Mum comes to Marshall Part I

So with the house spic and span and mold issues finally resolved I was ready for Mum to arrive. My wonderful boss had set me up with a new laptop and internet as I would only be going into work one day a week and working a couple of days each week from home, as well as having a couple of days each week as vacation. I was really looking forward to Mum's visit as the last time we'd seen eachother was for Dad's funeral and it was going to be wonderful to have some happy times to spend with her. We had made no plans to see all my friends, we were both feeling that this was our time and we didn't really want to have our precious time with traveling to other peoples' houses or entertaining them ourselves. We spent all our time shopping, visiting local villages and towns, enjoying the fall colors of the countryside and simply just 'hanging out together'. There's no way I can remember what we did each single day of the month so this will be the highlights of the things we enjoying seeing together.

 We spent some time wandering around Marshall, looking at the antique and junk shops. We laughed at how everywhere we went there were stinkbugs. Mum, like me, didn't find them or their smell offensive and actually found them quite amusing, the way they bombed around sounding like little Messerschmitts and strolling casually across anything we wanted to look at. Mum loved the crafts on display in the stores and particularly the face on this little figurine. She wanted to buy it but we discovered it was missing part of a hand so decided not to.

Kota was very happy to see Grandma again.
We also went to a little local village called Orlean where we had a delicious simple lunch of soup and a sandwich.

 We nosed around the little craft shop there where Mum was delighted to find silk orange lanterns, something she couldn't find in England. We actually found more in Michaels and Joanna's Fabrics later so she went home with quite a large bunch.

 We had a fit of laughing in a Hallmark store, so loud that the staff couldn't contain their curiosity and had to come and investigate. We'd been looking at the cards and noticed that the Christmas cards were already out. I'd found a really pretty one with lots of sparkly bits and glitter on it and commented how I'd like to get that one for Christmas. So Mum said she'd get it for me and send it to me from her! We then tried to find that I could send to her but we were howling so much with the comic absurdity of picking out our own cards that we didn't manage to find one. We were still giggling in the car on the way home.

 Mum was pleased that I'd be cooking simple meals at Meadow House, neither of us are into rich fancy foods, so I threw together a stew in the crockpot. We had 8 different veggies in there besides the steak and I have to say it was delicious. Mum had mashed potatoes with the skins on for the first time, something I do all the time, and loved them. Rosie was fascinated with the heating elements in the oven and Kota joined Mum at the table for our meal.

 Mum was very taken with the next village along from Marshall, called The Plains. Robert Duvall lives here so we drove past his vast ranch on one trip here. We came to The Plains a few times as Mum loves the feel of the place. It has a couple of superb restaurants which we ate at a few times but Mum was most taken with the yarn shop there.

They had a knitting circle where even men sat clacking away with their needles. So many beautiful garments were hanging throughout the shop and the choice of wools was amazing. Lynn who runs the shop was extremely helpful and Mum bought wools to make scarves for herself and her friend Joy. I asked about knitting classes which they hold regularly, so I'm now thinking about fitting those somewhere into my free time during the winter months. Lynn also told us about a material shop in Marshall which I had no idea existed. We visited that too and was overwhelmed with the beautiful fabrics and trimmings filling the rooms. We also discovered a little quilting shop in Warrenton so that with these three little stores, Mum was quite overcome and singing the praises of the good ole USA. Nothing like these in England apparently!

A Moldy Week

A couple of weeks ago I noticed mold growing in the wall where a water pipe had been repaired and the wall left open to dry out. I then noticed it growing on my place mat box in one of the drawers under the counter top next to that wall. Maggi promptly put a fan there but I wanted the mold treated as it was smelling quite bad.
So the mold folks came in a week before Mum was due to arrive and ripped out the wall, counter top and units. What a shock to come home and see that!

It looked pretty bleak and I was very worried and concerned that it wouldn't be completed in time for Mum's arrival. It was going to be a stressful week...

This was the underside of the counter top. It had mold growing under it. Maggi 'cleaned' it off and wanted to put it back, see photo above where she's propped it up against the wall by the dehumidifiers trying to dry it out. It had also spent the night outside, where the work men had left it, being rained on. I brought this up with Maggi and brought my boss in on the action as I was extremely concerned about mold being left in the house while Mum was here. Some very polite e-mails went back and forth between Maggi and I with the communication resulting in me receiving a 6 week notice to quit. I was very upset about this but decided not to respond until after the weekend.
Early Saturday morning I went to Warrenton where I was helping WomenBuild, a group of Habitat for Humanity build a house. I got there nice and early to find that it had been cancelled due to flooding from the storm a couple of days ago. But the blessing was going ahead so I stayed for that and met a couple of other potential builders.

All this water has to be gone before the basement 'slab' can go in, whatever that is, concrete flooring I think. There are actually 2 homes being built here, the building is a duplex, and the one to the right will be ours. The left one is being built by Greystone.

The people receiving the new homes were present with their families and the houses were blessed by Barry White. He didn't sing a song...

The new owners both hammered in a few golden nails with hammers laced with gold ribbons, officially starting the job. I was disappointed that we couldn't start the project, but will jump straight on board once Mum returns to England. We may pop down to see how its progressing and if Mum wants to sleep in one Saturday morning I'll run down here for a couple of hours.
I got back home and had no sooner sat down with a cup of tea when Maggi appeared. We both confronted each other with folded arms but before long our grievances were aired, hugs were administered and the eviction notice revoked, and we both went outside to hunt for 4 leaf clovers which apparently are supposed to be in abundance outside the house.
Sunday morning I couldn't sleep, still worrying about the mold and my upside down kitchen, so I walked outside and took a few photos of a wet but sunny early morning.

During the next couple of days, work progressed quickly in the kitchen. I knew work would be completed by Wednesday and I was impressed with the finished job.

The counter top was replaced with a new one, matching the other side and I was so pleased to see everything new and clean with not a whiff of mold to be sniffed anywhere. So my home would be straight and orderly for when Mum arrived, and after completing the clean up, I collapsed contentedly with a large glass of red to celebrate.
This will likely be the last post for a month, the time that Mum will be here. Each post takes me 2-3 evenings usually to prepare, (not this one, this was rushed!), and I'm not going to want to do that with Mum here. The daily blog, link below, will still continue but Lucent Moments will grind to a temporary halt as from now.
But there will be plenty of post about in a months time!

http://2012daybyday.blogspot.com/

Abandoned in Harpers Ferry

Emily and I had a girls day out on Sunday and drove towards Harpers Ferry to do some ground work for a possible bike ride the following week. We were chugging along and chatting when I spotted a sign highlighting hiking trails and decided to investigate. Down a bumpy dirt track we came to a farm like place with a small park incorporated.  There was hardly anyone there and we got out to read a billboard. Behind that we saw a field with pigs and goats and had to walk over.

There were a few baby pigs who were adorable and the whole herd trotted over to be petted and fussed, immensely enjoying scratches behind the ear and hugs. The goats had to be cuddled too and everybody was very happy. In fact, the pigs were so contented that after a while a couple of them laid down, shut their eyes and proceeded to take a nap regardless of my presence. The others followed suit and soon only myself and the goats were standing. so not wanting to disturb the pigs' blissful slumber I slowly backed away and joined Emily again, and we both walked away quietly so see what else was around. The place was so quiet it seemed that maybe everyone except the insects were taking a siesta but we came across a man walking his dog and he suggested a nice little hike through the woods.

It was a serenely peaceful hike and we never saw another soul as we followed the paths. We came across a couple of old houses and a wonderfully wobbly bridge spanning a small creek. We ended up strolling a couple of miles until we came back to the beginning and were amazed at how the hours had flown by in this quiet little haven.
Soon we were on the road again barreling towards Harpers Ferry driving straight for the Hilltop Hotel to check out its condition. It had been closed for a few years now and had never been developed as had been originally planned into a restored version of its old self.

Above are images of how it was in its glory and how it was supposed to look by now.

This was the sad scene that greeted us. I was deeply dismayed to see the demise of this once majestic building that held fond memories for me.

 The view from out the back and the front. I don't know of many hotels that can boast of such beautiful unspoilt vistas as these, which could also be seen from huge open windows in the dining area that perched above the gorge.
We walked through the open front door and looked around. It was sad, and immediately I felt an anger towards the company who had purchased this property and left it to rot.

The once welcoming foyer which I remember as feeling so cozy and inviting with large comfy old chairs and a fire flickering in the stone fireplace. I so hope they save this old mirror before vandals destroy it.
My parents had come to visit me in 2005 and I'd brought them here to show them the hotel. They'd announced a day later that they'd booked 3 nights out of their visit in the hotel because they'd been charmed by the building, the staff and the views. I heard of quiet summer evenings spent on the paved patio with fellow guests, sharing drinks and stories, and of comfortable rooms that didn't let the neighbors activities penetrate through the walls. I'd never stayed here myself but had been for lunches a few times with friends, always wanting to return to that fabulous terrace where the windows would be opened wide and a sweet breeze would waft across the table as we ate lunch and laughed over drinks, and if you leaned a little out over the low ledges you could peer straight down into the steep valley immediately below. The views were marvelous here and always talked of. I don't remember that the food was fabulous but the hotel's atmosphere itself, created by the building and the staff, was always the main feature, it could hold its own court.

As we walked slowly around I could feel that the place had still retained its charm which made its demise even sadder. Even in its decay the individually decorated bedrooms still held some appeal. I had once marveled at how many different kinds of wallpaer had been used n the rooms, rooms that didn't have the continuous boring floor plan or stamp of chain hotels, but which individually held their own character. I could imagine folks coming back here year after year wanting the same much loved room or requesting a different room to try, because they were all so individual.
The dining terrace windows were still in place but the ivy was battling its way inside, prising the glass away from the frames, and creeping along the walls towards floor and ceiling.
I found a couple of articles on line, learning how the hotel will have to be torn down because it is now too unsafe to restore,  and have posted them below.

http://www.herald-mail.com/news/tristate/hm-historic-harpers-ferry-hotel-sits-atop-a-town-divided-20111107,0,4692407.storyhttp://www.herald-mail.com/news/tristate/hm-historic-harpers-ferry-hotel-sits-atop-a-town-divided-20111107,0,4692407.story

http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2009/todays-news/harpers-ferry-hotel-to-be.htmlhttp://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2009/todays-news/harpers-ferry-hotel-to-be.html

I wonder if eventually someone will build another Hilltop Hotel or will the hill be pinaccled with a boring, spiritless Hyatt or similar chain hotel. I sincerely hope not, Harpers Ferry deserves better than that. This is a prime beauty spot which commands respect.
We left and met some people outside looking wistfully up at the crumbly walls and we shared memories, some funny, some poignant. All were upset at the decay and abandonment. As yet, there have been few vandals or scrappers inside but surely that will soon occur, and the thought of that upset me tremendously as I looked back over my shoulder, feeling protective as though the hotel were an old friend.