G & J away from home

Monday, 6 June 2016

Off to visit Ann and Clarissa this morning.  Beth does the importing of the reprints by Ann and Clarissa's Girls Gone By publishing company.  Gary and I have visited Ann and Clarissa back in 1997 and were interested to see them in their new setting at the vicarage at Coleford.

Beth in front of Ann and Clarissa's collection

We had a wonderful visit, talking about books and book collecting, exclaiming over Ann and Clarissa's collections (including some wonderful originals of  cover art and illustrations), and even being allowed to help refill and organise a bookcase after it was moved - the latter done with great delight as there is nothing nicer than playing with books.

Part of the EBD collection

From Coleford we went off to Cleeve (a slow journey down fairly narrow roads) where, for the first time for Gary and I, the building was not under some sort of restoration.  In fact a lot had changed since we last visited in 2000 so we found exploring as interesting as Marianne and Beth did.

Marianne captures the Gatehouse

There were a lot of Gatehouse photos taken and plenty around the abbey as we remain conscious of our duty to 'The Gatehouse', the magazine of the New Zealand Abbey Girls, and Barbara the magazine's editor.  She will be expecting contributions when we get home.

Beth on the garth

The chapter house

Marianne on the day stairs

One thing I was pleased to see 'in person' was the bell housing high on the refectory wall.  I have an old print of this and sometimes have doubted that it was really there (or still there) but it was easy to find this time - when I knew what I was looking at!

Bell housing

 While Marianne and I were in the new shelter for the tile pavement we were visited by an apparition - a modern day monk!

Dressed for the occasion

Of course, the outfit was part of the children's entertainment at the abbey and so a little short (!) on Gary, but good on him for being able to fit it at all.

We took a more direct route home (motorways) leaving us enough time for a leisurely meal at the same hotel restaurant as last night.  Beth and Marianne had been moved back to their original room while we were out for the day.

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