A Special Time in Yorkshire at Years End.

After celebrating Christmas with my siblings, it was back onto the M62 and across country once again.  Once again my brother Len was driving. This time our destination was Leeds. 

 I went to college in Scarborough way back in 1968 and made some life-long friends there.  One such friend is Jill who  lives in Leeds with her talented husband.  

Jill and I were friends from the first year of college and like my friend Sandra, who I visted earlier in December, she also moved down to Kings Lynn to a teaching position after we finished at North Riding College of Education.  

So we weren't just friends while at college, but we lived and worked in the same community after becoming qualified teachers. We have always been closely connected. 

It has been years since we last met and ten years since I last visited their home.  Still, we just picked up as if it was yesterday.

Len has been to Jill's before, so he was able to come in for a visit before heading home.  Its always so welcoming to arrive at Jill and Gavin's. 

Once again my days were filled with lovely conversation, and yet more delicious food.

When we went shopping I was surprised to learn that there were Marks and Spencers stores that sold only food.  This was new to me since I was last in England. And they sell very unusual food too, lol. 

Jill is a wonderful multi-media artist as well as a talented quilter. Her work hangs  on my daughter Laura's wall. My grand daughter Kayla loves her underwater scene quilt and she always mentions it every year when Jill sends them a digital advent calendar.

Here is some of her work, created in her specially built work room in her attic.

There were two single beds in my room and they each had hand made quilts on them!

This wall hanging graced my bedroom wall. 

Gavin is also an artist, who is transitioning from water colours to oils. He has a studio set up and I was so happy to visit and see his work.

One evening Jill drove me over to Burton Leonard to visit her daughter. My daughter Beth is Jill's god-daughter and her and Tamsin are like sisters.  They drove across Canada together. 

It was so nice to see Tamsin and Brian's new home and she cooked us an amazing meal after rushing in the door from a long drive down from Scotland.

Of couse we had to take the other important member of the family over to visit. Lexie is spoiled to death, and loves every minute of it.

We spent a wonderful evening with them, sharing lots of laughs and great memories in their Christmassy living room.  It was sad to have to say good-bye. I got some great pics before we headed out the door.

Here is Jill, Tamsin and Brian and below, a farewell pic with Tamsin and Brian and myself in their entrance hall. 

On New Years Eve Len came to pick me up and we were treated to a deleicious lunch before we set off for Wombwell.

We have been so lucky with the weather every time we heve been travelling.  Once again the weather was wonderful.  

We spent a quiet New Years Eve with a Chinese Take Away and Harry Potter.  As 12:00 approached, we put on Jules Holland and saw the New Year in with his many talented musical guests. 

I have never read any of the Harry Potter books and Len had recorded the entire series of movies while it was on TV over the holidays. So while I was visiting him we managed to watch five films in all. :-) A marathon.

While I was in the Barnsley area we went out on a search of all the places we had lived as children. Now that is another story!