Tuesday, 15 September: If all was right in the world—or even a bit rightish—we’d be at the Clifton Hotel now, enjoying all Folkestone has to offer as the weekend and Euro Miniatures Expo approches. My internal clock is out of synchronicity. Since 2003 I am in England this by this time of September. Either up in London, lookin’ round, or out towards Brighton & Hove, or down in Kent by the seaside.
But not this year.
This time of year, just a day or so after we arrive, normally is reserved for our ‘Dream Walk’ from Dover’s Western Heights along the chalk cliffs passing WW2 bunkers and gun pits on the way back to Folkestone. I’ve done in many times, the most memorable with my wife who has taken the lead up the steep hills durng four tabs.
The first time I brought my wife to Euro was back in 2015.
We were going to strike out on the Costal Path on Friday the 18th, but it rained absolute stairrods and she successfully talked me out of it. Instead we went to Canterbury. Although it did stop bashing down, it was a bit of a wild & wooly day. In the end we did the Coastal Path on the second day of Euro, Sunday the 20th, and the weather was fantastic. We arrived back in Folkestone just in time for the medal hand outs.
Weather certainly makes for a better walk. Of course the weather today is a balmy 76 degrees and ideal for the occasion.
Sadly the world isn’t ideal this moment. But I’m optimistic. Stateside we keep hearing news of a vaccine being approved by the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) in a matter of weeks. If this holds true it’s possible we’ll have a vaccine by the end of November. Of course, just because we’ve got it, doesn’t mean the rest of the world is opening up again and full steam ahead. But I’m even more optimistic now for WE 2021 in Veldhoven, KMK in September, followed by Euro Miniatures Expo. Nice year ahead.
If all goes to plan. Best laid plans…and all that.
Now then, to the reason for today’s post. I’m rather pleased with myself. My family has had to evacuate from Florida due to continuing threat of hurricanes. We flew to the family summer home in Michigan. Michigan is lovely this time of the year. I was down in the basement for the annual sorting of my old workshop boxes when I quite unexpectedly came across a stash of Euro archival records. I found all manner of documentation: reservations for BA and Virgin Atlantic flights, hotel stays at The Ritz London, Soho Hotel and The Clifton. Passes for numerous Euros. And even my entry card for 2007 with the Gold Medal sticker still on it. Everything from 2003-2008. The Golden Age of Euro-Militaire. I think this must have come from the files in my Los Angeles home. When I upsticks I must have plonked the lot of it into envlopes and stored them away in a box. I have by now digitalised the all of them and put them back into storage for safe keeping, but the digitialized images will be printed and framed for my atelier in Spain. Amazing memories.
Here is just a sampling. I’ll include the lot if it in a seperate blog post.
