The 80 degree days finally gave up and we’re having a rainy day in the 60s. Bliss for someone who relishes gloomy weather.
I’ve managed two moseys today, both 2 1/2 blocks and back home. It was sprinkling when I started out, just after 7 a.m. Sunrise is getting lazier by the day. The Notre Dame Rose Window umbrella was my choice, since it’s large enough to really make a difference.
My Favorite Guy went along just after 3:00 this afternoon. He’s not a fan of umbrellas so I grabbed the smaller plaid one. My souvenir of Edinburg, Scotland!
It dawned on me that both umbrellas are souvenirs of a couple of incredible overseas trips. Guy’s sister and her husband (Lois and David) lived in Kings Lynn, England, during the 1980s, while David was a chemical engineer with Dow Chemical. We did touristy things with them, then Guy, Dan (age 14), and I headed for Cambridge and Scotland for a few days on our own. It rained while we were in Scotland, so a plaid umbrella became my remembrance of Edinburgh. Brolly, according to the sales slip.
The other trip was in October of 1997, with Mom and her sister, Aunt Darlene to be the first in the family to see where their younger brother, Danny Wilson, is buried in an American Cemetery in Eastern France. The travel agent walked us through choosing what else we’d like to see on the trip, since it would likely be the only one for Mom and Darlene, farm widows in their late seventies. So we also visited Paris and London! Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, the Tower of London, Bath, Stonehenge. We also spent time in Bruges and Brussels, Belgium.
It was a good thing we’d packed umbrellas. It rained while we had our own memorial service for Lt. Daniel S. Wilson, at the Lorraine American Cemetery near St. Avold, France. It rained throughout Belgium, and it was raining when we arrived in London after dark.
It also rained the day we toured Bath and Stonehenge, where another tourist took a photo of the four of us, one of our favorite photos of the trip. We all framed copies of it.
When we got back to Iowa, Mom found a Notre Dame Rose Window in a Smithsonian catalogue and bought one for herself. She also got one for Aunt Darlene and for us!
When Dan was little, a rainy day with no lightning was an invitation to go for a walk. Once when he was grown, Dan admitted that he enjoyed when it rained the first day of school. He was the only one in a good mood! I guess he got that from him mom.
And walkin’ in the rain is especially charming under a brolly with a story.
Thank you, Joy, for your lovely review on Amazon of my book, “The Mystery of the Pink Poodle.” I appreciate it very much and will share it on my blog on Wednesday. I read about your book, “Leora’s Dexter Stories” on several blogs and recently bought it. I love working on genealogy! Good day!
Dawn, your Pink Poodle book was such a delightful surprise, the backstory it led to. My first book, Leora’s Letters, is about WWII. Her five sons served, but only two came home. But also the clandestine missions Merciers were involved in. Author Gail Kittleson has written Women of the Heartland historical novels. Books 2 and 3 took us through those tense times!
A delightful memory post! I enjoyed it. I usually don’t use umbrella because I’m always afraid I’m going to leave it somewhere.
Same here. I have a small foldup in the car. I keep these two close home.
Oh, Joy! The wonderful rainy experience of you ladies visiting immensely meaningful places together is truly touching. The brollys are such pretty and poignant symbols of your journey. 💞
Thank you, Lori. I hadn’t thought of the connection until I used them both today.
Love all of these memories…walking in the rain is something special and I’m so glad to hear about your “moseys”, Joy! Yay! Hugs and love! 🥰❤️🥰
Thank you, dear heart!
🥰❤️🥰
Wonderful travel stories and for Daniel’s honor!
Thanks, GP!
You all look good with the umbrellas, Joy. It’s so respectful that you visited the grave of Daniel.
Since then, Darlene’s oldest son has been there. It’s in eastern France so more complicated to get to than the cemetery at Normandy. Thank you, Tim.
Wonderful umbrellas and wonderful rainy day memories!!! Great photos! 🙂
Thank you, Linda. It was fun how it all came together one one rainy day.
You’re right! A brolly with a story is best. When you first mentioned the cathedral rose and didn’t show a picture, I was disappointed—and so pleased when you saved it for last. The mark of a good storyteller.😊
Oh, Eilene, your comment is so welcome!
Thanks for telling stories I can relate to, Joy. We live about an hour from Kings Lynn, and drove round it earlier this week. As for brollies – we were given one by a car salesman recently – wouldn’t think of calling it anything else!
Oh, Malcolm, thank for your note! On that trip we got as far east as Norwich, where my husband’s sister played trumpet. She played in a town band, but I think this was under another director. (They still regularly visit them!) So where did the word bumbershoot come from? I guess it’s another name for a brolly, but you’re right, brolly is best!
I enjoyed these rainy day memories and the umbrellas, Joy! Our temps finally cooled here too and rain arrived, so the change is welcomed. ❤️
Thank you, Lauren!
Your umbrellas look like gorgeous works of art. Their designs would make fabulous quilts. Interesting backstories! 🙂
I love both of your umbrellas and especially since they come with stories.
Thank you, Darlene. Everything is better with a story, huh!