Tuesday 9 March 2021

The Next Stage Of The Adventure

When we left the charming village of Kirby Muxloe, where we'd lived for two decades, my young friend Hannah [who I'd known since birth] sent me a lovely postcard, with a quote from Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey". I've treasured the card- not so much for the quote, but for Hannah's thoughtful farewell message on the back. But as my word of the year is 'adventure' here's a picture of the card.

The little houses look Flemish, and in 1947, Bob's mother left her Belgian village to travel abroad to England, when she married Dad. A brave adventure.

Kirby is a super village - and yes I did have great adventures there - but there have been adventures in the past six years in Dorset too. In Austen's time "abroad" meant away from home, or over a wide area, not necessarily in a foreign country.

I'm going back to village life again- utterly confident that adventures will befall me there too. 

To quote Agatha Christie...

“Well, my dear,” said Miss Marple, “human nature is much the same everywhere, and, of course, one has opportunities of observing it at closer quarters in a village.”

[not that I'm expecting Swanton Morley to rival St Mary Mead, in terms of crime statistics!]


Ferndown really does have a rather dull sign, imho!



12 comments:

  1. You make adventure by what you involve yourself in. Am quite sure there will be lots going on in Swanton Morley! Incidentally, what a name!

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    1. Author Ian Sansom has written a series of crime stories with a sleuth called Swanton Morley!

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  2. Good luck for your next adventure x

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  3. Life is an adventure no matter where one might go! :)

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  4. Life in an English village sounds like bliss to me! I now you will settle in and love making friends as you continue to do the lovely things you do for other people.

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  5. I think most signs would pale in comparison to those two spectacular ones! I have such fond memories of visiting that little castle one blisteringly hot English day with much smaller sons! In a hotel in Germany two summers ago we saw a sign that said something along the lines of - will we have our adventure now or drink tea first? I'm afraid I'd always plump for the latter!

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    1. Adventures are always improved by copious cups of tea

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    2. That is a lovely quote!

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  6. Best of luck for your retirement, Angela. Cheers

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  7. I have read your blog on and off for a while, but didn't realise the Norfolk leg of your household was in Swanton Morley - we will practically be neighbours as I live in Melton Constable.

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    1. Oh that's brilliant- when things are a more settled, perhaps I should come over and treat myself to some sausages from Rutlands Butchers, and we could meet up for coffee, perhaps?

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  8. I think Rutlands are a superb family with an excellent shop - and I just love the way that the customers exchange recipes and cooking tips!

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