Travels: All Creatures Great and Small

Herriot Museum in North YorkshireIt was the best of all worlds for an animal lover and writer who is also a decorator!  

 

I was in North Yorkshire in northern England and found myself at Skeldale House, the home of Alfred Wight, known to those of us who loved his books, as James Herriot.  Now the Herriot Museum, it is where he lived for almost half a century and cared for sick animals.  But most important, it was where this veterinary surgeon became world famous for writing "If Only They Could Talk"and a host of other books that spawned the BBC TV series, "All Creatures Great and Small." 

 

The best part, my tour was lead by his son Jim Wight, who took my small group through this wonderful visitor center dedicated to his father's memory.  It is a museum, an attraction and a historic site that gives you an amazing insight to this life of this modest man.  Most important, it was Jim's home and he shared such wonderful stories of growing up in this house.  Of the ups and downs of his father's life as a country vet.

 

With Jim Wight in front of the famous red door.Our visit began at the famous red front door, which is still largely untouched right down to the old white painted box on the wall, where James would leave medicines for farmers to pick up out of surgery hours.  Much of the furniture in the house is original.  The dining room doubled  as the practice office and farmers would wait at the table to pay their bills.  One client was allowed to leave bags of coal as payment to settle his debt.

 

The dispensary is filled with untouched bottles and the old shelves are just as Alf would have left them in the 1940's.  My stroll through this home and its beautiful garden made me feel as though I knew this wonderful man.  And the opportunity to share its stories with his son, I will always treasure.  A priceless afternoon in the beautiful English countryside. 

Travels: If this is Thursday, I must be in Paris!

I am convinced that the best adventures and memories are those that you don't plan.  They just present themselves.

The call came early Monday morning to my London hotel room.  My dear Orlando friend had just landed in Paris.  She was there to visit her son for two weeks.  This was a special invitation that meant a lot to me because he and his brother were in my wedding and he played (beautifully) the piano.  He now has a hugely successful career in Paris, speaks many languages and is quite European. Having been in Paris for many years, he is the perfect guide!

"Get on Eurostar on Thursday and come to see us," she said.  "And spend the night."

Please, twist my arm!

I was to hop on Eurostar, the very cool train that runs under the English Channel and in two and a half hours deposits you in Paris.  How much fun is that?

So I did.  It was a perfect day.  Even if it was only one day in Paris.

They picked me up at the train station in Paris and what else, we went for croissants and coffee.  Had our picture taken in front of the Eiffel Tower (to go with the tons of photos that we have from our long friendship).  Walked down the Champs-Elysees.  Had a leisurely lunch at the fabulous Ladurée (oh, those macaroons!).  Did a run through the Quai Branly Museum.  Headed to the country to her son's beautiful home in a quaint village.  Dinner and a fireplace.  A walk in the woods with their sweet dog.

In the play Billy Elliott, Billy tells us that if "you want to dance, dance."  Don't wait for perfection or for all of the planets to be perfectly aligned.  Just do it. 

That was my day.  I had a chance to go to Paris and I just did it.  Even if it was only for a day.  It was one I will always remember. And those macaroons!  It was perfect.