfortunately it’s not called Woolwich any more but it will always be Woolwich to me! We had to pose in front of the statue of General Gordon on a camel. Beside it is a photo taken of us in 1979!
This was his classroom …
and this was where we used to put on annual Shows. I used to do the stage make-up with another wife of a housemaster plus if choreography was required that was also down to me! I made it on stage one year but that’s probably best forgotten!!
This is the plaque on Woolwich wall and the house where we lived …
We met loads of Old Boys and Staff and enjoyed a BBQ meal while a local Band played very loud music!
It was a lovely day and I’m really pleased that we went.
When we got back to our cars the field which had been jammed with vehicles was almost empty …
We said goodbye to Jamie and Phill and I followed Simon back to his place where we spent the night before setting off for home the next day.
