Sunday, February 7, 2016

BACK HOME FOR DINNER!

I don't usually post on a Sunday, but we have blizzard-like conditions going on outside and I seem to be stuck on the computer, so I thought - why not!

I have a real treat to share with you... but first  - of course I have to tell a tale!

Two years ago almost to the day, I walked into my workplace of over 17 yrs on a cold February Monday morning.  I was met by my manager and a total stranger who were waiting for me.  In less than an hour I was unemployed, standing at the hospital entrance 4 floors below my office, waiting for my husband to pick me up  - while I waited I was saying tearful goodbyes to other hospital staff who were just arriving to work.  The company I had worked for had out-sourced my and my co-workers work, and our office was closed forever.

It was a really difficult day to get through.  In actual fact both my son and my husband showed up to get me, and we didn't go home - we went out for breakfast to Salisbury House and by the time I got home later that morning - I was already feeling so much better.

My neighbour Elaine, had lost her husband to cancer the year before.  She was totally alone with no family living in Winnipeg.  When her husband was sick and then dying, I made them both a priority, giving them my time, my help and my love.  After Gordon was gone - I doubled it, for Elaine.

When we arrived home that morning after I lost my job, my first inclination was to head next door and tell Elaine.  I knew she would see our car parked outside, and wonder if everything was okay.
I arrived at her door unannounced, spilled the beans before I even had my boots off - and instantly, our roles were reversed!

From that moment until early summer when I went back to work in a different position - Elaine made me her priority - sharing her time, help and love.

After we talked a bit that morning, she put the coffee on, and asked if I had a hour to spare.  How funny that struck me - I had just lost my job - I had many many hours to spare... I smiled and answered that yes, I could stay for an hour.

She got up from her chair, turned on her TV, opened a case of Cd's that her son had sent her for Christmas ands popped one into the blue ray player.

That was the first hour of many that spring, that I sat in her living room drinking coffee and eating her awesome cheese scones and watching the most fascinating TV series that I have ever seen.  I was introduced to BBC  television series (the real BBC - not the Canadian version of) or the Brit's take on reality television - which in my opinion we would never be able to duplicate, if we tried for hundreds of years.

These series all have the same small group of historians and archaeologists in them.  They recreate life in whatever time frame they are working in, using actual abandoned buildings or in many cases farms from the correct era.    They live and work as people would have in structures that were used in those specific time frames.  You might think this would be boring and stuffy to watch - but it is anything but.  It is fascinating, funny, entertaining, educational and totally mind-boggling as these very intelligent and professional people take on new lives and recreate periods of time that we can only read about in books.  They live their lives for one full year in the correct period, without any involvement of their real present day lives.


Tudor Monastery Farm Series

Tales from the Green Valley ( my personal favourite) this one is a must-see.

Victorian Farm

Victorian Pharmacy

Edwardian Farm

Wartime Farm

all still available to watch on YouTube as well as a bunch I have yet to see...


Yesterday I got an email from Elaine telling me she has found a new series for us to watch.  Even though we can no longer watch together, I jumped at the chance to share this new series with her anyway.

I have started this one and you have to watch it.  It is a good one too.

This series is called  BACK HOME FOR DINNER.  I am not going to spoil it by telling you about it - just watch it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfPof73YF94&list=PL7fg9NEjNqazfuuads51Y8fpC9WCb4sFh


Happy Watching!

1 comment:

  1. I love to read all your posts, Dale; they are so interesting. That's awful you lost your job so suddenly like that, but wonderful to have family and friends to help you along. I LOVE those series. I haven't seen Victorian Pharmacy, but have watched all the others. They are so neat and informative. I'm a BBC nut. LOL

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HEALTH CRUNCH BREAD!

  A few weeks ago, I made a new bread recipe, I recorded a video on it as well, which I will link below if you are interested in watching it...