Smoothing My Path

[stapsdoes101things]

Work seems to be going out of its way to make my 101 in 1001 easier. In just over a month I'll be on a training course in Leeds. It's a two-day course, on a Tuesday and a Wednesday - and they're happy for me to take the Monday as annual leave. So I'll be going up on the Saturday.

Location, location, location. Leeds is pretty close to Bradford, and Bradford is the Old Country. Back in the nineteenth century, when my ancestors were nouveau riche wool merchants, that's where they were based. I know a little about their history there, and I'll be phoning my father next week to find out more.

Quite apart from my own curiosity about my roots, there are quite a few awesome people concentrated in that particular bit of Yorkshire, and I hope to meet up with at least some of them. I have heard a rumour, for example, that the elusive Lord Hobbs is around there somewhere. Even if he manages to elude me, he's likely to recommend somewhere to go to Evensong. matgb and miss_s_b are in Brighouse.

Another person who lives in Leeds and whom I've never met is Ms Alex - who taught me everything I know about making a success of 101 in 1001. While I'm on the subject, I heartily reccomend that you go and have a look at her 101 blog. Come to think of it, most of what I know about Leeds I learned from her, too.

Next steps: do some research into family history; find a place to stay on Saturday and Sunday nights; work out something resembling an itinerary. Simple. Or perhaps not simple, but definitely fun.

I'm really looking forward to this trip. Could you tell?