Things to do with Jane Austen
Posted on: October 16, 2012
- In: Dreams | Inspiration | Travel
- 28 Comments
In my last post I shared some interesting (or not) facts about me. I happened to mention that I was a Jane Austen groupie and dressed up as Jane Austen for Halloween sometimes. Here I am dressed as one of my favourite people.
I also recently had an article published in travelsthruhistory about a time when I visited Jane Austen’s house in Chawton. Another one of my dreams come true.
VISITING JANE AUSTEN ON A MOTORBIKE
England
By Darlene Foster
Our delightful visit to England included Yorkshire and North Wales. Viewing the countryside with its stone hedges and ancient castles was made even more enjoyable as we hurtled down narrow roads on a motorcycle.
We had one thing left to do before flying back to Canada; deliver the motorbike to its new owner in London. We travelled down from York, stopped for lunch at a pub in Cambridge overlooking the Thames and watched the rowers practice. As we rode towards London, I was puzzled when we didn’t turn off the M1 taking us into Guildford, but turned east. Soon I recognized signs for Alton, Strawberry Hill, Steventon and Chawton. We were on our way to visit my hero, Jane Austen! My dear husband had planned this as a surprise for me.
Read more: http://www.travelthruhistory.com/html/art58.html
Here is a question often asked at job interviews: If you could have lunch with anyone, alive or not, who would that be? I would answer Jane Austen of course. What would your answer be?
28 Responses to "Things to do with Jane Austen"
October 16, 2012 at 9:55 am
i love dear Jane, but lunch with anyone would have to be Abraham Lincoln, my most favorite hero. Hmmm, on second thought Jesus, to see how he felt about the killing that has gone on in his name and hopefully some ideas about how to bring peace on earth.
October 16, 2012 at 10:44 am
Apparantly, according to studies, the number 1 answer to that question is Jesus Christ. Glad to hear you love dear Jane also Katherine.
October 16, 2012 at 11:29 am
OMG! Love it! Jane Austen forever! 🙂
October 16, 2012 at 12:27 pm
I thought you would enjoy this. I used to belong to JASNA (Jane Austen Society of North America) and we organized huge conferences. It was so much fun meeting Janeites from all over the world.
October 16, 2012 at 11:33 am
I’m a huge Jane Austen fan as well and have read every one of her books. She would be fun to have lunch with. I also would like to have lunch with Dave Matthews the singer songwriter I admire so much.
October 16, 2012 at 12:29 pm
Great to meet another fan of Jane’s. Perhaps you would be allowed to have lunch with one of each gender.
October 16, 2012 at 4:01 pm
I would have lunch with you, on the Pacific coast of Canada! In the summer! 🙂 You’d have to promise to bring all your pictures.
October 17, 2012 at 6:15 am
Oh that would be just so wonderful to have lunch with you! We would have so much to talk about, it would be a long lunch for sure. XO
October 16, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Loved this post Darlene. Yes I love Jane Austin to, but to have lunch would have to be Julie Andrews for me.
October 17, 2012 at 6:16 am
Julie Andrews would be a wonderful person to have lunch with as well.
October 16, 2012 at 7:41 pm
You look fabulous, Darlene. And your hubby, what a guy! My late husband would have done the same – anything to make us happy.
Blessings ~ Maxi
October 17, 2012 at 6:16 am
Thanks Maxi. I know I am very lucky and make a point of letting him know as often as possible.
8 | Sandra McLeod Humphrey
October 17, 2012 at 5:58 am
What a great post and I LOVE Jane Austen!
October 17, 2012 at 6:19 am
Thanks Sandra. Nice to see so many Jane fans out there. I once met her great, great, great neice.
October 17, 2012 at 6:03 am
I just love the photo of you dressed as Jane Austen – and the pen is such a lovely touch. What a lovely surprise for you – your hubby is the best! I’m not sure who I would like to have lunch with – but I’ve always been curious to chat to Leonardo da Vinci and find out where his ideas came from.
October 17, 2012 at 6:04 am
I always mean to change my name before I hit the enter key!
October 17, 2012 at 6:21 am
To tap into a great mind like Leonardo da Vinci woudl be incredible. You are right, my hubby is the best!
October 17, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Love your Jane Austen costume, Darlene! And what a wonderful surprise your husband planned for you!
Hmm… for lunch — if it had to be a famous person (that’s what’s usually assumed in such a question), I would also choose Julie Andrews. For a non-famous person, I’ll love to have lunch with my mum one more time…
October 17, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Thanks Beth. If I could have lunch with my Dad one more time, that woudl be special.
October 17, 2012 at 1:22 pm
You look so pretty and adorable in that Jane Austen costume, Darlene! Glad to hear you’ve had a wonderful, wonderful time.
October 17, 2012 at 6:19 pm
What a wonderful dress, you look great in your outfit and I’m sure Jane would heartily approve! I, too, think she would be an excellent person to have lunch with but it’s a very tricky question…I think I’d choose an author as well and I suspect I might be tempted to plump for Agatha Christie.
October 18, 2012 at 4:25 am
Now Agatha Christie would be another fascinating person to have lunch with. Thanks for stopping by and following my blog.
October 19, 2012 at 11:52 am
Hmm… Lunch with you, and all my blogosphere friends… Do fictional characters count? If so, then Sherlock Holmes (from the Sherlock Holmes books) and Eragon (from the Inheritance series). Hmmm… Brian Jacques, E.B. White, C.S. Lewis… Hmmm… The Erin Hunters… Uhhh… Give me a couple of hours please? 😉 Great post! Glad you could go to Jane Austen’s house!
October 19, 2012 at 12:00 pm
I think you are looking to have a big party not just a lunch. I know its hard to pick when threr are so many good ones. I would love to have lunch with you someday too.
Darlene Foster's Blog 
October 16, 2012 at 8:52 am
I live in Surrey near Guildford. You are right that Jane’s presence is everywhere at Chawton. I love English architecture and the way in which our history is preserved in our buildings. Lovely post.
October 16, 2012 at 8:57 am
I am always amazed at the architecture in England. It makes me realize how little history we have preserved here in Canada. So glad you liked the post Niamh.