Blast from the Past

(one of Allan's pieces of art)

Thursday - I am getting lost with the days - could have sworn I wrote something for today, but couldn't find it anywhere so I guess I didnt.

I had lunch today with a work friend, Christeena.  She picked me up and we drove to Port Perry.  Went to the Piano Cafe - enjoyed the food and the conversation - and managed to get a parking spot right outside the restaurant.  It was a lovely day and I was wishing we had more time - but Christeena had plans to travel to Rochester NY later in the afternoon - these younguns - that would have been a 'planned trip' for me - she is just off to see her cousin in new york state - no big deal!!

So my plan was to sit outside and read my book and enjoy the sunshine - but guess what --- yes you are correct - I got stuck on the computer.

I started to google search some people from my past - school day friends etc.  Somehow got onto the Washington historic society website - Washington being my home town.  I found the name of a school friend in the Washington Trinity Church archives on the day of her wedding - well I started looking for myself 'cos I was married in that church.  There we were - George and Jeaninne, married August 12, 1967.  There were 5 people in the listing of people that showed up in that time period that I went to school with.  Names from the past - got me thinking!    I had a good friend growing up and hadn't had any contact with her for many many years - so I googled her brother because he used to work in Washington - he is a Potter - and ran a gallery in the Art Centre.  Well he is still around - working from his home now and producing wonderful art.  So managed to track down an email address and sent him an email asking about his sister.  I knew Allan quite well -I used to babysit his kids - used to think his wife was beautiful and they were young and hip and I was very impressionable - I remember his bathroom was wallpapered in 'newsprint and all kinds of cut out pictures' - thought it was very cool!

Anyway - I have sent off an email, asking about his sister Carol and I hope we can reconnect after all these years.   We were very good friends - I used to go on vacation with her and her family and spent some time in London UK staying with her older sister who was an actress - anoth er world in my mind.  She had a house in Hampstead Heath which was very high class to me in those days.  We went to  Plymouth, Devonshire and stayed at a place for Army personnel - I remember Carol had broken her arm and couldn't swim in the ocean, which was a big disappointment - we used to go to the tv room at night and eat smarties - there were big armchairs and we would suck the chocolate out of the smarties and line up the casings on the chair arm - and have a competition as to who would have the most 'whole' casings.  The things you did as kids - we 'lived' as well - not a worry in the world about germs!!!

Carol and I used to take elocution lessons together - we used to go into the city of Newcastle after school - have coffee in the 'News Theatre' coffee shop before going to our lessons - and thinking we were 'something'.  The coffee used to be served in silver coffee pots - and you got to pour your own in the proper coffee cups (of course you always got more than one cup)!   We were probably a sight for sore eyes because we had ink all over our fingers from the 'pen and ink' we used at school which was embedded into our fingers - we probably looked like a couple of scruffs!  But we felt pretty good - we would have our  coffee and toasted teacake and then go to our lessons in one of the 'big posh houses' in Newcastle.  It used to be very dark and musty smelling,  and the teacher was very old fashioned - but we were taught how to walk with good posture (yes the books were balanced on our heads) - and yes - we used to repeat 'the rain in spain stays mainly on the plain'!!  All very corny, but I felt privileged, because my parents gave up a lot to let me do that!! (We are talking about the early 60's)!!

Well ... phew - I got myself carried away there didn't I.  Took myself way back.  So I guess I will now wait and see if I hear anything back from Carol's brother Allan.

So - basically that is my day.  George in bed now - just finished off the wine and now need a snack.  Probably a bowl of cereal.

Night night - talk to you tomorrow!
Jeaninne