Jeanette’s Version
Matthew wanted to see Stonehenge so even though Emily and I are planning to go there next week with Kathy we indulged him because we like him. It was a nice day out but we got a late start and as a result we didn't have time to do anything except Stonehenge and a late lunch. Matthew and I had been to Stonehenge on our epic journey of 1995. I was not keeping a journal at that time so parts of it are lost in the mists of my memories, but I remember clearly the day we visited Stonehenge. But it was fun getting to spend the day with both of them in England at the same time. They are both fun to travel with so for me, the journey was more fun than the visit to the stones. Just for the record, I have been to Stonehenge three times now. Once in June, once in July and once in October. All three times it has rained.
For part of the way the train traveled the same route that Emily and I had traveled on our way to Warrick - nice pictures except for the big white horse on the hillside near Warminster. Emily and I had both tried to get a picture of it coming back from Brighton and again today on the way to Salisbury. We decided to assign the job to Matt and then we could blame him if we didn't get one. It's just too far away from the tracks and the train is traveling too fast at that point to get a picture from the train. This picture is scanned from a book that I found. According to the book, this particular white horse is the oldest of the Wiltshire horses. There has been a white horse on the site for at least three hundred years or so. Later it had eroded to the point where you could barely tell what it was anymore so in 1873 it was restored according to the directions of a committee appointed for the purpose, and edging stones were added to help hold the chalk in place. The shape of the present horse dates from this restoration. When I read this I thought of the old joke that a camel is a horse that was designed by a committee so I guess the people of Wiltshire are lucky that this one turned out so well.
We found a double decker bus waiting at the train station that offered transport out to Stonehenge. I think they run every thirty or so. Although it was intermittently spitting rain it held off doing any serious raining so we climbed up to the top level and enjoyed the ride. We passed through two or three picturesque small villages or hamlets and enjoyed the scenery. Everyone’s gardens are just lovely. Just as we arrived the rain decided it was finally going to get serious after all so I stayed in the gift shop and under the awnings while Matt and Emily made a quick dash through the tunnel that runs under the road to the stones.
We stopped for lunch in a small pub called The Cat Tavern that looked a lot better than its food turned out to be. To be fair it wasn't as it turned out a traditional pub. It was one of those places that young people come to listen to live music performed by local and up and coming groups. Food was not a priority for this place. Perhaps not even the drinks were. Certainly it was not the place to come to play darts and sip ones lager around a roaring fireplace.
We arrived back about seven and Jenny had prepared a lovely dinner as it was Matt’s last evening in Europe. Bob took him to the train at 11 pm so he could be on time for his early morning flight.
Emily’s Side of the Story
Even though I have been here for 4 days now..my mind cannot seem to fathom that it is later over here than it is in Arkansas. Take for example, right now it is 7:30 PM here...and 1:30 PM in Arkansas. I feel like it is mid-day. I am not even sleepy...I could not go to sleep last night...I suppose I finally nodded off around 3ish...Grams snores had a little to do with that though. First I thought, maybe I can put a pillow over my head...can we say "no"?
Then I moved onto the idea of going downstairs and sleeping in the living room with Matt. I was afraid I would set off the alarm though- so that ruled that out...I have heard the alarm 2 times on the first night we were here...Jenny dismantled her alarm clock because SHE couldn’t even figure out what it was, and its HER house. Not a kind sounding thing. Then I go out of bed very cautiously trying not to wake Grams up...even though if I had woken her up she probably would have stopped snoring. Smart me...okay on with the night. I got on the floor, and well that didn’t help either...was going to move to the hall but realized that I was not able to shut the bedroom door to keep the snores in the room, for all the crud blocking the doorway. So I decided that I would move to the computer room, and that when they awoke they would be able to find me there- for I stuck post-it notes above the bedroom door handle and the computer rook door handle.
So there I was....found in the computer room this morning by Grams...thank the Lord, I got sleep :) HAHA Got to love her..and her snores lol. I laid in bed for a while...then finally got up and got in the shower...only to notice it was only 10 am, I was like "By george, I should still be asleep!" Called a taxi and hopped in...nice taxi driver...very talkative...got to Weston-super-mare...caught a train to Bath...got off there...caught a train to Salisbury, as soon as we got off the train, we hopped right on to a city bus...went to Stonehenge, Grams has been 3 times already so she sent Matt and I in...took lots of great pictures. Had an adventure with Matt's camera..didn’t want to take good pictures for me, but we got a good laugh out of it...haha, this may not be funny to you...but he wanted a picture of him and Stonehenge, right? Like any good American would. I took the camera and got a little bit of Stonehenge...Matt, and TONS OF THE PAVEMENT AND OTHER PEOPLE. He was like GREEEEAAT pic Em. hehe it was wonderful.
Good times, Got out of Stonehenge...got off the bus..went to this nice pub called "Cats Tavern." Grams wanted some pictures of it, since it was nice and colorful, so like any good grandchild, I took our cameras, crossed the street, and went to take the pictures. All was going good until this man in an orange truck thing, drove by and gave me the finger. YES that's right he flipped me the bird, American style. Oh and he was smiling about it! I don’t know what I did to him..but wowzers, must have made quite an impression:) Matt and I are still trying to figure out if he was trying to "pick" me up, if you know what I mean. Not that I would be flattered...lol But I would at least know it wasn’t meant as "up yours" or "f you" haha
Anyway..had a small downpour when we got to Weston-super-Mare train station. Got in the car, trekked back to the house. Found out that Matt's flight home tomorrow leaves at 10:45 AM instead of 3:50 PM...so that is a big difference. Considering he is flying out of London-Heathrow...he can either go by train to London tonight-mind you he is poor by now- and try to stay with a friend he has met there or he can cash in his train ticket for tomorrow that he bought today and catch a bus tomorrow morning at a quarter to 5 AM. I don’t want him to have to leave tonight, but you have to do what you have to do. I am glad I have gotten a chance to see him...dinner is cooking downstairs...I don’t think I can eat! We ate 3 hours ago! GRR I am going to explode..will someone air mail me some REAL mashed potatoes? I don’t mind exploding from them...ahhh that would be heaven...not exploding but the taters. Just got finished eating..spaghetti,. I always for some reason get a little nervous around dinner time because I never know if it will be some exotic food...I am a nerd, cause it always ends up being just plain normal.
The end...lol. Matt is leaving tonight..Thanks for reading. Kathy gets to sleep with Grams..hehe I get the air mattress:) she can snore in HER ear...give mine a rest.
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