Spouse's Corner - Week 1

We began a day late. After wandering around the Memphis airport for several hours last Thursday, Don and I finally made our way to the gate to catch the 3:30 p.m. plane for the first leg of our trip to The Lambeth Conference in England. We were told our plane would be late arriving in Memphis, and so we waited, sort of patiently, for the plane. It wasn’t until we noticed that our flight to Atlanta had been removed from the flashing sign over the gate counter and replaced with a flight to Cincinnati (with no announcement), that we began to fret. We were told by the gate agent to return to the ticketing counter because we would miss our connecting flight from Atlanta to Gatwick in London. It was not one of our better moments! After spending another couple of hours changing flights and retrieving our luggage, we went home and started over the following day.

Returning to the airport on Friday morning felt a bit like we were in the movie “Ground Hog Day”. But, much to our pleasure, everything went like clockwork, and we got to Atlanta in plenty (plenty!) of time for the flight to Gatwick (we had 5 hours wait).

When we arrived in London at 8:20 on Saturday morning, we were greeted by Fr. Jonathan, the Chaplain to Gatwick airport, who steered us through Customs, the “money changers,” purchase of a hairdryer with British plug, and getting train tickets to Newport, Wales. Getting three suitcases and two “carry-ons” onto the train was challenging. We also changed trains in Reading (pronounced “Redding”) station before going on to Newport.

Our hosts, Vicar John and Anne Blackburn, met us at the station and carried our luggage to their car (which they rented specially for our visit, because both of their cars only seat two and had no room for our luggage). Newport is a lovely town in Southeast Wales, known at one time for coal mining and steel mills. There is a canal that runs all round the town, used for transporting coal originally, and now a walking trail and bicycle path run alongside. We arrived at the Risca Vicarage in the Diocese of Monmouth and were greeted by the Blackburn’s Scottish terrier, Ramsey, named for the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey. Our Boxers, Ruth and Naomi, sent a squeaky-toy to Ramsey that he loved, but we’re not so sure John and Anne loved the noise! (I brought the toy in my carry-on, and each time I put it in the overhead bin, it squeaked. I got some strange looks).

Later that day, John and Anne hosted a cocktail party in their lovely garden, full of roses and fuchsias and sweet peas, in our honor, and invited many members of St. Margaret’s Parish in Newport. It was great fun to meet the parishioners, and the wine and hors d’oeuvres were yummy. We were even treated to a spontaneous “concert” by one 84 year old parishioner who sang “Thanks for the Memories” with words she ad-libbed on the spot!

The next day was Sunday, with church at St. Margaret’s. There were no children attending, except for two acolytes. The service was lovely and we had tea afterwards in the parish hall, with real brewed tea served in fine china cups and saucers.

Anne and John hosted a traditional Sunday dinner at the Vicarage, also in our honor. There were eight of us around the dining table. We had roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, fresh “veg” from local gardens, jacket potatoes, and a salad with lettuce that was from a neighbor’s garden and left on the front steps in the morning. Dessert was fresh fruit (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and black currants) with English clotted cream, followed by chocolates and coffee. I hope the Bishop won’t expect this on Sundays when we return home!

Monday dawned (and because England and Wales are so far north, dawn is around 4:30 a.m.) cloudy and damp. On the schedule was a tour of Newport from the top of an open double-decker bus with other bishops and spouses. The locals said the weather was “crisp”, which translates “very cold indeed” – even colder at 40 mph! We also had to “duck” so as not to get hit by passing tree branches overhead. It was quite exciting! We toured the Cathedral, some Roman ruins and a Roman amphitheatre with an archaeological dig nearby, and returned to the Cathedral for a luncheon put on by members of the Cathedral. The real prize was dessert – English (they said Welsh) Trifle. After one bite, I said “So that’s how trifle is supposed to taste!” What we call trifle in the states isn’t even close. The only complaint was from one of the Cathedral staff who said “…could have used more Sherry!”

Tuesday we began our journey to University of Kent at Canterbury. We rode with other bishops and spouses, and one spouse, Lucie, from Brazil, didn’t speak any English. I tried the little Spanish I know, and that didn’t work, neither did my sad bit of French. Then I learned they speak Portuguese in Brazil! But she and I carried on an hour-long conversation in sign language, and we are now friends. They have even invited us to his Consecration service in Rio de Janeiro.

More later – I’m off to do laundry, and I must figure out English coins first – wish me luck!

Jeannie