Coming Home to the Queen

Exeter Cathedral
It has been 12 years since I last lived in England and I liken our return to riding a bicycle if the bike was a Penny Farthing.   What I mean is we've needed assistance to get set in motion but once pedaling it is a familiar ride. Would we ever live here again full-time?  Right now I just feel really privileged that England is such an intricate part of my life. 

We haven't been to London so far and oddly, aside from not seeing our friends yet, I haven't really minded.  Exeter suits me well as does Devon.  Even when the council didn't give me my first choice for E's school, I found the second choice is probably even better for her.  Don't get me wrong, England still confounds me on how long it took to get Internet and our cellphones up and working (a week and three connection boxes later and a purchased and returned phone) but R's replacement passport came via courier 4 working days after the application was mailed.  MAILED!  What works works...including the food.  This archaic idea the English food is bad must date back to the War when there were rations because some of the best food I've ever eaten was here.  And, I'm a seriously picky vegetarian. 

You can never be sure about the weather but as long as you know to layer, you're fine. We went to four different beaches this week and, at the first, I was amused at how the natives dressed like they were on a South Florida beach while I had long pants and sleeves on.  Ha, they call this summer?  But I was the fool.  Because it was actually extremely comfortable, I never felt too hot so I never thought to use sun block.  All good though.

Sidmouth
 Sidmouth was our first ocean view and a lovely town.  We walked up the coast path only this far where a local couple told us for a real Jurassic Coast experience go to Charmouth.


Charmouth with first Will-o-Wisp boy
 We hopped right to it and were directed up the crumbling slope by two boys who wanted to show E where to find the best fossils.  This stone was called wet stone and it pulled away very easily.  Too easily.  I felt criminal though this beach is open to fossil hunting but also I felt like I was playing a really dumb and dangerous Jenga game.  So did beach patrol who showed us where to safely look.  The boys who brought us there in the first place had vanished before we were scolded hence we called them will-o-wisps.

Some of what we found--turns out is won't last due to the nature of the stone.  When it dries it will crumble but we sure were excited in the moment.




 E and a second Will-o-Wisp boy showing her the fossils he found in the huge rocks.
Charmouth Beach--Jurassic Coast
On the sea wall in Lyme Regis where Jane Austen set a scene from "Persuasion"

Mothecombe Beach--privately owned opened 3 days a week to the public






Comments

  1. I so wish I could be there. Keep blogging and telling me all. Love your hand written letters as well.

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