School for teenage codebreakers to open in Bletchley Park

School for teenage codebreakers to open in Bletchley Park

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/nov/24/college-of-national-security-teenage-codebreakers-school-open-bletchley-park

A picture for the mantelpiece

I've already shared the proof of Aliya's 2016 school photo with you lot on WhatsApp, but I can just imagine taking a hard copy over to Gran's, which I have no doubt she would have proudly added to her mantelpiece collection. I miss Gran so much, and imaginings like this help me stay connected with her.

Do you think she would also have participated in the WhatsApp group? It's fast becoming our virtual mantelpiece!

Our house is a very very fine house

I often reflect, as we continue to lay down roots here, how much I would have loved to tell Gran about all our adventures. I went walking with Sophie recently and mentally updated Gran on the news, given that Keysoe is a long way and a long time away. I think she would have delighted in watching Jake become a young boy and Sophie developing her delightful personality.

In particular, I think she would have delighted in our new home, which we started moving into today. She would have loved the openness of it, and the quietness of the trees outside. Of course if she was here, we wouldn't be in this house, and that's always a hard fact to deal with. But her legacy means that in the six months that we've been here, we have two great cars, two great jobs, kids happy in their respective daycares and now the dream house. I feel that all of this fits with my understanding of the spirit of Gran, to do things for yourself that you wouldn't normally do, and for that we will always be truly grateful. I just sometimes wish that I could have my cake and eat it, and share our excitement with her.

Lots to talk about

In the month or so since the last post here, we've had a lot to talk about. I think Gran would have loved being part of the many conversations. There have been

• Choir tours 
• Support for refugees 
• Being there for friends 
• House painting (choices, choices!) 
• Birthdays for the eldest great grandbabes 
• Shared iPads 
• New jobs (alien free!) 
• First tractor rides
• Drawings galore 
• Conferences 
• Articles and essays

What a lot of life there is to enjoy.  

Adventures in the New World

Given how easy it is now (with a new iPhone and a quick internet connection!) for me to send pictures, messages and even have random phone calls with mum and dad in the middle of the day (including several times when Jake requested to call them to show them what he was playing with), I cant' help but think of times when I could have Skyped Gran just for fun, as whilst she'd never had made it out here to see our new life unfold, we could have given her such a good feel for it. However, I will put pictures up here that make me think of Gran, or that she would have enjoyed. Here's 4 for starters:

The bronze fireguard made it safely, though we had to ship it rather than risk it bending in a canvas bag

We drove past a house in the middle of nowhere that had a pristine croquet lawn, complete with a sunhouse for spectators. We may have to make friends with the owners/buy the house!

The squirrels are dedicated critters out here. Look at the acrobatics of this one trying to get into Jake's birdhouse! You could have a lot of fun with a water pistol each morning...

One generation removed, but Sophie gets the idea of Skype quite nicely and I'm sure Gran would have been offered e-biscuits too!

More to come I'm sure over the weeks and months, but safe to say the spirit of Gran has come with us to New Hampshire!

An infinite thank you

Dear Gran,

I am currently taking a break from packing up our St Albans house as we prepare to move into our very own little blue house in Hitchin. I have been thinking of you a lot this week as I've discovered some of your many letters, postcards and joyful Christmas newsletters which I've kept over the years.

Chad and I are so incredibly that you have made the purchase of our very first house financially viable - and that you have sponsored the purchase of the most incredible Rangemaster cooker! I can't wait to be able to cook amazing meals which we'll eat at the dining table Chuck is building for us in the house that you helped us buy.

We have discovered that there is a goldfish living in the pond in our (epic) garden - I wonder what name you might have suggested?! We plan on filling in the pond at some point in the future, so he might have to come and live inside! There will definitely need to a be a spot to plant a Camilla in your honour.

It is slowly starting to sink in that we actually own a house - and have all the responsibilities that go with it! Thank you for making it possible.

Lots of love,
Caz xoxo

Meeting Gran's wartime friend

After lots of phone calls and emails (it appears to be a Bletchley Park generation thing that the nonagenarians are tech savvy!), we finally managed to meet Beryl Howe, Gran's wartime friend. She now lives in London (Ontario!) in the swankiest retirement place I've ever seen. We were entertained by a pianist in the lobby whilst also admiring the decorative fountains and hotel-like surroundings, before being met by Beryl, who has the most amazing electric wheelchair with incredibly smart steering.

We had a lovely few hours with Beryl in her apartment, learning a bit more about her Canadian adventure. After marrying her wartime airforce sweetheart, she came over to Canada on a boat full of war brides, diverting via the Azores because of bad weather. She and her husband have lived in Vancouver and all over Ontario, in the meantime raising five children and skiing every winter (well, Beryl said she would watch but not participate!). Her husband passed away some years ago and she moved to the retirement place in London to be nearer to her only daughter, who lives about 15 minutes away.

We talked fondly of Gran, known to Beryl and co as Tig. I hadn't realised that the name came from Winnie the Pooh - Gran apparently always wanted to be Tigger as a child, and the moniker stuck. Beryl has also recorded her war story for the B.P. archives as Gran did and has been on Canadian TV talking about her experiences. She recalled that when they (Beryl, Gran, Marian and Connie) moved to Bedford, a cooking rota was suggested with each doing food for a week at a time. After volunteering to go first, Beryl ended up doing all of the cooking all of the time! Chimes with my memories of Gran and her fondness of the microwave...

In turn, we told Beryl a bit about the next generations and compared notes on grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is in incredible form, more so mentally than physically after suffering a stroke some years ago, but sharp as anything. I wasn't too surprised - BP must have had some inkling of the smart young women they were picking.

We decided to make a weekend of being in south-west Ontario for the first time and after seeing Beryl went to a riverside park in London on her recommendation. The river is called the Thames! In the evening we had an amazing (and huge) Greek meal before seeing a Brothers Grimm spectacular performed by the local young people's theatre group. On Sunday, we went out in the countryside to learn about how maple syrup is collected and sampled some of Ontario's finest on pancakes! We then drove down to Lake Erie as it is my ambition for the kids to swim in (or in this case, just touch the freezing cold water!) all of the Great Lakes whilst we're in North America. Photos below...

Hurray for Gran! And hurray for Beryl!

Photo in Beryl's apartment by Aliya

It's Max! On a rock! By the Thames!

Aliya by the Thames

LOTS of delicious Greek food in London, ON

Giddy up!

Horse ride out to see maple syrup being made

Sampling the maple syrup

Extreme close up!

The essence of Max

Family selfie at Port Dover

 

Port Dover, Lake Erie. Squint hard enough and you might see the US side.

A zest for life

I started writing this in reply to your email, mum, but then decided it would be more appropriate on the blog...

You wrote:

Anyway the point of this (apart from to marvel at photos from 30 years ago) is that he has reproduced all Rick’s text from 1985, in a typewriter font that would have been used by Mar when she typed the original book for him; and the section that covers Mar’s working life up to retirement ends with the sentence:

“These days she says being a granny is one of the best jobs in life.”

She adored you all and loved spending time with you, and you brought her so much joy and interest and fun. Treasure the memories and the role model for your future grandparenting/gruncling & graunting!

Oh mum. 

What a wonderful thing to be able to share with us; thank you. 

I absolutely agreed with the text you sent as Chad and I headed up to Leeds yesterday for the Big Forbes Wolfson Party: Gran had a zest for life that needs honouring! 

Whilst I don't think she would have known quite what to make of the several rounds of beer pong, I feel we did Gran proud: being with family and friends, celebrating the next big adventure and all topped off with a very large amount of cake. 

It's been a strange year and this week has been particularly tough, but I for one know that Gran's zest for life, determination and sheer stubbornness is part of the reason why we've made it. Hugs (and chocolate eclairs) all round. 

Out in nature

Look carefully and you will see three Northern Cardinals (two male, one female), a hairy woodpecker and two black squirrels. You get bonus points if you can find any other birds or animals! All spotted on our wonderful Baba walk this morning...

One year on ...

John and I have just signed the final estate papers. And I have bought early daffodils to go in the blue vase, as I did for so many springtimes. Mar would have liked them... Jxx

A strange discovery

Firstly, as Caz said last night, a glass raised to Grandma Peggy. I feel that she would appreciate the tendrilic nature of our family, and would no doubt be regaling all visitors with tales of Canada, Italy and impending New England.

Secondly, as we're getting rid of most of our books, I've put my Kindle down and re-reading some of my favourites (as well as some of the "classics" that I've bought over the years and never read - Phantom of the Opera and Frankenstein for starters!). I picked a random Wilbur Smith book off the shelf. I found that Gran enjoyed them when I was at Cambridge, and it was one of several series of books that I found on her shelves and really got into. Anyway, I opened the book and found Gran's spidery writing:

Ben
To mark the occasion when our roles were reversed! 10.12.00

I have no memory of this inscription, nor what date or role reversal it entailed! I would have been 18, a few months short of going to Brazil, so maybe some sort of theatre trip with me as chaperone? Who knows. It was a lovely surprise, however, and made me chuckle. Any ideas?