England with Matildabishop, Day 1 1/2
Oct. 14th, 2008 11:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thrihyrneMonday was a travel day- all went well except for a slight miscommunication with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
matildabishop which did cause a little stress, but I found them in the coach station after a while. That seems to be a theme for this trip. ;) I'm now in Birmingham!
I met Matilda and her daughters and we hauled my hereby known as the Suitcase of DoomTM up to the shopping district and ate at a place called Wagamama. The food was excellent and the company marvelous; my attitude needed a slight re-tuning from my anxiety and having walked up and down the stairs at the area twice due to youthful mind-changing. The evening was domestic and I called Storm to confirm her address and a time, as per our emails, Tuesday or Wednesday were best. Tuesday at 3 o'clock it was. I stayed up to meet Mr. Bishop, but then I tucked myself into bed. I'm staying in Matilda's office, full of toys: nearly all shelf space is covered in figurines and some toy-toys and coffee mugs. The bookshelves are filled with manga. It's a delightful place. :)
Yesterday I was part of the Bishop morning household whirlwind of getting her girls breakfasted, in their uniforms, and off to school. I went with them to see the school; it was quite fun being a part of all of that as it used to be a ritual I participated in at a different point in my life. Because we were slightly late, we escorted 10 yo to her swimming class at a workout facility which is part of the Cadbury factory. After dropping her off, Matilda and I, to avoid having to walk the long way around, we decided literally to jump the fence, or the metal guardrail, anyway. I was more reticent, but Matilda was convincing.
She showed me the tee-tiny but precious borough of Bournville, which is quite picturesque. We finally had some English-y weather, too! Then we went to the local newagents/post where I bought some stamps and some lovely (but non-Cadbury) chocolate. Then we planned the day, and I triple-checked how to get to Storm. Matilda showed me the bus to take, we discussed the way to get from the train back to her house (as I'd be traveling solo), then we went through the main shopping district up to the Birmingham Art Museum. By the end of the day, we both knew what a pre-Raphaelite was. We talked and had a nosh on the stairs near the 'floozy in the jacuzzi', a statue which normally is a fountain, but there was no water.
I took the train to her town and found her house without an issue. She was incredibly gracious, accessible, genuine, thoughtful, and just a joy to spend two hours with. We talked Wraeththu (of course!) but also some politics, some other projects she's currently working on, primarily her nonfiction, the collective unconscious, and what the con weekend was like. I did fangirl some, and she commented on how this was probably the first time she'd been able to print out a contract and have the author right there to sign it. So this means that my story will indeed be published, providing I get it tidied up!!! :D :D :D I now have the two in the Hienama series, signed (*g*), and Storm's signature in my fandom book where I get comments from the fan friends I meet in real life. The other theme for my trip seems to be given the gift of books, which unfortunately is making the Suitcase of DoomTM even more so. I'll ignore it. ;) Anyway, I got to take a few pictures, including one of her and her sweet husband, and a few of the three of us. She said it was fine to post them, so when I get my bloody cord to download the pics, I'll definitely share. It was truly a magical afternoon; she's a delightfully real person, and I'm so glad that I was able to simply meet with her one on one in her office, where "she lives," so she says; that's where she does her writing, too. It was unforgettable.
I managed to make it to the Bishop household without incident, though without help I might have missed the stop. I've now traveled via plane, train, automobile, and coach. I suppose if I'd taken the ferry in Portsmouth, then I'd have covered a great number of ways to travel! I did some research into staying in Bath before seeing how expensive it would be to get to the airport, so I've gone back to research into staying in Oxford.verdenia has friends who graciously offered for me to spend the night before my flight, but they're off to the SE of London and I'm now at a point where I want minimal schlepping of the SoD, so I'm going to simply spend my last few nights in Oxford and take the bus in the morning. At that point I'll need to find an internet cafe, so if I'm quieter once I leave the Bishops, that's why.
Today Matilda and I are going to Worcester Cathedral, and maybe also the Red House Glass Cone, built in 1790.
Hope that you're all doing well and enjoying this wee travelogue. ♥
matildabishop which did cause a little stress, but I found them in the coach station after a while. That seems to be a theme for this trip. ;) I'm now in Birmingham!I met Matilda and her daughters and we hauled my hereby known as the Suitcase of DoomTM up to the shopping district and ate at a place called Wagamama. The food was excellent and the company marvelous; my attitude needed a slight re-tuning from my anxiety and having walked up and down the stairs at the area twice due to youthful mind-changing. The evening was domestic and I called Storm to confirm her address and a time, as per our emails, Tuesday or Wednesday were best. Tuesday at 3 o'clock it was. I stayed up to meet Mr. Bishop, but then I tucked myself into bed. I'm staying in Matilda's office, full of toys: nearly all shelf space is covered in figurines and some toy-toys and coffee mugs. The bookshelves are filled with manga. It's a delightful place. :)
Yesterday I was part of the Bishop morning household whirlwind of getting her girls breakfasted, in their uniforms, and off to school. I went with them to see the school; it was quite fun being a part of all of that as it used to be a ritual I participated in at a different point in my life. Because we were slightly late, we escorted 10 yo to her swimming class at a workout facility which is part of the Cadbury factory. After dropping her off, Matilda and I, to avoid having to walk the long way around, we decided literally to jump the fence, or the metal guardrail, anyway. I was more reticent, but Matilda was convincing.
She showed me the tee-tiny but precious borough of Bournville, which is quite picturesque. We finally had some English-y weather, too! Then we went to the local newagents/post where I bought some stamps and some lovely (but non-Cadbury) chocolate. Then we planned the day, and I triple-checked how to get to Storm. Matilda showed me the bus to take, we discussed the way to get from the train back to her house (as I'd be traveling solo), then we went through the main shopping district up to the Birmingham Art Museum. By the end of the day, we both knew what a pre-Raphaelite was. We talked and had a nosh on the stairs near the 'floozy in the jacuzzi', a statue which normally is a fountain, but there was no water.
I took the train to her town and found her house without an issue. She was incredibly gracious, accessible, genuine, thoughtful, and just a joy to spend two hours with. We talked Wraeththu (of course!) but also some politics, some other projects she's currently working on, primarily her nonfiction, the collective unconscious, and what the con weekend was like. I did fangirl some, and she commented on how this was probably the first time she'd been able to print out a contract and have the author right there to sign it. So this means that my story will indeed be published, providing I get it tidied up!!! :D :D :D I now have the two in the Hienama series, signed (*g*), and Storm's signature in my fandom book where I get comments from the fan friends I meet in real life. The other theme for my trip seems to be given the gift of books, which unfortunately is making the Suitcase of DoomTM even more so. I'll ignore it. ;) Anyway, I got to take a few pictures, including one of her and her sweet husband, and a few of the three of us. She said it was fine to post them, so when I get my bloody cord to download the pics, I'll definitely share. It was truly a magical afternoon; she's a delightfully real person, and I'm so glad that I was able to simply meet with her one on one in her office, where "she lives," so she says; that's where she does her writing, too. It was unforgettable.
I managed to make it to the Bishop household without incident, though without help I might have missed the stop. I've now traveled via plane, train, automobile, and coach. I suppose if I'd taken the ferry in Portsmouth, then I'd have covered a great number of ways to travel! I did some research into staying in Bath before seeing how expensive it would be to get to the airport, so I've gone back to research into staying in Oxford.
verdenia has friends who graciously offered for me to spend the night before my flight, but they're off to the SE of London and I'm now at a point where I want minimal schlepping of the SoD, so I'm going to simply spend my last few nights in Oxford and take the bus in the morning. At that point I'll need to find an internet cafe, so if I'm quieter once I leave the Bishops, that's why.Today Matilda and I are going to Worcester Cathedral, and maybe also the Red House Glass Cone, built in 1790.
Hope that you're all doing well and enjoying this wee travelogue. ♥
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Date: 2008-10-15 08:06 am (UTC)Hope the rest of the trip goes well. Can't wait for those pics!