A Double post

A Post of two parts.

Friday 15th May 2009

I drove up to visit Shan and we had a slice of the lemon birthday cake I had made for her and a coffee before she opened her pressies. I had bought her a book about bead and wire jewellery and made her a needle felted elephant. She has called her Nelly.

Then off to shop, eat and chat. Lovely evening catching up with my good friend. Shan starts work at an awful hour on Saturday morning so after dropping her off I arrived home to a silent house at 7am and although I felt sleepy could not resist opening a parcel that had been delivered the day before. Inside was my freestyle swap from the lovely Yvonne at Country Bliss.

It was like having another birthday for me. She had made me the most beautiful fabric bucket, a needle case, an owl bookmark, a flower brooch, and a lavender bird and also sent a teapot teabag saucer and a bar of chocolate! All with a lovely card, THANK YOU Yvonne! (I hope she likes hers, I sent it on Friday). This is my first swap and I like it. I can imagine it's fun doing it with a theme too.

Saturday 16th May 2009

I should of gone back to bed for a hour but I was so excited. You see we were going to step back in time today.

Every year in May the Village of Haworth in Yorkshire, famous for it's Bronte connection holds a 1940's weekend. And this year we were going for the first time.

First we drove to Oxenhope station to catch the steam train to Haworth.
What a wonderful way to arrive. When we got off the train there were vintage buses waiting to take us up to the top of the main street-the bus was in 1st gear all the way up the steep hill. It was strange being on an old double decker bus, on the top deck with about a dozen men dressed as American GI's!

We were given an identity card and had to show it at the road block on the way into the village. then it was really fun, just like stepping back in time. Everywhere there were people dressed in uniforms and 1940's style clothes, military vehicles, stalls and even a small carousel. The shops were all decked out with union jacks and war posters and the streets had bunting. They were doing dance demonstrations in the pub car park and sing-a-longs on the church steps and marching bands and a parade of the Women's Lady Army. The cafes were doing a roaring trade and the waitresses wore pinny's and starched white caps. Dad's army were there including a look-a-like Private Pike and Captain Mainwaring. Churchill made a speech and tomorrow the Queen was making an appearance! And it was all free to wander around. (unfortunately the fly past of a Lancaster Bomber was cancelled today due to high winds).

We did not dress up but I had a hint of 1940's about me- I bought a grey beret off a stall while we were there and wore it for the rest of the day, to blend in more!


I took loads of photos but here are just a few to give you a taste.

There were British, American, Russian, Belgian and German troops all happily getting along.

Ladies having a gossip about the rationing...

Spivs and their ladies....

Then it was back on the bus to the station. We decided to take the Steam Train to Keighley so I could see the inside of the station and imagine I was in the 1979 film Yanks with Richard Gere- unfortuneately he wasn't there!