BRICK WALLS, LAVENDER, ALLIUMS AND FINGERNAILS!

Mr. HCB and his cricket buddy, Keith, had a great day watching their team playing cricket yesterday - they have gone off again today - so I hope the weather has been kind to them down in Bristol.

Before he went to collect Keith, Mr. HCB dropped me at Jack’s, where I had my usual Saturday morning coffee, then I went down to a Family History Day, organised by the Wiltshire Family History Society, and which was being held at Steam, the Museum of the Great Western Railway.  

It was very well set out and I spoke to several people about the “brick wall” I have come up against relating to my maternal grandmother.  They were all very helpful, particularly a lady from the Surrey Family History Society, who encouraged me to go to the London Metropolitan Archives to try and find out more about her.

I took several photographs, and decided to make them into a collage - and did so, using three photographs.  The top left is the wonderful lavender, allium and grass border outside Heelis, the headquarters of the National Trust, which is quite near to the Steam Museum, the top right is a brick wall of the actual Museum, and which I thought was quite applicable, given that I have come up against a brick wall as far as my grandmother is concerned and the bottom left is the very helpful lady from the Surrey FHS.  

However, you will note that there are four photographs - the bottom right is one I took whilst waiting at the bus stop.  Two young ladies were also waiting for a bus, and were comparing their nails - I said that although I admired them, I could never have nails that long as I used a computer, and even with computer keyboards, as I am a touch typist, I would find it quite hard to type without making mistakes.  We then had a discussion about typewriters from “the old days” and when one of them asked what you did back then if you made a mistake, I explained about “Tippex” and for those who are old enough, you will know what I mean - the paper and the brush on sort!  

They then decided that they wanted to take a photograph and when I asked if I could do the same and got out my iPhone 7 Plus, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads and they said “WOW, you’ve got an iPhone 7 - that is SO cool!”  I told them I might be a Grandma, but I’m a “Groovy Grandma” - so at least I can keep up with my grandchildren who all have iPhones.  So as a “nod” to Silly Saturday - here is my completed collage - note the ripped jeans too and we even had a conversation about them!  

They got on the same bus and me and we continued chatting - what lovely young ladies they were - and when I told them I had put a photograph of their nails on my Facebook page, I think they were even more impressed and asked to take a photograph of that too!

All in all, a lovely day - it's amazing what interesting people you meet, if only you look and listen out for them - I hope I might meet Jasmine and Shawna again one day!

“Any woman can wear 
     a great outfit,
          but it is her fingernails
               that make the statement.”
Tammy Taylor