Easingwold - Part II

Though the centre of Easingwold isn't very big at all, they kindly provided signs directing me to the Tourist Information Centre. There I met a very friendly lady who rattled off all the places she thought worth seeing. She was fairly modest about the place, it had no 'great' sights, but lots of 'moderate' ones (my words, not hers). She gave me a map of streets and circled a few places. [Note, the photos were somehow removed from the blog, so I've replaced them...mostly at the bottom. Will check back later to see if they remain.]

The village green. It wouldn't really be a village without it. Though,
properly speaking, Easingwold is a Market Town.

She even knew the 'best' charity shop, right next door. So to St. Leonard's I went. They had a delicious display of scarves in the window, several of which were silk. For £1 each I bought any that fit into my colour scheme (cool, light, muted). I have now filled the pink gap in my scarf collection. Then I saw a lush piece of moss green chenille, probably something suitable for upholstery but for £3 it was irresistible. I was to regret that rather heavy purchase later in the day. 

I know I got a grey t-shirt and a blue silk sweater and another grey blue scarf plus some beaded necklaces and bracelets (more for the beads than the bracelet) and a very small book on home interiors by the lady who runs the White Shop for 50p. I spent just over £17 and filled two bags. Bad move at the beginning of the visit, but the shop wasn't open all day. 

Another place the tourist centre mentioned was on the other side of them, a community hall holding a fair to raise money for the burned animals of Australia. I didn't see anything I wanted, it seemed mainly aimed at children, but then I did find a gym bag for £3, only I gave her £5, saying my sister-in-law lives in Sydney. That made carrying my charity haul much easier, though I wished I not brought my handbag. 

After that I found The Regency Dress Agency. I wasn't feeling particularly 'elegant' by then, but I was determined to find anything worth having. The prices were of course higher but then this wasn't a charity shop and the merchandise was of a consistently higher quality. I looked at every single thing in the shop and came away with several tops, a dress and a pair of shoes. The best part was that the lady behind the desk was easy to chat with. I could easily have spent several more hours visiting with her. She recommended a tea shop across the square, which was also one that the tourist info lady mentioned.



On the way I found a boutique - I'd tell you the name, but I can't find it anywhere on the internet and Google maps doesn't go down the little alley towards Market Place, darn! - with a pair of grey jeans in the window, something for which I've been searching for over a year now. So in I went. 


Also, I wanted some silver earrings as I'd forgotten to put any on Friday morning and had also come away without my jewellery pouch. One feels naked without earrings these days. I found earrings and two pairs of grey trousers/jeans, very modern stretchy ones. They don't fit into my natural fibres goal, but they took me a long way toward my goal for lightening the colours in my wardrobe. I doubt there was one other thing in the whole shop I'd be seen in, though. I think a lot of modern clothes are ridiculous, that's how old fashioned I am.


I was desperate for some refreshment by then so on to the Tea Hee Shop I went (I remembered it as Tea Pee, shows how my mind works). I had just settled with all my various bags when I realised I'd left my handbag somewhere. It didn't have anything valuable in it, but a collection of small things that fit into a small bag. I gathered up all my shopping bags and re-traced my steps. It was nice to see the lady at the dress agency again and there sat my handbag, unnoticed in a corner. 

Back to the tea shop where I inhaled a pot of tea and a bottle of water while perusing the home decorating book. Then I pulled out the map and braced myself for a long walk carrying lots of bags. I still wanted to see the Georgian houses and so wondered in the opposite direction of where we were staying for a short while, snapping photos along the way. 

Then I stopped to chat to a lady gardening in front of a Georgian house just off the Market Square, asking her to verify I was going in the right direction back to our digs. She studied my map so long I wondered if I'd found a tourist who couldn't resist improving the flower bed, but she eventually confirmed I was headed the right way. I stopped and bought a sandwich at the Co-op on my way out of town.

It was a long trudge with the gym bag slipping off my sloping shoulders and shopping bags cutting into my fingers, along a sometimes muddy, bramble-filled verge facing into racing traffic. My boots were definitely not made for walking, though they just lacked support, at least they didn't give me any blisters. 

I took a guess at the roundabout which had no sign whatsoever for the Emergency Planning College (a lack of planning in my opinion) which fortunately turned out to be correct. My sense of direction is slightly better than I get credit for having.

I had a lovely old green brooch on my collar which got damaged with my sling bags onto my shoulders and I was sad to have lost one of the green stones, glass though it likely was. To my amazement I later found it at the bottom of one of the shopping bags. How lucky is that? 

How convenient to have a phone box in your front garden! People would
always be able to find your house.