Home again, home again...

Bye by, Poods!

Jiggety-jig!
Breakfast in Amsterdam. Afternoon coffee in Horseshoe Bay, BC. Is this not a wondrous age we live in!
The fact that my body has no idea where it is at this moment  (I've been up since 5 a.m.) is irrelevant. It will all sort itself in a day or two.

Wondrous mouth-watering cheeses

I'd never been to Holland before, so even if my visit there was literally a flying one (16 hours, I think), I got to experience a cheese shop where I ordered whatever cheese I wanted on whichever bread I liked with the usual add-ons. Like a pared down Subway, if you will, but no sauces to meddle with the flavour of the cheese. And the cheeses...shelves of them stacked to the ceiling and everywhere little dishes of samplers. I really didn't need to buy anything. Like the old woman in purple I could have "gobbled up the samples in shops". Gotta say, the coffee didn't do it for me...too small a cup, too strong.
 9 hours and 50 minutes is a long time to be a sardine and my observation is that the days of lucking into an adjacent empty seat are long gone. Packed to the ceiling, literally, considering what now gets put in those overhead bins. I do hope those locks are super-strong! KLM did a fine job of seeing that we were constantly fed and watered and afternoon ice cream snack was a first for me. Do I ever stop talking about food?
I have busted up my lower back. (it's temporary) so an anonymous thank you is in order  to all my heroes yesterday who hefted my suitcase. I couldn't have made it without you!

Ahhh...

A Starbucks treat while waiting for the delayed ferry, the warm welcome my family greeted me with, my own bed and the thoughtful gift of my morning starter fluid, orange juice, underlines for me that there really is no place like HOME!
My wings are folded, gypsy skirts and tinkling bells tucked away for now, but just for now.
I'll let you know when I'm on the move again.

Poised for take-off...

An English walk

Today's the day...
 I leave early afternoon for an overnight in Amsterdam and home tomorrow.
 I will be very happy to get home although, that said, I have had the most amazing month here in this lovely village with its friendly people, my 100 Acre Wood, and the company of my new friend, Ian.
 People have been amazing. I don't think I told you that a policeman, (I think he is a policeman), in Derby gave me a ride from the bus station to the train station on Friday. Yesterday, I ended up in a lengthy one-sided conversation with yet another old codger who relived his time in Canada during World War 2. (Should I feel flattered that the old codgers are attracted to me or am I in denial of my own age!!!)
 Having spent my coin on a sandwich at the previous transfer point, I had only a £20. note with which to pay a £1. fare. Old codger quickly whips out a handful of coin and pays my fare, refusing my proffered coin in return. Such a lovely gesture! I must have nodded at all the right places in his monologue but to tell the truth, his dialect was so strong I probably only got one word in twenty!
Santu, my host here in Rolleston, cooked a fabulous authentic curry for dinner and together with Ian, we were a congenial company at dinner last evening.
I am a very fortunate and grateful woman!

Definitely worth the trip!

I didn't see the Sheriff!

 Foot, bus, train & car...yesterday's story. At the end of the train ride, the marvellous Marlow met me in Norwich and we (she ) drove madly off to Saffron Walden where after a quick cuppa at one of the local tea shops, I went off to have a psychic reading with her friend, Alison.  It was a most agreeable reading. I could even go so far as to say inspirational and uplifting.

Jaimie Oliver buys his meat here.

Marlow pointed out the pretty villages we drove through in the dark.
 Although she & I knew one another on the Coast, we realized we really didn't 'know' one another so the conversation of discovery lasted until way past my bedtime! We laughed, we chatted, we agreed, I learned. It was a great evening!
A 'lie-in' was in order this morning... no dogs to let out, no bus to catch.
Eventually, we mustered  the oomph to walk along the river into town. The highlight of the market was the game seller with the still-feathered partridge and pigeons hanging on his stall.

Birds in a feather

Lavenham was to have been the next stop but fatigue won the day and a much-needed nap has partially restored my energy. It will be a low key and early-to-bed evening for me while Marlow goes to celebrate Embolc with her circle.Transportation in reverse order tomorrow when I return to Rolleston for the last supper.
I leave for home on Monday.