We haven’t done badly
Yesterday, on our, now weekly, long walk along the Severn, C got one of those reminders on Facebook that tells you where you were some time ago. Yesterday’s was from six years ago. It was a photo of the pair of us sat on a bench halfway up a grassy hill behind our house in Wells. We both remember the selfie really well as we took it straight after the school’s speech day on my last day of formal work. Two days later we were in our first Doris van, spent three months wandering around the UK, before heading off to Europe for seven months.
[image error]Doris 1 – we lived in this van for three and a half years – yes, three and a half years! Note the skis on the roof …
That was a special time. It was novel, exciting and different. It was, without doubt, as free as I’ve ever felt. Now, six years later we are back in a house, we have tighter commitments than we had then, and the yoke of freedom doesn’t look anywhere near as yellow as it did then. We could, of course, just b**ger off into the sunset … notwithstanding covid-19 and Brexit. But, our conscience is quite a magnet. Is that such a bad thing? Dunno. But I do miss that time.
As we walked we discussed whether or not we had made the most of that purple patch in our life? Well, and I don’t list this to boast, but just as a reminder, we have done some things. In no order: our seven-month European tour did Italy – and Sicily, Greece and much of France; we have skied in Chatel five times, the last in January was for four weeks; we have been to the south of France three times for five weeks at a time, Germany twice (including taken Bex and Steven on their honeymoon) – both four weeks; the Loire – three weeks; Brittany and Normandy – three weeks; Scotland five times; New York and The Bahamas – three weeks; Virginia visiting friends – a week; six weeks in southeast Asia; Croatia for four weeks; and most of England and bits of Wales. We have married off both of our girls and I have written seven novels and published six of them – and C has knitted for Europe. And I have set up and had some fun with a leadership consultancy business and, not quite so fun, I worked in a Bristol state school for six months. It’s not all been good news, however. In that time I have lost my dad and my brother.
But, all-in-all, it’s been a breeze and, if we hadn’t had the virus here, we would have had six weeks in Spain this Spring to add to that.
We have, therefore, burnt the candle a bit and, on reflection we’ve have filled the gaps. I suppose much of my itchy feet is based on the fact that we are (now self-imposed) stuck at home, self-isolating. I’m unconfident that will change any time soon. We’ll see.
[image error]And Doris Too. This time (on Sunday) with me practising reversing with the trike and trailer
Other than that, the books? They’re selling okay and C and I are three-quarters of the way through Of Black Bulls and White Horses. I have my two millennials lined up for the end of the week … and then a friendly agent.
Fingers crossed.
[image error]another 7-miler along the Severn
Oh … and if any of you have any thoughts having read Of Black Bulls and White Horses, I’d really appreciate your views.
Off to see mum on Friday, overnight and then back on Saturday. She’s fine … if more fragile. We’ll test the water when we’re there.
