My new tent has arrived! It weighs little more than a bag of sugar and will be my home on my walk round Wales. Its quite different from any other tent I have owned - its a lovely red, and is sideways so you aren't sliding in feet first and then trying to reach everything in front of you, you can ease in sideways and then recline with all your possessions in easy reach. Could almost be elegant! Tents are always exciting, they mean happy times and adventures and pastures new. Can't wait!
And I've bought the last leg of my train tickets to Prague and its cheaper than the easyjet return flight which is very satisfying.
I've been quizzing my mother about bits of family stuff. Particularly about her aunt Amy. My mother had 2 aunts and an uncle on her mother's side - the 4 siblings were all very bright and 2 of the girls went off to India to work, Jean was doctor and worked for the WHO, Amy a teacher, and they both worked there for years, training local people in stuff like health and hygene and how to teach. I would think they would both be especially valued as women who could work with the women there. Jean talked to me about her work once, and showed me photographs - a chronicle of a fascinating life lived by an intelligent and interesting and go-ahead woman. She spent holidays trekking in the Kashmir himalayas. This in the 1920s when women just didn't do all that sort of thing.
I never heard much about Amy but knew she committed suicide. Apparently she was summoned home from India at around the age of 50 to look after her aged mother - following which she had some sort of breakdown and committed suicide. What a tragedy. That's what unmarried daughters were expected to do of course, their life and career didnt count for anything, and Amy had to just drop 30 years of study, work, committment, friends, career development and care for a country she had made her home.
It was particularly tragic for Amy as she had 2 siblings living in England, either of whom could have taken in their mother without huge disruption to their life - they were married and had big houses and servants and plenty of money. One of them lived close by.
Maybe the good old days weren't quite so idyllic!
Had a delightful lunch today with 2 friends, another lovely, languid meal, relaxed, comfortable, chatting. Good food, laughter, shared experiences. There is nothing like it. And I fell, just couldn't resist a pot of Costa Rica coffee. Oh it was wonderful! And now its 3 o'clock in the morning and sleep just isn't happening. Just one cup of coffee and its total sleep deprivation!
And I've bought the last leg of my train tickets to Prague and its cheaper than the easyjet return flight which is very satisfying.
I've been quizzing my mother about bits of family stuff. Particularly about her aunt Amy. My mother had 2 aunts and an uncle on her mother's side - the 4 siblings were all very bright and 2 of the girls went off to India to work, Jean was doctor and worked for the WHO, Amy a teacher, and they both worked there for years, training local people in stuff like health and hygene and how to teach. I would think they would both be especially valued as women who could work with the women there. Jean talked to me about her work once, and showed me photographs - a chronicle of a fascinating life lived by an intelligent and interesting and go-ahead woman. She spent holidays trekking in the Kashmir himalayas. This in the 1920s when women just didn't do all that sort of thing.
I never heard much about Amy but knew she committed suicide. Apparently she was summoned home from India at around the age of 50 to look after her aged mother - following which she had some sort of breakdown and committed suicide. What a tragedy. That's what unmarried daughters were expected to do of course, their life and career didnt count for anything, and Amy had to just drop 30 years of study, work, committment, friends, career development and care for a country she had made her home.
It was particularly tragic for Amy as she had 2 siblings living in England, either of whom could have taken in their mother without huge disruption to their life - they were married and had big houses and servants and plenty of money. One of them lived close by.
Maybe the good old days weren't quite so idyllic!
Had a delightful lunch today with 2 friends, another lovely, languid meal, relaxed, comfortable, chatting. Good food, laughter, shared experiences. There is nothing like it. And I fell, just couldn't resist a pot of Costa Rica coffee. Oh it was wonderful! And now its 3 o'clock in the morning and sleep just isn't happening. Just one cup of coffee and its total sleep deprivation!
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