A little sleuthing , a little light relief

David Hockney's brother and sister

It can all be done on a mobile these days, the Sleuthing research I mean . Put me in a strange environment and  I need books , maps, libraries, people , and binoculars. I like to know the Topography , History and Transport logistics of wherever I am . It must stem from my teenage Youth Hostelling days, or maybe I have it completely the wrong way round. Did Youth Hostelling emerge from the teenage desire to know the Topography and History of places I found myself in or would like to revisit to sleuth away for myself.

When I was fifteen and on holiday in the North Lakes with best school friend and my family , best friend and I would go every evening to the Moot Hall in Keswick for a  free lecture. We sat through 35mm slides presented by earnest men . I learned about the Ice Age and how it formed the Lakes, another night I learned about Geology of the Lakes, next would be History, then Industry and especially Mining and then the Coming of the Railways, Wainwright and Tourism .
My friend Christine and I would tramp the fells with my father's Bartholomew map , much preferred to the OS ones. We got lost in Grizedale Forest , picked Billberries at Tarn Howes, saw Pencils made at the Cumberland Factory and took endless trips round Derwentwater to Hawse End and the Lodore Hotel. We read Mrs Tiggywinkle and had tea with my aunt, the village school mistress at Newlands Valley , in her huge slate roofed house lit by candles , and heated by coal fires only. It seemed to be one long search for information to enhance the delight of the PLACE.

In the 2000s+ , INFO related to  a stay in a strange environment may be accessed in additional ways. There is nothing for provoking study in me , as  a plaque on a wall. All my VAK learning styles now come into gradual use over a few days.
Here  is what tempted me yesterday .

I wonder if the security tapes of the Leeds Building Society   show hundreds of the curious, walking through their door to view the old stone neatly hidden behind the corner of the entrance. It might have been more sensible to have put the stone in plain view from the outside, but perhaps the establishment gets points for footfall stats like Filey Library might. So I now can get an idea of the extent of  medieval Leeds. I did a wander around Leeds bridge the other day trying to find Lamberts Yard, (where our Photograph was part of a Humans of Leeds exhibition several years ago)now not accessible  and for sale. The nearby Queens Court and Blayds yard gave me the idea however. Here I applaud the pubs and small cafes nestled amongst old domestic buildings in Georgian  LEEDS.  It can't be easy for them to comply with all the regulations both for Buildings and Health and Safety to provide good facilities for daytime and especially evening punters . Look up all you students of Leeds, enjoy the old bricks at the start of your nights out.





Sleuthing provided me with much joy at weekend .

The weather was mostly foul, but when Colin had this view from L19, I was entranced by the light shining on a lone gold dome to the West of the more obvious Parkinson building .  The search for the tower began . I googled gold domes in Leeds, victorian towers in Leeds, and got daughter to bring West Riding  Guide to the buildings of England,Pevsner, my 67 edition to the hospital . No mention there, and book now well out of date. 
Eventually after a huge thread (for me) on Facebook I was told it by husband of dear Leeds friend that the tower was the Clothmakers Centenary Hall. I walked to find it the next day, I walked  for ages in and around the University Campus next to LGI. Eldest Daughter held the fort at bedside of her Father.  Google Maps and Google Earth were no help, but after an hour of service roads , dead ends and wheelie bins I turned a corner , and there it was, like a pearl of great price for me on that Sunday . Its actually just a stones throw from the Tesco Express next to hospital , and now I see that Gold Dome everywhere.

Filey has done Prayer Spaces in Schools

Cant take pics -just feet then!

I used to think that we were well behind the times in Filey. 

I used to think that no one but me did Twitter, that no one had heard of proper coffee, that one couldn't buy Tahini Paste or Preserved lemons here and that only the retired of Selby and Bradford moved  here.

I was wrong of course, except for the Preserved lemons. The retired of all over the known world come here, not just from the West Riding. If that is true for those who are the retired in  the order of Melchizedek , but still priests for ever, it is also true for those retired from the Teaching Profession , for 6 of them were at Filey Junior School for the day on Friday. 

Our Space!

It was a privilege to take a Prayer Spaces in Schools workshop into our local school when the organization and preparation by Sarah Prentice (SU intern) was so good, the material from the Prayer Spaces movement perfectly fit for purpose. Of course I applaud Pam Roberts for her care of the volunteers, with kettle, waste bin, space for us to sit for breaks and her unflappable nature.

In the days when I was BRIDTEACHER, when I started this blog, I knew how to interact with Year 6, how to remember to drink plenty of water, to talk quietly to children and to listen and to be unshockable. Its 7 years since I retired , BUT I was very nervous to go back into school, especially to an unfamiliar school. I hardly slept on Thursday night. 

For the school day the classes came in to the hall for their 25 mins to browse the 'spaces'. Sarah gave a 2min welcoming intro to each group and an explanation including all the PC phrases for the children who did not have any faith.She was not demeaning, and smiled a lot. A 19yr old teaching us a thing or two.

There were 10 Prayer Spaces, each with a different activity. write your Prayer here" space was well used every time. I know as I had to change the paper over so each class got a clean sheet. 

 I was amazed at the Questions the children wrote on the "ask God a Question Space", and surprized that some children had had no teaching on Prayer at all and did not even know what it was. Spouse manned the Light a candle Space, where children were encouraged to pray a prayer in their head just for God to hear. Many of us were humbled by the delight and engagement of the cohorts with  the different activities. Sugar dissolving away in a cup of tea to explain our sins given to God were gone Might not have been scientifically accurate but the point was simply made. 

I thought the exciting one like the Plasma Ball would  have been the most popular, but I was wrong. Children did not look for novelty or the visual. All learning styles came into play. How I remember all the courses on VAK (Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic (VAK learning styles ) that were buzzing around 10 years ago. Nothing new under the sun in my book .

Sarah Prentice and the Assistant Head at Filey Junior School Mr Grice

Thanks Filey School ! You gave me a great day 

ADULTS and CHILDREN !