I’m sitting in a living room in Harrogate listening to Lou and Annabel talking about dresses. We are staying at Annabel’s. She’s made me a dressing gown in the past for Scrooge, and it was wonderful. Her daughter India was part of Christmas Carol for the years at The Arts Theatre. We nipped up here as I still have unfinished business with Tennant’s Auctioneers, and the world has been so shut and neurotic it has felt like too much to come up here and start poking things in the auction house. “What happened to X?”
We had a glorious Turkish meal earlier this evening, and now we are waiting for India to get back from Leeds where she’s been at a class. I’ve been sitting here for about an hour, and have uttered two words in all that time. “Shepherd’s Bush.” I’ve got nothing to add to what is an extremely detailed, passionate and involved conversation about dressmaking. It’s fascinating – it’s wonderful hearing these two people geeking out like this sort of thing. I have my topics as well, and sometimes I love to find somebody who shares them. Annabel and Lou are both on topic right now. They can both talk about fabrics and dressmaking for England. And they are doing so. Clothes. Dresses. Fabrics. Another little corner of the world that took virtually none of my attention and headspace until I found these excellent people in my life.
This evening as we walked the streets of this little old market town we could smell the woodsmoke in the air. We wandered into the foyer of the theatre this evening as we looked for a place to eat. They let us in without batting an eyelid, just to look at the interior. Some comedian has been passing through so the door was open. A similar thing to the feeling that has made me come back up to Tennants at last has been flitting through this town. Last time we came up here it was neurotic as hell, but we all were. None of the restaurants let us eat with them because we hadn’t booked. They had space, but they didn’t have headspace. Now this evening they just let us wander into the lovely old theatre and take photographs of the woodwork without challenge or permission.
Now I’m just writing as they talk. I’ve got nothing to add and they are enjoying the conversation. Best use of my time.
I won’t get to stay up north very long. We’ve booked the spa tomorrow night and I’ll be busy at Tennant’s tomorrow morning. But hopefully I’ll have a bit more time to enjoy Yorkshire. I do love it up here. Many happy summers of my life were spent in his neck of the woods. You can’t have that sort of experience without leaving a bit of yourself behind. I like to come up here and just connect with the energies again.
AlBarclay 