“Adventure is not an event. Adventure is a state of mind.”To say that my Great Aunt Matilda was a strong-willed, independent woman is to say that Antarctica is “a little chilly.” Matilda’s indifference toward her status as a woman in The Victorian Era shows just how opinionated and outspoken she was. She let her passion for travel lead her around the world on countless adventures, the tales from which she would spin to audiences ranging from her nieces and nephews to a certain Mr. Roosevelt (yes, the one with the pince-nez glasses)!
In her lifetime, she visited the Torii gates in Kyoto, walked The Great Wall of China, hiked the deserts of Persia, and climbed the mountains of Tibet. She rode with a Romani Caravan from Istanbul into Western Europe. And, try as I might, I have never been able to figure out what she was doing during the years of The Great War. She rubbed elbows with kings, queens, sultans, and scoundrels, scientists, sorcerers, and scalawags. She would often tell stories about her encounters with people such as Jules Verne, Nikola Tesla, and Samuel Clemens (who you probably know as Mark Twain).
If there was one thing that was constant throughout her adventures, it was her fascination with the objects, trinkets, and antiques she found along the way. I remember the excitement I had as a small child when she would unlock the stairway door to let me explore the attic of her home. Dozens of trunks filled to bursting with treasures awaited me there, each hand-picked with care and collected, along with her stories, to be revisited again and again. Within our store, we hope you will find the spirit of Aunt Matilda, along with a treasure that will become a part of your story.
Another thing that Matilda loved was music. She was among the very first to own a gramophone, and later a vinyl record collection. I can't remember a time when there wasn't good music drifting through the rooms of her Victorian home. Here you'll find a collection of all the songs I remember and still listen to when I want to be reminded of Matilda's adventures.
By the way: the plugin only shows the first 100 songs. There are many more if you open and follow this playlist in Spotify.
