My Wonderful Young People

     Maneuvering in and around vast cities and small villages within the world of trains, taxis, buses and Ubers is no joke, and it isn't for the faint hearted either. One must have one's wits about them. We have done this, and although it has taken an occasional toll, we've had a blast. From St Ives (cottages) to Oxford (Airbnb), to Grassington (adorable hotel), York (Airbnb), and tomorrow to London (Airbnb), we have traveled, unpacked, stayed, walked, eaten, visited people, gone to church, then re-packed and dragged bags back to railroad stations, only to go and do it all again. We have two bag drags left (to London and to LHR) but I'd rather not think about that right now.

The Cathedral looming behind us (York Minster) is only one of the reasons we think it has been worth it all. What do you think of it? Is it not the most massive man-made structure whose entire goal is to know God and make Him known? To that purpose it was built between 1220 to 1472, and here it still stands. When I saw it, I stopped being able to talk for a little. How can you even talk with that standing in your background?

As to being inconvenienced by the small struggle of getting to it, if you want to see the great things in this life sometimes you do have to be inconvenienced. The trick is being inconvenienced gracefully.

I've experienced this with my wonderful traveling companions. Each and every new dwelling has presented us with questions the tour guide (me) didn't know existed. There were some mishaps in retrieving keys from the key safes we used. One key safe was placed at street level again which meant that someone had to lay down or crouch down and roll in a set of four numbers that finally produced the keys that would fit an apartment down the street and round the corner! The fact that it was really hot in each of our apartments (teeny windows that hardly opened) didn't help. 

But no one said anything like, well if only you would have read the instructions more carefully... Nope. It was all grace.

The endless energy of our two wonderful young persons has kept us going, and laughing, and finding new and exciting things to look at. The York Minster, where they found they could tramp 250 steps to the top of the Tower while grandma and gramps descended to the basement museum (splendid!), and Clifford's Tower presented them with a chance to race each other to the top, gazing with awe and wonder at the panoramic scenery below. Then there was the ancient city wall to stroll and explore until they were finally gently requested to vacate the premises.

There is more, which you will hear tomorrow as we board a very fast train and make our zippy way to London. I have heard that London is a magical place. I have also heard it is a mess. Perhaps I should assume the best about it until it provides me with proof to the contrary. 

I can hear people saying sleepy good nights down the hall, and I love you, and sleep well. No one is playing ABBA tunes down the street, so although I would enjoy Dancing Queen again,  perhaps sleep will be as swift and sweet as the soft rains outside my window.

See you along the Way!

the SconeLady

Mother-of-Hudson