Painswick Gloucestershire in the 2nd world war

This rather ordinary field at the end of Butt Green in Painswick, Gloucestershire was during the 2nd world war, covered with tents pitched by the U.S. Army . My Mum as a small child remembers all the tents and hanging about by the fence chatting to the guys, with her friends and siblings and being given rare treats such as oranges and chocolate.
Apparently there was a separate section for black people - (imagine that!) and when out marching they used to leave stuff on the walls and window ledges for the folk in the village.
You couldn't imagine what a hive of activity it must have been, and what changes they caused in the village, and that 70 years on it still remains a field at the end of Butt Green

Uni Blues

September saw a major change in our lives as with many other peoples, when our eldest daughter enrolled in University. This of course along with many other things is something which happens to other people, and so of course has come as a great shock to find that from being a young family we now have a grown up sprog which has effectively left home.!I say effectively because I havel already booked her trip back home which we are counting down the days to, but don't bring any washing with you! Good Luck Ya xxxxx

Interesting relics

Now here are a few relics from the past, not including my Mum of course, available to view at the Gloucester folk museum; including my Mum as you can see.
The sight of that old Hoover Constellation set my mind spinning back 4o plus years to many a sad saturday, being made to hurl the thing around the downstairs hall and living room. "It floats on air" said my Mum, and indeed she said the self same thing 45 years on. Its true! People never change. Floats on air my foot, it may look like a flying saucer but it certainly did not behave like one; although the hose was somewhat akin to the lost in space robot - warning, warning, Will Robinson: flailing in all directions. And what about the little gas cooker?
Now you know where Wallace and Gromit got the idea for that cooker thing when he went to the moon to get some cheese. I remember well drying my school cardi over the oven door - that being the only form of heating in the house along with a gas fire in the living room. My Mum said the range was what her Mum used to cook on and black lead on a regular basis; the kettle always just under the boil ready to be dropped on the hotplate for a ready cuppa at any time of the day.
Permanently on, because once off it would take a day or more to get going again. Once more the only form of heating in the flagstone cottage. Happy days? Erm........

Never too late?

We were lucky enough to visit Gloucester Cathedral during an art exhibition.
This interesting exhibit caught our attention raising many questions and quite frankly - concerns! Had he or she overdone it? Can you overdo it? Is it too late or is it never too late? Does it really matter at all? I shall leave that one for you to ponder on...............

Fine Gents foot eagle

Fine Gent

fine gent and mrs

Fine Gent

Gloucester Cathedral

This fine figure of a gent mesmerized me during a recent visit to Gloucester cathedral.
This fantastic marble sculpture conjures up images of what a fine figure of a man he must have been. The detail of the hair, clothing ; right down to the frilled boots with awesome buckles resting on a scared looking eagle. A wonderful historical capture of the dress of the time. I could not properly view his wife who lays beside him, but suffice to say she is well and truly overshon by her magnificent husband. I suppose he was the one with the money!