Well HELLO darling girlfriends. It’s Queen Mary 2 time! Can you believe it? I really do not know where to start!!! Time has been racing and now I’ve been staring at this blank page for about an hour! So many good things to tell you! So I will take the terrifying advice of William Morris
who said, “To begin, begin.” And start in the regular place with MUSICA! Okay, here we go!
I must say, to begin, that every dream and hope I had about this adventure we’ve embarked upon has come true to the nth degree. It’s been amazing, nothing short of a little miracle. We did it! “Doing it” isn’t always as easy as it sounds. I know because it took me years of thinking and wanting, but finding reasons and excuses to stay close to the familiar, before I took the, 
actually kind of scary, leap to DO IT. To GET myself on board that SHIP Joe and I spoke of at our very first meeting… the one we’d been dreaming of, and actually GO out into the unknown! To step forward in time in order to go back in time. Then, what you find out, it that everything over here, is just as calm and quiet as it is at home, but so very different too, and beautiful and educational and historical, and then you just know you will have to do it again. And this time it will be much easier. The first time, and actually each time after, is a door opener. A heart opener. A curiosity maker. A memory maker. A sensory extravaganza. There is earned pride in taking such a leap. The rewards are profound.💖
I know I’m right because I’m writing to you from our rented cottage in the English Countryside, on a small desk inside that downstairs window on the left of the front door, where climbing roses are just about to bloom, from a place we know and love so well called Stourhead, 
in Wiltshire, England🇬🇧. The brilliant blue sky outside that window is filled with huge white cumulus clouds (the same sky you are under right now), and wood pigeons are cooing the British national anthem of birds, “My toe huts bet-tee.” The breeze that blows the curtains is filled with the scent of yellow azaleas because the park beside the lake is filled with them; bells ring the hour at the 12th century church across the green, and I’m drinking my favorite Earl Grey Tea with Lavender “A Fine Romance” Tea because? You’re right, I brought it with me! And two cups too! Our little taste of home. We’re all settled in in a foreign country where nothing is the same as home, it’s all an adventure, in the land of our ancestors. But that’s JUST the beginning.😱
In case you are new to my blog and don’t know what I’m talking about, a year ago I wrote here that “Joe and I would be 
sailing on the Queen Mary 2 to England on May 1st 2022,” and asked, “Would anyone like to come along?” I gave a phone number where people could sign up. You can read more about it in the last 5 or 6 posts … Anyway, we had NO idea if anyone would join us, but we had a year to think about it, wait, save, plot, and plan, get passports (some of us, for the very first time👏), and along the way, anticipation grew, escape from Covid was warily anticipated (have you seen this commercial?🤣), but we forged on in complete determination🔨, we packed, found people to take care of our petty pets, took Covid tests required by Cunard, shivered with happiness when they were negative,
and on the appointed day, we fought New York traffic during a huge bicycle race, and got our 
piles of luggage to the dock! This was our “Can you BELIEVE this” moment! Standing in front of the huge, magnificent Queen Mary 2, unloading the car. (If you look close, you’ll see I’m wearing my “girlfriend” skirt, it’s the second trip for my jacket, and first trip for the Laura Ashley hat!) Many of you who are NOT new to this blog but could not join us, are stuffed inside our suitcases, ready to be smuggled aboard, others are coming along as armchair travelers, but, as promised, you’re all with us now, so here we GO, one and all!!!
Long lines of excited travelers greeted us at check-in . . . everything slowed down because of Covid; masks required in all public places. My darling Joe had all necessary pen-types just in cases. I needed a hat rack so I could run to the bathroom.
By the time we got up the gangplank, into the mirrored elevator, and down the long, long corridor to our stateroom, our bags had already been delivered to the room! We ran out to our deck to see the view, and this was IT!!!! Isn’t that WONDERFUL?? 
We hadn’t run into ANY of our girlfriends yet. Plus, Rachel and Paul, dearest old British friends (I wrote about them in A Fine Romance, and many times on this blog), flew over to join us for the crossing, but were ALSO stuck in the bicycle traffic trying to get to the ship. They even closed freeway exits for those bikes! But we made it anyway!
Outside we went to the back of the ship, where we’d decided to meet for bon voyage, the kick-off for our eastbound crossing on this gorgeous ship, and what did we find? All these happy, brave, adventurous people! We introduced ourselves, putting faces to names, some of whom we’ve known through my blog and other social media for years. It was just the beginning! The ship was still docked and Ray and Paul hadn’t shown up yet, among others! In the end, there were 90 of us kindred spirits on board!!! And don’t think there weren’t guys, because there were, adorable guys who shied away from the first photos, but slowly integrated becoming full-fledged girlfriends by the end! My cup runneth over.♥️
Gifts, cards, notes, letters, were exchanged … I made ship journals for everyone. And see the round pin above? In honor of the Queen’s 70th, I made a Crowned Corgi ID pin. Everyone got one, so we would recognize our fellow travelers when we ran into each other in the elevators! Pin = kindred spirit!💞
I left places inside the diaries so later everyone could add their photos…📸
They went very well with our Platinum Jubilee remembrance bookmarks!👑 Did you get yours? Click HERE, use card stock if you can, regular paper is good too, glue the two sides together, cut around and voila! A little dog to put his nose out over your book!
When Paul and Ray arrived, I saw them coming across the deck … we ran into each other’s arms and hugged for so long and didn’t even THINK about taking pictures… it had been 4 years since we’d been together. NEVER let that happen again! (Being apart that long OR forgetting to take pictures of our wonderful reunion!💖)
It was like that for all of us … been trapped by Covid for a long time. Here we were, freshly tested, outside, ON THE QUEEN MARY, in full hug-mode! It was so freeing!!! Twitter girlfriends were there in force… Adorable Nicole, the connector of the group, Sharon, and darling Belinda, known as Belle.
Nicole made a felted Jack pin for me . . .(I was also wearing my Girl Scout pin along with my Corgi ID)
I took him off his lace backing so you can see all the DETAIL Nicole put into this tiny Jack, complete with whiskers, green eyes, and a mustache! Plus a very soft belly just like the real thing!💋
and Nicole also made a felted Elsie dog for Rachel!!! We LOVED them.👏
Jack was feted in other ways too, this darling bon voyage card came from Nancy. Look at Jack’s hat ala Petey! And excellent job of painting Jack’s face!!!💞
Look what Kim made! Two darling pillow cases she hand-embroidered herself! I mean, really! Here they are on the bed in our new cottage! She even embroidered the date! Very much like the art I did for A Fine Romance! We’ll be using these for a very long time! ❌⭕️
My ship from A Fine Romance!
The gifts flew back and forth . . . This is Cheryl 💖 ~ with the Magner’s “Peah Ci-da” we sent to everyone’s stateroom with a box of heart-shaped candy to welcome them aboard. Look at Cheryl’s camera …isn’t it cute and old-fashioned looking? That is actually just your basic iPhone cover! It’s from Emily in Paris! Isn’t that smart? Here, she told me where you can get one!
I told everyone about where and when we’d be meeting next… This was Sunday, Rachel and I would give a talk on the Magic of a Handwritten Letter on Tuesday in Illuminations Theater ~ Our group had reservations for the Planetarium on Thursday, and a meeting for us was set up in the Atlantic Room on Friday. We stood outside yakking until it started getting chilly, the ship still hadn’t sailed (probably stuck behind the bikes!) . . . and lots of us had dinner reservations at 6pm, so off we went feeling so blessed …
Ray and Paul came to our room for a proper reunion, to get some champagne and stay warm until the ship started to sail! Celebrating our 30th year of friendship that all started with a letter! If you think about EVERYTHING that’s going on here, it’s all completely impossible, although, here we are!
It wasn’t long before the boat whistle (the one from the famous Queen Mary, christened in 1936) roared its low notes over the harbor and echoed a farewell to New York, a most magical sound that makes everyone dream of far away places. Slowly we began to pull away from the dock gliding past this thrilling view of the symbol of America. As touching to our British friends as it is to us. 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇺🇸 And PS, thank you France!
We were ALL cameras the whole way out to sea, taking pics and videos of sailing under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, so close we could see the people in the cars! When they built the QM2 they had to keep her “short” enough to get under that bridge! She’s a mere 23 stories high!
This was Rachel and Paul’s first trip across the pond at sea level! An exchange our two countries have been doing for a very long time! I’m reading the book Ben Franklin in London … He was still an Englishman at the time of his first visit to London, and it took him 7 weeks to get there! We only have 7 days!
Dinner our first night . . .
Flaming desserts did not lick the fire extinguishers in the ceiling the way they did on another trip, almost drowning the people at the table. Sopping wet men with buckets trying to stop it, some laughter, lots of picture taking, and finally, at the end, they stopped it. Very exciting. But that didn’t happen this time! All quiet for our delicious crepe suzettes with ice cream… mmmmmmmm.
We walked the Promenade deck almost everyday to drink in the sea air. Three times around equaled one mile. We knew when we saw them put the cushions on the lounge chairs in the morning that it would be a nice day.
And those cushions were out almost every day. We had amazing weather! The sea was flat, the wind was more like a breeze, I was so proud of the ship for putting her best foot forward for my Girlfriends! Zero seasickness! I’d been nervous, you know when you get 90 friends to join you, you PRAY you will not be making them sick!!!🙏
There were afternoons in the Chart Room listening to lovely violins while drinking our favorite Magner’s Peah Cid-ah. That stuff is SO delicious. May be blasphemous to say, but it’s as bubbly as champagne, maybe more, and it tastes BETTER! I wish we could get it in America. The stuff they sell us isn’t the same. I need to look into this. Call up Ireland and find out what’s up with the Magner’s in America!
We took pictures of ourselves in the elevators… Me and Joe both with our masks under our chins just in case you’re wondering what happened to our necks!
Early mornings, I made tea and wrote in my diary… at 7 am each day, they brought breakfast on a tray… fruit and eggs and oatmeal, anything we asked for, Joe’s Bangers and Beans of course.🤪 Internet connection was squidgy at best. They gave us some Twitter on our phones, but every time I touched my computer it was all over. Nothing. Then I looked outside, and thought, okay. I get it.🌊
We ran into girlfriends everywhere we went ~ this is Luci and Jerry in our dining room. 
Barbara, Cheryl (with the cute camera), and Dianne too, stopped to visit with us most every night ~ Our girlfriends were everywhere, we met them in the hall, in the elevator, in the Commodore Room, out on deck, in the exercise room, once I was outside on the balcony in our stateroom, I heard a familiar voice, it sounded like Nicole. I leaned over the rail, peered between the life boats to the deck below, and sure enough, there she was on a lounge chair. I called out to her, she looked up and waved👋, and when the man she was talking to looked up, it was Paul!!! Extra small world on a ship!
Here we are, planning our trip and catching up. Ray has a “thing” about Petey’s smiling face, thinks *perhaps* he has bad intentions, which he absolutely does NOT, he’s a very good boy … but note how he is appearing in this photo? She says she didn’t do it.🤪 Sure Ray. Look at her face! 🤣 SHE’S the scary one!
Tea on the deck for sunrise was amazing… the weather was so nice, it was the first place I went every morning.
And everyday the TV in our room gave us our bearings … you see that little swerve? The Captain decided to go around some weather!
Stairways between each floor, exercise bikes, the Promenade deck, were like lifelines, we so we could eat. We moved so we could eat.
All dressed up with somewhere to go! Joe behind us taking pictures…
I told Paul he looked like James Bond, so he pulled out his guns!
And this cutie pie, I could not resist.💞
On Tuesday … I brought my computer with a slide show I’d made for our presentation. I combined Rachel’s photos with my own and between us we pretty much touched on the entire 30-year span!
They hooked us into our microphones.
And despite the fact that my computer screensaver with Joe and Jack was projected on the screen . . . something was wrong…
I couldn’t make it go. Nothing was working and we had no idea what to do! Mainly because A. I left the battery charger for my computer at home in America. I know, brilliant. Now we were on an English ship trying to use the foreign charger I had borrowed. Everyone tried to help. Everyone DID help, but finally the person Rachel called “The Young One” (because she was!) ran out of the audience, jumped onto the stage, flipped a switch, and voila! There it was. She got a round of applause, and my undying gratitude because it was, as they say, getting ridiculous.
The whole time we were fiddling with the machines, it was doing this outside, just toddling along with the breeze. Because we kept reminding ourselves, we were on a SHIP, on our way to England!
But finally, we were off and running, telling our story, celebrating our years of friendship, impossible though it was, since we came from different countries, and didn’t meet in person until 6 years after we met through the mail. Our “talk” was much longer than what I’m going to show you … but in a nutshell …
Ray and I were lucky to be born in the last hurrah of “real” 
letter writing (especially her, since she is 20 years younger than me, and missed a lot of it because of that! Poor thing.😂), so we still have some of our old letters to share.💌 But that era was taking its very last gasp when she wrote me the first time to tell me how much she loved my book Vineyard Seasons …. my only book to be published in England, and as fate would have it, she happened upon it, loved it, and wrote me to tell me so! Of course I wrote her back. The rest is herstory.
In our short period of correspondence the communicating world has changed wildly! It’s gone from snail mail, to fax, to email, to text, and now zoom ~ for many years a long distance call 
to another country was financially unthinkable, but that changed and we finally heard each other’s voices for the first time when Princess Diana was killed in Paris and we were both a sobbing mess.💔 That’s when the bond was set indelibly and forever, when Rachel took a peach rose and put it with the sea of flowers for Princess Diana at Kensington Palace in my name, it was so thoughtful of her, our friendship was set in stone.🇺🇸🇬🇧💞
Finally a year later, Rachel came to my house for her first visit… and her first Thanksgiving. We had everything in common, books, movies, cooking, England, America! She knew words to the same songs I did.
Then it was our turn to go to England, take my nieces on the Queen
Elizabeth 2 for a picnic with Rachel’s lovely parents in the 
garden of the house where Rachel grew up. Back and forth we went for each other’s birthdays, getting to know each other’s families. She fell in love with Paul, and we fell in love with him too. And it’s never ended and never will … and for proof if anyone needed it, here we were, ALL aboard the glamorous Queen Mary 2, speaking to friends we’d both made through books, letters, and social media over the last 10 to 30 years or so! What a small SMALL world we have made for ourselves. Everyone is just around the corner!
I love it in here, don’t you? Everyone is so nice! Kind. Giving.💝
At the end of our talk, Paul got up and spoke and made everyone laugh, while Joe ran out the back door for fear he might be called on to speak next! Not really, he heard all the sweet words Paul spoke about their friendship which put the frosting on the cake. What girlfriend doesn’t love it when their husbands like each other! Lucky!💘
YUP, they’re keepers.
Sharon had made a beautiful banner out of my name tags to honor Barbara Urbank, a very special girlfriend many of us knew on Twitter that has recently gone to heaven and is sorely missed. Sharon spoke a few words, telling us about her friendship and why she made the banner, she made us all cry, and I started taking photos from the stage . . .
Then Rachel and I came down, where I kept taking pics . . .
I took a video of the banner … let’s see if it will go up here IMG_9034
Yes! If you click on it, a new page should open, click on the tiny spot in the middle and wait till it loads and I do believe you’ll be able to see it! (Maybe it only works on a computer?)
Finally Joe took over the camera . . . and took about 700,000 of these.
LOOK HOW LONG THIS IS! AND I HAVEN’T EVEN GOTTEN TO THE PICNIC YET!!! But I don’t want to leave anything out … it’s harder to go back! As it always seems to be, I may have to divide this is two parts. Same thing happened with Fairy Tale Girl, and now, Distilled Genius. There’s always too much!!!
Soooooo, After the talk, I signed books, Joe, Rachel and Paul did too! The books were now like yearbooks, everyone was signing! We hung out, visited, had just a lovely time… and then it was time for pear ciders!
On the in-between days, there was more of the above, more walking, sleeping, eating, curled up reading, laughing, exploring the wonderful ship’s library . . . etc. My diary says: “Had breakfast in our room, then Joe and I walked 3 miles around the deck next to the big wide Atlantic. Beautiful day! Met Ray and Paul out there, her just back from massage, him in shorts, fresh from gym. Will meet in Commodore Room before lunch.” So it was like that…
While we were sitting in the Commodore Room, we met these lovely people sitting right next to us and guess where they are from? Yup. Martha’s Vineyard. Practically neighbors. They heard us talking. What are the chances? They must be much better than I think because this keeps happening. Hope to see them when we get back!
On Thursday, it was time to go to the Planetarium, which was actually a little bit of a disappointment, to me anyway, since we had seen a show before and it was SO inspiring, it almost made me cry, but this was a different show, more swirly pink and blue sky stuff about global warming (which almost made me cry too, but for a different reason), not stars and planets zooming in and out of the great black infinity, which is such a good thing for crossing the ocean! Here, you can read what it was supposed to be as I wrote it in A Fine Romance!⬇️ (Read it in your spare time, which now you don’t have any because I already took it all!)
But it was still fun because I got to see everyone again . . . and probably no one knew it wasn’t the right show but me.👍 I hope!
I brought Petey and Peter to the show because I knew Diane was bringing her Hitty Lynn doll … of course they had to meet!
Did I tell you Paul brought Petey a Peter? He did! They bonded immediately. So now I have TWO dolls to haul around England! 🤣
The next day we were off to the Atlantic Room for our last meeting before the ship landed in Southampton and we would all go off on our respective tours, at “the pointy end of the ship” as Paul calls it! (I call it the “front,” Joe says “bow!” (Paul calls Martha’s Vineyard “Martha’s” … he calls Cape Cod, “Cod.” Never listen to him!)
It was a long narrow room, with chairs lined up across from each other, a room usually filled with game tables. Perfect for our meeting. My favorite part is when each person stood up and told their name and where the were from. Exclamations, “Oh! You’re from Minnesota?” Or, “I live in Santa Barbara too!” We had husbands and wives, sisters, best friends, mothers and daughters, and mothers and sons too!
Me and Christie HAPPY!
Jeremy & Lisa, sweetest “sherpa” in the world Richard, & his darling wife Mary, and is that Beth? I have to say, contrary to my Grandmother’s admonition, there was NOT a single creep in the crowd! You’ll be glad to know!💞💞💞
They were all adorable! Paul was in the center, and loving it! As suggested by the very creative Kim, I cut up tiny bits of paper and put them in my hat, and if someone wanted a pen pal, they wrote their name on the paper and dropped it back into the hat, and then drew another one out. Till everyone who wanted a pen pal, had one! A penpal with an automatic something in common!💞
Hugs with Nellie and Rachel!
And Joe, being his crazy sweet self, finding it unbearable to throw away our Country Life Magazines, brought these from HOME for a giveaway, and it worked, they were all taken!
Our last evening was just as wonderful as every moment before it… smooth sailing, clear skies, warm winds, gentle rocking to sleep (which is saying something when you’re coming into the English channel!).
Moon looks full, but half of it is actually moon glow, it was just a half-moon that night!
To try to tell the true beginning of this amazing trip would be almost impossible because it’s been one thing leading to another for a very long time. Just before we left for the ship I found a note Joe sent me after our very first meeting in 1986 where we discovered we had a mutual dream of sailing to England like they did in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. He ended his note with “Let’s meet soon and discuss our travel plans…” We didn’t HAVE any travel plans! But something in him seemed to know we would. He was right, that’s what we’ve been doing ever since. My other dream is that someday my girlfriends could meet. I knew the world would be better if they could. And now. OMG. Look at that. Another one come true. I can’t thank you all enough for coming. I loved every second of it!
And suddenly the hands on the clock clicked forward and our dream had become a memory … it was time to go! The English Countryside was waiting! My heart was beating like a drum.
After lots of waiting and jostling with our luggage, we were off … Destination: Stourhead. In 8 days we would celebrate our coming back together with a picnic in the park. That was the plan…
Off we went, like living in a dream, the blue skies, the wide fields of yellow rapeseed, the hedgerows, the charming stone houses … it was all still here. In the meantime our girlfriends went off to the four corners … to the Lake District and Hill Top for some, to Jane Austen’s House for others, to Hidcote Garden, or Stonehenge for others. History in the making. I wanted to be alongside every one of them to hear the oohing and ahhing that HAD to be coming from them around every bend in the road.💖
I am going to wait until next time to show you around Stourhead and do the picnic … I think you can see why! Don’t worry, it won’t be too long! You’ll need to rest up anyway, after this post!
In the meantime, Rachel, Siobhan, me, and Carrie all say Hello, SEE YOU AT THE PICNIC!💖 (We look like we just jumped off the roof like in the movie Practical Magic!😂)
P.S. Many of you know the webstore was down all last week. Broken again! But it’s back up now.👏 Also, just before we left, the color proofs for the cover of Distilled Genius arrived for approval! I wanted to show you!
They did a great job on the color, don’t you think? I can’t wait for this book!! Everything is right on schedule… Also, taking a little poll, if we were to do another printing of one of the old cups, which one would it be? Might be able to get it in time for Christmas… but it doesn’t have to be a Christmas cup, it could be anything. I could re-do the Queen Elizabeth cup! If you wanted . . . After all, this is her year in history, no one has ever been on the throne for 70 years before. This is a first! Let me know! Love you! ❌⭕️❌⭕️
I vote for the Queen Elizabeth cup.
K. Me too!💝
Me three (or 3, 274, whichever is closer!) 😁 Does my heart good to read about the adventures of you, Joe, Ray, Paul and ALL the Girlfriends! Thank you so much for taking us along 💕
My pleasure, thank you for coming! xoxoxo
Yes!!
Yes, Queen L’Beth cup please! Oh so much!
Is that the one with the Corgi on it?
Me, too!
Me too! I’d also love to be able to get the “It’s the Little Things” mug. ❤️
Big sigh of contentment here. Such a lovely long post to enjoy while eating my lunch before heading back out to the garden. It’s finally warm enough to work out there.
What a delightful trip on the Queen Mary 2. I loved every word and every photo. Wishing you more enchanted days in England!
Thank you Lorrie!💝
Ahhh….the happy wanderers! Thank you for taking us vicariously along on this wonderful journey….glorious!
💖💖💖
We live in such troubled times so I thank you very much for sharing your wonderful holiday
with us. It’s a cold day in Auckland today so I will light the fire and enjoy re-reading the blog. And will re-read A Fine Romance.
Blessings
Brenda Wilkinson
We need a break from our times. Stay warm down there, we love you!❌⭕️
I’m going to reread mine too
The bluebird cup! Oh pretty please!!!!
So far this is the winning request. I think it might be my very favorite too! xoxoxo
I am seconding this! I love the bluebird cup! (I also love the Home Sweet Home cup)
Yes, YES! Bluebird please, pretty please?
How fun to read this first post! You really captured the moments, as always…. And that’s what we remember, isn’t it, the moments? Very sweet to be “ with you” albeit virtually. Thanks so very much, Susan!
Nice to hear from you Marsha, thank you!
I AGREE! I just enjoyed my lunch hour reading this and listening to the music in my garden. I worked, pruned, watered and then back to reading. It was all so delightful. Yes it was great to get away from the craziness of our times. Thank you Susan!
Most fondly,
Roseann Copeland from Overland Park, Kansas
Roseanne I’m up in Liberty MO!
This is a wonderful post that shows us dreams can come true. I look forward to reading about the picnic at Stourhead and your other adventures!
Smiles,
Karen Holly
They definitely can! xoxo
Bravo Susan. This post is brilliant! I plan to read it again tomorrow because I know there is something I missed here. Continue to enjoy your trip and stay healthy.
Thank you Charlotte! xoxo
I loved reading about your ship adventures and would have loved to be there but…maybe another time. Letters, lovely letters! I was happy to find four in mailbox today! I have several very dear friends that I have been writing to for over 50 years – yes, 50 years!!! If you do decide to bring back a cup, how about the Jack and Books cup? I’m still kicking myself for not getting that one! I’m looking forward to part two, as this is probably the only way I will ever see England.
You continue the tradition, and leave something very important behind for the word to see, should they get curious, we can only hope they will!❌⭕️
Please please do the Queen mug again and please please can us brits but it in England. So glad your over here with us for our special year xx
The company that makes the cups is English, but since I’m American and I buy them from them, they can’t sell to England because there are all sorts of rules about VAT (that I don’t understand) … believe me, I have tried. We CAN send them to you, but the shipping costs are a nightmare… that’s true in America too, just not quite as bad. But still terrible. I wish there was a way around it! But yes on the Queen cup. I love that it celebrates this amazing event for a woman I have great respect for.🇬🇧
Amazing blog post! Best wishes to you and Joe as you continue to live your joy! And, regarding your beautiful cups – I would love the chance to purchase a bluebird one (or two) – fingers crossed! Blessings to all!
I think I have to do the Bluebird. It’s one I reach for so often… that choice in the morning is my hardest! 💝
Yay! I think I bought your very last one, and I love it so much. The bluebird makes me SO HAPPY in the morning!
Yes, Susan… want one!
I would LOVE if you made more of the Jack In The Books mug!!! ❤️🐈⬛❤️
I love that cup too!!! Oh My, what shall I do!!!?❌⭕️
I would really like the Fourth of July cup made again. Somehow I missed getting that one. I saw it later in a shop in McKinney but didn’t get it. Should have! That shop is no longer! I have 11 of your cups, not sure how many you actually made that were different. Love them all. Think my favorite is the Spring cup and the pink Rabbit Rabbit cup!
Sigh, this ended too soon. I have been waiting to hear all about everything. All sounds wonderful!
Well, more to come, soon…. thank you Beth!
Oh Susan!! Thank you for this most wonderful post. I absolutely loved it and I loved that it was long. The range of emotions from smiling, laughing, crying and heart swelling, you made me feel like I was right there with everyone! ❤
I would like to cast my vote for the England 🇬🇧 teacup in honor of the Queen!
In deep anticipation for the continuation in your next post.
Coming soon. Thank you for the kind words Debra!👏
I am so sad I had to cancel my trip with all of you due to illness (not COVID!) but this was the next best thing. I know you haven’t even gotten to the middle of your trip but I hope you do another one. 🙂 Enjoy merry old England and I hope you post a zillion posts.
I will do my best. Moving house and resettling is time consuming, but I will try hard … thank you Kathy!!!❌⭕️
Moving House? Did I miss something? Are you leaving your big house or going to California for a spree?
Ha ha, nothing quite that horrifying. Here in England, moving from one rental to the next!!!🤣
Moving house.! That gave me a fright as well. So glad you were referring to moving about England. I am still in the UK, moving from place yo place ,, although not house to house. I’ve been traveling by train (and by foot or bus locally) without any difficulties so far. The countryside is so beautiful_ and the flowers!.They are in bloom everywhere. So nice to meet so many girlfriends on the boat and at the picnic
Great Dianne. What adventures you must be having. Are you keeping a journal? ❌⭕️❌⭕️
Oh, what a lovely time you all had on the Queen Mary 2 !! How I wish I could have been there, and I am enjoying reading about it and seeing the photos. I’m looking forward to Susan’s posts on the rest of her and Joe’s visit to England. I bought several of Susan’s cups, but did not buy the Queen Elizabeth cup. I would love it if you could make that one available again. I’m watching the Jubilee celebrations, and I’m so thrilled for Queen Elizabeth on this wonderful occasion. Wishing you and Joe fair weather and wonderful travels, Sue.
👏👏👏👏👏
Oh Susan, this trip was like living in the best movie I’ve ever seen only it was real! We’ve personally connected with several of the wonderful Girlfriends and continued our travels to the Cotswolds and to London with them as well. One of the most wonderful Girlfriends even taught me how to play Mahjong. I know we each got one pen pal but I hit the lackpot and got six. As Jack Benny always said, “Thanks for the memories!” Life doesn’t get much better than this❣️Thank you sooooo much! We are enjoying our last bottle of Juicy Pear Irish Cider as we prepare to head back to San Lius Obispo tomorrow. You are a peach! 🍑
Oh Mary, I’m so happy you’re so happy! Making my day. Just what I hoped it would be. Put a bottle of Magner’s in your luggage, it’s not the same in the USA! All my best and special hugs for your Sherpa. He’s a keeper! XOXOXO Thanks for being there! Say hi to SLO!
Mary,I just wanted to thank you for ur Facebook posts( the only ones that came through) along the way…I loved seeing pics and reading ur posts. We had to cancel so being there in spirit w/ur posts was wonderful. Safe travels.Kyle Segars😊❤⛴️⛴️⛴️🚢🚢🚢
I VOTE for the cup in this post…with the T.S. Elliot saying on the side.
(2 please) Is that the Queen Elizabeth one? It would round out the fact that my daughter and I got to make the “Crossing” on the Queen Mary 2. It’s hard to describe how wonderful it was. Susan did that above for sure so “ditto”. We then joined our small group of 12 to have a wonderful time seeing the sights in and around Salisbury with the “Artistry in the English Countryside” group. We had a wonderful time with our wonderful English guide Chrissy. She was not only a seasoned guide, but so knowledgeable about the history of each site we visited. And her accent and humor was priceless. Our small group was so delightful and we became fast friends. So many memories! I’m home now, just had a cup of Tea (my favorite Cinnamon Apple Crisp from Susan’s store) in my Red Hearts Emma Bridgewater tea cup that I found by chance on our last day in Salisbury…5 minutes before the shop closed. There it sat in the window…and I exclaimed, “Hey, that’s the cup that matches the Tea Pot I bought myself for my birthday several years ago from Susan’s web site. It rounded off the trip on a high for sure. The other purchase was the “Queens Jubilee banner” I purchased in a “tourist” shop in Bath that I took to the picnic and provided great color and fun to our “indoors picnic” due to rain. It was easier sitting at a table than on the ground…..just saying. (lol) Our trip ended with my daughter and I flying home Monday morning…and getting UPGRADED to business class. Wow! Now that’s spoiled us for any further flying for sure. Not sure if my surname was a factor…Bond, Jan Bond…twin sister of James Bond. Yep, that a fact…lol… but we are older than the book and the movies… and James was our Great Grandfather’s and also a Great Uncle’s name. But it makes for some fun times.
Thank you Susan and FOSB for all the memories. It was a trip to remember and cherish for ever.
Cheers
Jan from Northern CA
Jan! You were such a breath of fresh air, always with your great smile and enthusiasm, not to mention smart ideas like the name of the tour company that turned out to be WONDERFUL!!! Thank you so much for being there! Loved reading about your travels and treasures. I loved Chrissy too, because she emailed me with questions, and I felt so much better being in touch with SOMEONE who had my Girlfriends!!! I could see you were in great hands! Take good care, see you again I’m sure!❌⭕️❌⭕️
Hey Jan, where are you in Northern Cali? Lucky you to be on the Girlfriend ship!
What joy I have now after reading and seeing your post and you dear ones…Pray you all have the best time and stay safe… love the Garden cup, all of the seasons, 4th of July …who am I kidding, any would be a treasure!!!
I wish I could do them all! Every time someone names one, I think, oh yes, that’s my favorite!!! But they require a large minimum to do a printing, and we are too little to afford to keep them in stock! I’m just glad we get to do what we do… I adore that big thin china cup!💞
Hi Susan, this is Cheryl (aka Emily in Paris camera case girl) lol. Barbara is my friend and roomie on this fabulous trip! We saw you every night at dinner and had the best time chatting with you and Joe and darling Paul and Rachel. We were lucky enough to dine with the adorable Lucy and Jerry and Diane Metzger at our table. What a fun time we all had. We ran into Lucy and Jerry a few times in London and had dinner with Diane one night. Look what you’ve achieved with this trip! Friends, friends and more friends were made. We also ran into girlfriends at The V&A in London and at the train station in The Lake District! Many thanks to you and Joe for this brilliant idea 🚢🇬🇧💕
Hmm, I replied to this this morning, but here it is … so did my reply go through? I don’t know. But THANK YOU Cheryl!!! I immediatly went to make the correction. I knew in my bones I was making a mistake, but the confusion had set in and I’m just so glad you read it and I fixed it before it was up too long. I loved talking to you every night … look at all the connections we made. I love that!!! Thank you so much for bringing your sweet self to contribute to the brilliance!👏👏👏♥️
Yes, your reply came through 😊. You had a plethora of girlfriends to remember. At least you were in the right vicinity lol. Not sure why I look like s chipmunk with stuffed cheeks 🐿 in the photo. I must have been overcome with the deliciousness of the Peah Cida 😂. Boy was that stuff amazing 🍾🍾🍾 😋. We must get it to the US!
Enjoy the rest of your trip and have a Cida (or 2, or 3) for me.
I will be happy to do that Cheryl. My cheeks get like that too when I drink it! xoxoxo
Beautiful trip! Lovely to see all of the photos and to hear about how wonderful it was.
As for the mugs, I’d really love a reissue of the falling in love with the English countryside mug. I cried real tears when mine got chipped and a large crack appeared. It now holds bookmarks on my desk, but I would love to reorder one for my tea!
I never get rid of favorite cups that chip either! There is always something you can do with them!💞
As to the cup, I would love Jack! 🐈⬛💕😻
Can’t get enough of that boy!!!❌⭕️😻
Eeekkk! You did it! Finally did that fairytale of a trip. It looked so wonderful and filled with so much friendship! Love this post so much.
👏👏👏♥️
I so enjoyed reading this,Susan. It brought back many memories of our trip to England in 1988. Nice to see Nova Scotia in your blog. I live in Rothesay, NB on top of the D in the name Jordon, in New Brunswick. 😊 Originally from Nova Scotia. ❤️ Never heard of Jordon Basin , must be part of the Bay of Fundy.
I love to pinpoint us on the map too!🤣
Oh, Marion!!! The Lovely Tom and I will be sailing back to Nova Scotia on June 11. Going from Bah Hahbah (Bar Harbor) near our home in Maine, to Yarmouth. We have missed going to New Brunswick so Very Much. We usually do a road trip to St. John every year. Last time we had that awful hurricane, and stayed up all night watching the cruise ships bobbing in the harbor having had to duck inside for shelter. Met some very nice folks who were in the same Hilton, awaiting safety. We continued on out to Louisburg, Nova Scotia, where we had reservations for 4 nights in a fab BnB. No electricity, No problem!! It was an adventure by lantern light. They even kept all the things at the Fort open, and using candles and lanterns made it even more authentic. If you have not been in a few years, they have made So much progress restoring this amazing place in French Canadian History.
Then came Covid, so no travel. We’re so looking forward to getting back to Canada. We’ll probably drive home to Maine by way of New Brunswick. We love the rolling country side. Maybe a night in St. Andrews, one of our favorite places.
Be safe,
Debbie in Maine
I love the British corgi cup! I was born on Queen Victoria’s birthday (May 24), my ancestors came to Canada from Devon and I lived in Hertfordshire in 1992-93 so England is very special to me!
History!💖
The Girlfriends Tea please.
I so love reading about your trip! I get to live my dream vacation through you and Joe. I think think we could be great friends, too. We share many of the same loves.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us all❤️
One of my favorites too! I wish I could do them all! You are so welcome, thank you for being here Sally!💞
Oh this was so much fun to read!! What an incredible trip so far. I can’t wait to read more of your adventure! Have a lovely time and stay safe. 💕
I love the Bluebird cup! And the Home Sweet Home cup secondly.
Christmas Holly cup – 14 oz. I think it’s the only 14oz mug you created and has a unique shape. My darling husband was emptying the dishwasher and putting away everything. The Christmas Holly up fell out of his hand onto the granite counter and shattered.
I’m so enjoying all the pictures you’re posting from your wonderful trip. Sailing to England is on my bucket list! Someday hopefully.
Hate it when that happens!!! 😲 I will keep that in mind!
Susan,
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting us experience the trip with you through twitter and this blog. I was not able to travel physically with all of you but you brought us all along. When I looked at the group picture, I see so many kind faces. All is right with the world…..
My vote is ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE Cup.
Blessings,
Mary Cummings Peterson
I agree Mary, it’s how I felt too. ❌⭕️❌⭕️
Thank you so much, Susan! I so enjoyed “coming along for the ride” by reading this! Hope desperately to make it to England one day ❤️
You might have to fight for it … those first steps are hard to take, determination is the key! I hope you do, it’s magical! Pure inspiration for the heart and soul!💖
I say the bluebird cup, too, or the Queen’s cup- I can’t make up my mind!
What a beautiful trip- I somehow feel like I went along, and you’re right, the world is a better place for your trip and the sharing of it!
I think both!💝
Thank YOU Susan for your beautiful voyage post!!
I feel right there on your sailing in your pocket …
continue your journey through the marvelous English
Countryside … time for me to reread your book💕
A-Lo-Ha-Ha, Evie in San Diego🌷😎💗🌷💕💐
A-Lo-Ha-Ha Evie dear!😘
Not to be a comment hop, but I forgot to write this in my first comment, Susan, your dress with the transparent bands around the skirt that you wore in Theo I tire on the stairway was absolutely beautiful! I love all of your clothes!
Oh thank you! That’s a perennial for ship travel, so easy, throw it on, voila, dressed!😂
Here here!!!
Beautiful Trip! Thank you for the amazing post.
If you were to bring back a cup, I would buy the bluebird cup 🙂
👏👏
What a lovely trip!
I loved every word.
Thank you for this lovely post.
And the cups….ANYTHING Queen Elizabeth II is just lovely.
I cannot wait for your book.
Have a lovely time.
👏👏👏💖
My girlfriend would love “The Little Things Cup”. She wanted one after she saw mine! I’m really enjoying my cup with tea.
One of the first ones I reach for in the morning!
How special to be a virtual traveler on this wonderful ocean voyage. Thank you for sharing these great photos and memories. A great time was had by all!
It definitely was!💘
Hi Susan ~ Thank you so much for taking the time on your trip to do this. Those of us who couldn’t be there look so forward to your words, with your perfect descriptions of everything & your photographs, showing us the beauty of the glorious English countryside. Enjoy the rest of your stay! xo
I think there are NOT enough travel shows on TV! There should be more, more like reality TV, only with a purpose!
I think you and Joe should do a documentary trip around England seeing it from your perspective, that would be fabulous!
Susan, Have you ever watched “Escape to the Country” on Britbox?
It’s like House Hunters only in UK. It’s how I get my British travel fix .
Thanks for everything you do. You are such a sanctuary in these troubled times,
Linda in Pasadena
Yes, we’ve watched them all and want more!!😅
Agreed! I love them!!
Jack in the Books or The Little Things cups would be great to have back in stock.
I have loved living vicariously through you on this wonderful adventure. Thank you for including me and the rest of us who couldn’t be there in person.
I’m glad you are feeling included, that was my plan!💖
I have loved every word of this post!! Thank you for sharing your adventures with those of us who were not fortunate enough to travel with you. I look forward to more adventures as you travel in England.
Hugs from me, here in Washington State
Hugs back to you Linda!
Dear Susan,
Oh, what fun you all are having!!! And you and Joe just look so happy…I love the picture of the 2 of you on the dock, in front of the Queen Mary, before you sailed.🚢 I can just see the excitement & the anticipation sparkling in your eyes & smiles!!! 🤩One of the BEST moments in life is right before you’re setting off for a new travel adventure…it’s all ahead of you!!!
With all of your wonderful pictures and detailed descriptions of everything, I felt like I was right there with you, Joe, Ray & Paul, and all the Beautiful Girlfriends & their travel partners!!! Thank you, so much for sharing this experience with all of us at home. I hope that there will be a “next time” and that I/we will be able to join you. I’m very much looking forward to your next chapter/blog.
I hope you both continue to enjoy your travel adventures in England. I’m just curious if you’ve ever taken a Long Boat tour of the canals? I read about Long Boats in a fun, contemporary novel a few years ago, and have been intrigued by the idea ever since!
Sending lots of love💕 & happy wishes!😊
Barbara VV
P.S. I’d like to add my vote for the Bluebird Cup, too!!! 🐦My 2nd choice would be the English Countryside Cup. 🌱🌿🌱
Mee too, totally intrigued with those boats. Have walked along canals and spoken to every owner that dares to come out as we stroll by, I’m full of questions! 🐳 They don’t have a bluebird emoji!!!💙
So. wonderful of you to share this bonding trip with we landlubbers. Were beeping bonded too.
💝💝💝
Oh Susan,
I feel like I was packed on your suitcase enjoying it all with you all. Thank you for the vacation with my eyes, which touched my heart. So happy for you all.
I would love to see the Bluebird cup and/or Red Letter Day cup come back.
Looking forward to more News and pictures from the trip
Love,
Joy
Hi Joy! So glad you could come along with us!!!👏💖
Hi Susan, this is Cheryl (aka Emily in Paris camera case girl) lol. Barbara is my friend and roomie on this fabulous trip! We saw you every night at dinner and had the best time chatting with you and Joe and darling Paul and Rachel. We were lucky enough to dine with the adorable Lucy and Jerry and Diane Metzger at our table. What a fun time we all had. We ran into Lucy and Jerry a few times in London and had dinner with Diane one night. Look what you’ve achieved with this trip! Friends, friends and more friends were made. We also ran into girlfriends at The V&A in London and at the train station in The Lake District! Many thanks to you and Joe for this brilliant idea 🚢 💕
OH THANK YOU (and I’m sure Barbara thanks you too!)… before I even finished reading I raced to the site and changed it! I felt I was making a mistake, you can tell by the disclaimer! I’m so glad you wrote and I could fix it before it went any further!!! Yes, I know exactly who you girls were, except for my nemesis in life, name confusion! You do get to know people rather well spending a little bit of time together. I’m THRILLED you enjoyed the serendipity on this trip, there has been so much of it!💖 Thank YOU for coming and making the idea so brilliant! ❌⭕️❌⭕️
Oops, no wonder you thought you already replied – you did! Somehow I posted twice 😬. Hopefully, you’ll see one of my responses. And, yes Barbara will be thrilled that the crazy chipmunk looking high on Peah Cida face isn’t mistaken for her 😂.
I put another one up of BOTH of you, so there will be no mistake! You look adorable and happy and in your element!
Oh Susan, you’re so darn sweet. I was in my element – I think we all were due to your kindness and making every one of the girlfriends feel comfortable and so familiar 🥰
It was like Buttah. We already “knew” each other!!!
Thank you for the great post, I feel like I am there with you! I’m sorry but I have to agree with Rachel about Petey, he definitely looks like he’s up to no good! Looking forward for to your next post!
Cindy J
There’s a certain lunatic mindset … you share with Rachel, that draws me to you both!🤣
You’re so right Cindy…he has something bad up his sleeve (or under that sailor hat)!! Thanks for endorsing my view…😘😳 xx
🤪
Wow, dreams do come true. This is such a wonderful trip and I so wish I could have joined you. I look forward to reading about all of your adventures in Merry England. As far as cups go, I love the bluebird and the Christmas holly. Enjoy your very special time with friends.
💖💖💖
Oh Susan after 30 years you are getting new girlfriends…me for one! I just recently found you and purchased 5 of your books…gave one away as a birthday gift, read 3 in one week. I’ve been reading from the beginning of your blog and have pre ordered your new book. Looking for more…visiting Bryson City NC today (weekend trip); found a used book store and began looking for your books…I didn’t score, but that won’t stop me to continue looking or ordering on line…lol. Well I guess you can tell how much I love your books…the pages are so inspiring and beautiful…the writing, watercolors, quotes, etc. just want to say thank you and wish I had found you sooner. Enjoyed reading this blog. Blessings to you, Joe, & Jack and keep on inspiring.
I’m just glad to see you now Donna! Welcome to the neighborhood! It’s really a good one and I can tell you fit right in! Thank you for your sweet words … 💞
I’ve been sending you vibes for a comeback cup! Oh please bring back the beautiful Bella Luna! I sadly broke mine this winter, my favorite cup of all! I even emailed your blog about my loss and they kindly replied but explained that Bella Luna is discontinued but that maybe someday it will come back. Maybe this is kismet!
I love that cup too… would be heartsick if it broke! 🌷
Hi Susan. Of course it is so hard to choose a mug for the vote…I would say either the Girlfriend’s Tea or the Garden mug. I have the Little Things mug and love it. My vote for the new one would be for it to be in the 11 oz. size. The big one is great, but I’d like to have a smaller one, too. Good luck choosing…
It’s not easy!😂💘
Queen Elizabeth cup for the win!
👏👏👏
What is the name and info of the cottage you rented? Pretty please?
The one in Stourhead?
I’d love to have you reprint the English Countryside mug! I had one, and it broke. (I can’t bring myself to say, “I broke it.”)
This was a wonderful post – I loved hearing so much about the trip, and I know it was just a tasting!
Ha ha, I can relate, breaking my beloveds MYSELF is difficult to come to grips with. Yes, more to come!♥️
Dear Susan,
We just got back home late last night or early this morning and what a wonderful surprise to find your blog post as I am catching up on emails and re-entering work life, thank you! It truly was a wonderful amazing journey to be with you and Joe, Rachel and Paul and all the girlfriends. What a special group! Thank you, thank you!!!
Thank you right back Patty, I feel the same way about you!!! Welcome home, now to relish the memories!❌⭕️
Thank you,I felt like I was there.The queens mug please.
For you, anything! ❌⭕️
Hello, Susan,
So sorry to not been able to go with you on the QE2. I was at the Hill Top picnic in 2018 and tried so hard to get back this year….so I am an arm chair girlfriend. Love reading about you time on the ship. Can’t wait to hear about the picnic.
In July, I’m all booked on the British Isle cruise. Fingers crossed that it’s all a go!! Your blog makes me all excited about my upcoming journey…
Please bring back the Queen’s corgi mug… Thank you.
Okay Alison! What a wonderful trip you have planned! On a ship in July, how could that be anything but heaven! Enjoy!🇬🇧
I love The English Countryside mug. The little, thatched roof house is one of my favorite things. Well, maybe right after a castle. I do love castles. Can anyone see too, many castles; I think not. My favorite photo from your post is you and your friends doing your best curtsy. I love the eyelet skirt or is it, to use an old fashioned word, a petticoat under a dress that your Siobhan is wearing. I think there should be more Queen Elizabeth items to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, so the Queen’s cup would be my second choice. Happy holidays.
Yes, it’s a Petticoat I think that Siobhan is wearing! Too cute!
That was fun! Can’t wait for your next installment. Will we get to see the talk you gave on YouTube? Okay, just started a new book call The Perfect Golden Circle. It’s about two guys in England who make crop circles. And it takes place right where you are staying. Wiltshire, That area is supposed to have the most crop circles anywhere. So have you heard about them, or seen them? I thought maybe Joe would know. It’s 8:30 here so you will be up in a few hours. Can’t wait to see your next blog…it’s been fun watching from home.❤️Debby
I’ve seen the crop circles, aren’t they gorgeous! But I haven’t read that book. Wiltshire is perhaps my favorite place, but perhaps not, because I really can’t count the number of my favorite places!!! 💖
How do you see them, don’t you have to have an ariel view?
Yes, LOL, sorry, I’ve seen PICTURES of them!
❤️❤️❤️ thank you for taking me on the crossing with you! I so wanted to be there in person but my son is still in high school so it just wasn’t the right time. Maybe the next crossing! I would love for you to do the British Corgi cup again or the English countryside cup. I keep looking for them on eBay but none of the girlfriends are selling. Can’t wait for the new book to be delivered! Have a wonderful rest of your trip!
PS I did find a Petey on eBay! He’s arriving in Houston next week. 🛳❤️
👏👏👏👏 He’s a good boy, brought us luck and safety of these narrow roads, or something, we think! Pay no attention to Rachel!!
I’m pretty much going with the Queen/Corgi cup for sure, and it looks like, so far, the Bluebird cup is next! Thank you Julie!💝
🇬🇧💂♀️🎉 Can’t wait to order it!
Susan, what a wonderful post and a lovely trip for the girlfriends(and boyfriends), those on the ship and those who are armchair traveling with you.
Can’t wait to hear about the picnic, even tho I have had a preview via Nicoline!
Thank you,
Rachel
Your ears must have been burning, Rachel, because part of your fan club, that’s me and Nicoline, were together and you were the admired topic!!! Picnic coming up next! 💝
P.S. I have a photo of that sweet hug with Rachel. How can I share it?
Patty! How wonderful… please send it to me at feedback@susanbranch.com!!! 💖
Thank you for a wonderful post. I would have loved to hear your talk with Rachel about your friendship. I look forward to hearing more about your trip. Enjoy.
We asked and asked, at one point they said they would record it for us… but so far we can’t seem to get them to reply as to if they really DID!!! 💞
Becky where in Kansas? We loved in Topeka but just moved back to KC area! Nice to know you are there!!!
Good Morning Susan,
Hi, and it was WONDERFUL to see you at the picnic, and see/meet the other girlfriends!
It was a lovely afternoon, met some wonderful girlfriends, Hi Diane, Hi Belina-Belle, lovely to meet you! (hope they’re reading this, haha)
Sorry we didn’t get to say bye properly to you and Joe, and hope you’ll have a lovely tour/trip around the UK.
Lots of love from Nicoline & Gabri
Hi Nicoline!! It was wonderful seeing you… as it always is, I heard from Rachel Scott last night, so I know you guys have been in touch. Every night before sleep I bury my nose in my lavender sachet, I hope you don’t mind if I show it in the next post, along with your gorgeous John Wesley quote? The picnic that wasn’t, but was ~ was amazing.💖 I don’t know what it is about you two, but even the first time I felt like I’d known you forever! Shared loves for so many things does it! I know you’ll be back soon for Cornwall… Enjoy! And big hugs to that dear husband of yours!❌⭕️
Susan, Hi!
Oh no, I don’t mind you sharing a picture, I’m honored you want to share it! So glad you like them!
I felt a bit tongue tied when you were signing my books, and forgot to ask you if you’d seen the new Downton film….??
Have you visited Wells? Gorgeous small city, not too far from Stourhead…..with (one of) oldest residential streets in Europe, it’s called Vicars Close. Cambridge? Also, Gorgeous!
Anyway, I’m looking forward to seeing where you’re headed this time on your tour around the UK!
Lots of hugs and kisses from sunny Holland
Nicoline
xoxo
Goodie! they are so beautiful. I already sent a picture of the John Wesley embroidery to Nellie on Twitter because she loves him so much! 💝 I haven’t seen the Downton film, but Rachel has and she says it’s wonderful and she wants to see it again with me, so I hope that happens while we’re here. Nope, not been to Wells yet! Maybe we can go today. We leave here tomorrow and go stay with Siobhan for a bit. Time is going waaaaay too fast already! Right back to you dear one!❌⭕️
Oh please say HI to Siobhan for us!? We had a lovely chat with her ( again!) and didn’t say bye properly….or we should really say “see you at the next picnic”!!
Hope you get to see Wells, you’ll love it!
Can’t wait to get back to Cornwall, it’s been too long….hoping for bunting, flags, street parties, cream teas, and coastal walks!
Nicoline
xoxo
I will. I know, felt too abrupt at the end, but everyone needed to go places! I was hollering good bye good bye! Ray is going to take us to a street party somewhere. I’ve never been to one!!!
Nicoline, Wells is my absolute favorite of all the cathedrals in the UK. That “figure 8 in stone underthe central tower!!! I’ve been to Wells several times, and love all of it. The Lovely Tom did as well.
Debbie in Maine
Dear Sue, Nicoline, and Debbie ~
(and everyone else💕)
Just adding enthusiastic endorsement of Wells, and Wells Cathedral ! 💯❤️
I lived down the road from there, in Glastonbury, for several years (at the foot of the Tor, across from the Chalice Well Gardens)—
and we would wander over to Wells and spend the day, often. If you missed it this trip, I’m adding encouragement to add it to your list for the future! And yes, what Debbie says above of Wells Cathedral (an Extraordinary artwork in stone), the stunning scissor arches, the Chapter House steps (those worn, ancient steps, have stories to tell), the Chapter House itself—make sure you see all of these elements.✨❤️✨
Nicoline! What a gorgeous quilt with John Wesley’s quote on it! It was important to me to make a trip to Bristol and visit John Wesley’s New Room, and my daughter and I made that trip! He is the founder of my church, and I’ve heard this quote from him frequently through the years.
Hello Nicoline and Gabri!! Of course I am reading this!! It was so sweet to finally meet you two in person. So loved seeing your beautiful photo pictures from the other trips to England. Great photography!! I was so well presented and BEAUTIFUL photography!! You are such a talented seamstress too! Thank you for my bookmark and your quilt is GORGEOUS!! I wish all could have seen it in person!! Looking forward to seeing your next album from this trip! I know it will be FABULOUS! Hope you had a wonderful trip and safe travels home!💕😘🇬🇧🎉
Hello Nicoline!!
It is so nice to see you on here!! We sure enjoyed visiting with you and your husband-there just wasn’t enough time!! The picnic/event was wonderful, and I hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in England!! We are back home, but what memories we have to look back on!!!
-Love from Diane and Alan
The Bluebird Cup gets my vote 😉 I’ll get some serious mother in law points if you do. My son in law LOVES Bluebird but cracked his, so surprising him with a new one would make me MIL of The Century. Thank you for your consideration. xoxoxoxoxoxo Carrie
Well, that about does it!!!
I’ve been not so patiently waiting for you to post about your trip!! Yay! I was so excited to see my Wilbur had arrived 💕🚢🇬🇧!! Thanks for sharing with all your friends back 🏡. Enjoy yourselves and safe travels!
The Queen Elizabeth cup gets my vote. I savored every moment of your journey across the pond through your eyes and voice. It will be reread and reread. Thank you soooo much for stowing us away th share in this experience. I can’t wait to “join” the picnic😻😻
Please please I would so much love the English cup with the houses. My family is from England and it is my favorite place on earth. I have been longing for this cup.
Thank you
Anne
I’ve loved every word of this post and look forward to the next one. I too am an armchair traveler and the whole idea of a cruise ship scares me and no flying either so I can only read about it. Through the magic of computers we can live our dreams through you. Trailing along here in Los Osos, CA!
Hi Ann in Los Osos, my olde stomping grounds! Glad to have you along!🌷🌷🌷
What a wonderful post, Susan. Many thanks.
So enjoyable to tag along virtually on your trip.
The cottage looks like a divine place to stay.
It’s very comfortable for us fish out of water. We pretty much have it all figured out!👏
Oh, my goodness! So fun to read every word of this post! My husband and I were fortunate enough to be on the Queen Mary from NYC to Nova Scotia to Boston to Newport a couple years ago. I feel like I’m back there with your vivid descriptions. Love England! What a wonderful trip. I look forward to reading your next post. Your post was a wonderful way to begin my day! Thank you!
Just a note to say I didn’t get this blog post tho I am a longtime signed-up follower of your wonderful blog. I found out about this post via a notification from GoodReads. Just letting you know in case other people didn’t get it either. It was not in my spam folder.
Your trip sounds so wonderful! Thanks for bringing us along virtually!
Loved this beautiful post! Your descriptions made me feel as if I was there! So much fun and I’m so happy for all the girlfriends who were able to sail with you!
I am a fan of the smaller mugs and would love to add the Fall or Summer mugs to my collection! Thanks!
Oh thank you from my very full heart to be with you in spirit through this beautiful blog post! You are magic! May all your journeys be as luv-er-ly as this one.
With love,
Katy
Thank you Katy!!💖
What a lovely trip! I have visited most of the mentioned places and just love Britain! Glad the trip met your expectations.
My vote for the cup reissuing would be for the Little Things; I like ones that have lots of your individual pictures. My second choice would be one honoring the Queen’s remarkable reign.
Thanks so for the wonderful new blog of your lovely, “calm seas” sail to England. I have the queens cup, but always worry of breakage, so I’d love to purchase another, but I was kind of hoping you would come back home and make another to match a bit, but mention her 70th and somehow honor her sweet love, Philip. I’d order the Blue Bird. Speaking of letters, I have many of my mother’s letters to her Mother from the 50’s. In 1952 my parents, sister and I crossed the pond en route to East Africa. It was not as lovely as your trip. We crossed on a freighter (about 13-15 paid passengers). There is a paragraph in my mother’s handwriting about my crib rolling (sailing) from her bunk to my Dad’s bunk, back and forth all night long. Can you imagine? My mother had sea sickness terribly. I just love the gifts that many of your new friends bestowed on you, but the pillow cases just took my breath away!
Susan,
Thank you so much for sharing the trip thus far. I too cannot wait for the next installment. My vote for a cup would be the little things also. Looking forward to out next chat!
Mary Helen
Cheers!!
Too Much is better than Not Enough from you, Dear Heart!! I believe I may have added some more permanent smile lines to my face this morning. Almost like being there with all of you. This isn’t considered “spare time”. It’s considered “Dedicated time”. What Fun you bring. 🙂 All those precious, thoughtful things you and the Girlfriends brought to the party!!
In telling your stories, I feel reinforced in my belief that there are no coincidences, it’s Wishcraft, the heart’s yearning come true. Sometimes we didn’t even know we needed something or someone until they appeared in our lives.
Many years ago, when I first met Tom, he said, “You may not love me now, but you will.” I was still wary after a disastrous first marriage, and thought he was a bit presumptuous.
When I was a teen, my very best friend moved next door. She and her family were Anglophiles, and they introduced me to English mysteries and history. Her father’s name was Norman Thames!! Yes, it was. Nell and I dreamed of many places we’d go, one of them being the rocky coast of Maine.
I opened my heart to Tom, who just “happened” to have kids living in Maine. Wellll….the first time here in 1986, my heart said, “I’m Home.” We can’t know exactly how Wishcraft works, but I do know that it does. We make little choices every minute of every day. Maybe we let our inner voice have its way and in the end, we are led to what we need.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy, Everyone!!
Mucho Love,
Debbie in Maine.
Wishcraft! Love it Debbie! And you!💖
I am so enjoying your travelogue!🇬🇧♥️
Thank you Susan.
As for which cup…I vote for the ‘Winter’ mug. I would love to have another chance to purchase one.🤗
I hope you are having a wonderful time and can’t wait to read your next entry.
All the best to you & Joe!🇬🇧♥️🇬🇧
Loved the blog. Almost felt like I was one of the girlfriends there with you. Love the picture of Joe being a hat rack. I’ll see if I can ever get my husband to do that for me! He’s really a good guy about helping me! I would like to see the Corgi cup come back. Thank you for the lovely blogs. When they come, they make my day!
You are so welcome Margaret!~
The time is right for a Queen Elizabeth cup, but it would also be nice to be able to buy another blue bird cup. My 40-year old niece coveted mine, so slipped it into her suitcase before she left for Ramstein.
You are a sweet Auntie, and you know how sweetness gets rewarded . . . 😘
Hi Susan: What a lovely & exciting post! I am so fortunate to be a “armchair” traveler with you. Thank you so much and do enjoy the rest of your days in the lovely cottage in lovely England. and would love to have the queen cup again.
It looks like I am very late to the party to comment on your BEAUTIFUL CRUISE BLOG!
I am reading a few hours late. Can I just say, “TRIP OF A LIFETIME”? I wished and wished but it wasn’t “to be” for me to be on board that ship for that trip. But I am so happy for all who were able to go on this dream come true journey! I was there in spirit for sure, and I have been sitting with my “BLESSED” cup on the edge of my chair waiting to hear all about it. Reminding myself, that even though I couldn’t go, I can be part of it and so blessed to be living in these United States (but I know without a doubt that I had English ancestors because each picture of that scenery spoke to me.) WRITE AGAIN SOON SWEET SUSAN❤️
Oh, Susan, what a post! Long, yes, but so full of love. Amazing! If you were to do a “second edition” of any cup, please, make it the “England’s Green and Pleasant Land” one. I bought that one and loved drinking from it. I have lots more, but that was my favorite. But it got some hairline fractures in it somehow, and so now it holds pens on my desk, but I’d love to be able to replace it.
Thank you, Susan!
This is so inspirational. Someday I hope to make the crossing with friends and tour the English countryside as you have. Got to save for it, and make sure I have time off from teaching, and make sure that our small farm is kept company in my (or our if Brett joins me) absence.
I love seeing other pictures that you haven’t posted on Twitter as well as seeing those tweeted pictures in full scale on my laptop. So much richness and texture!
Seeing so many familiar faces has been lovely. I recognize Christie and Sharon from waiting in the signing line at SLO’s Apple Farm event where you launched the Enchanted book (still eagerly awaiting that one). I was the fairy woman teacher in the long green felted wrap and skirts. Christie and Sharon welcomed my friend Becky and I into their charming room at Apple Farm complete with decorations and bunting. I so enjoyed visiting with them.
Your gatherings are MAGICAL!
I look forward to seeing you in person again someday. Your friendship with Rachel is another fairy tale, because it’s magical, but you also had to work at it! That’s something I think people forget-the fairy tales are never easy. The protagonists have to work, struggle, toil, and often be separated from one another. I’m so glad you made this come true.
Enjoy the rest of your trip, and I’ll be watching from Twitter and Instagram.
Cheers,
Susan of Mosshollow Hill
What a wonderful post! Thank you for taking us along for our vicarious enjoyment. I’d love to know where you shop the the fabulous evening dresses you wore. Just gorgeous!
As for the cup I’d vote for the Santa or Holly cup but also Bella Luna.
I rarely make a comment but I always read your posts and look forward to them as they brighten my day. Thank you!
My dress isn’t new, in fact it’s so not new I can’t remember where I got it! But it’s a goodie, pop it on, and you’re ready to go in comfort!
Oh, and the bluebird cup!
Well…how simply wonderful to read this blog and relive our fabulous crossing on QM2 which seemed to pass by in a flash!! To all the girlfriends on the ship, at the picnic and on the blog…THANK YOU for your wonderful company, sweetness and generosity. Susan has created something so wonderful here…and you’re all a big part of it. Friendship, goodness and fun. Exchanging stories, hugs, pictures…it’s magic! I know how lucky I am to have Susan and Joe as dearest friends but I also feel privileged to know so many of you now too!
Oh…and take my word for it – NEVER turn your back on Petey!! Xoxo
What a wonderful post! I would love it if you could bring back the Mother’s Day cup.
A queen Elizabeth cup would be so lovely and timely. So very enjoyable seeing the whole voyage of Susan and loved ones and girlfriends who are loved ones. You certainly made it the trip of a lifetime and I would have loved to have been there. “How many times can I say love in one paragraph?” Looking forward to all the pics and posts you have time to provide. Thank you.
How wonderful to hear about your Atlantic crossing . . . . we couldn’t join you because we’re awaiting the birth of our grandson at any time (also wonderful!). I love how you keep the best parts of the past (letter writing, vintage musica, hand-embroidered linens, old homes and friendships . . . .) alive and well and relevant for today – – – thank you!!! I can’t wait to hear about the next part of the adventure – – England! We’ve been there several times, have made friends there, and long to go back sometime soon. I vote for the English Countryside, British Corgi or Castle Cottage teacup to make an encore appearance! Love you, Susan – – – you keep me inspired, focused and grateful!! xoxoxoxoxo
I love your idea to have the girlfriends become Pen Pals! Good job! Lovely blog! Enjoy!
Sue. such a wonderful post. Thank you for sharing. everyone looks so happy. You must be in heaven. I saw the twitter post today of the english wedding. So very pretty. I loved the bells. Hope you are having a wonderful time.
Love, Mary <3
Great Willard! I wish my life made it possible/probable that I could have gone one this trip with you guys. But since it’s not, I so appreciate your sharing your trip with us. Loving the cover. Thank you!
And I agree with you: I prefer the Queen Mary 2 mug for the reprinting!
Do any of you “Oldies but Goodies” remember your Queen Elizabeth coloring book or doll? I certainly do!! On my mother’s side we were staunch Anglophiles.
I’ve corresponded for years with a funny author in England, George East. He has colorfully written of life in the 50’s in England, including the Coronation Street/Block Parties.
Thank you for a lovely Blog so the we arm chair travelers can experience the journey! I vote for the Autumn mug—you favorite Season, Susan and out of ‘print’ for SO long—please do another run 🏃♂️ f this special mug!!
Thank you for the consideration!
Cathy W
I LOVE how looooong this post is! Keep it up! Can live vicariously through you!
Dear Susan,
Love, Love, Love that you’re on English soil!!! Enjoy that wonderful journey!!!
Wouldn’t it be grand to redo the MOON cup?!?!?! I want so much to get some for my daughter and my girlfriends! I absolutely love my moon cup and toast each full moon with a cup of Sleepytime tea whilst I dance with my Viking under its lovely glow and play Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon”!
Thank you for being wonderful and bringing us such JOY!!!!
Hugs and kisses, Diane
Jack cup, pleeeeeeezzzzzzzeeeee!!!!!
I have to vote for the English Corgi Cup! My very favorite plus it’s in celebration of the Queen!!! Have enjoyed reading your Blog tonight and seeing all the fun everyone is having. Can’t wait for the next installment. Enjoy the rest of your trip.