"The distance is nothing when one has a motive.”- Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice
I find myself in a really happy positive place as I sit here and tap away at the keyboard tonight. It's strange as I just returned from the north yesterday, and there is usually something of a deflated feeling for a few days after that, especially as I'm looking at a run of almost 8 weeks before my next jaunt in Yorkshire. But this time, even though August Bank Jollyday feels so far away I feel happy, like good things are happening here, or maybe I'm just excited by the prospect of not having to pack anything into a suitcase for 8 weeks!!
So the Mumma turned the big 60 on Sunday, whoop free prescriptions as she said! The Mumma booked a beautiful cottage in the Dales in a stunning place called Hawes, and the family "Townend-Idle-Forrest(Snelson)" gathered to celebrate together. It was a long drive north in the baking sunshine in my dented Astra which desperately needs its AC charging, but I was in a very good mood so the miles melted away. I had my pink bon bons for company, a thoughtful little gift for my helluva drive! There was a slight diversion on the A1 where my sat nav thought I could turn left into a grass bank, followed by some roads through and beyond Catterick of all places, and I was soon in countryside that made my heart leap and my phone lose signal! If you haven't been to the Yorkshire Dales, just go. Honestly just GO! Let it soothe your soul. Take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints...
What followed was a weekend of love, laughter and some LPGs (large Pinot Grigio). Living so far away, and visiting mostly on weekends I don't get to spend long periods of time with my family, so to just sit back and relax together was so special. I miss the Mummas laugh, and this weekend, what with "Sues reviews" and a Ravensthorpe style 2 verse happy birthday song from Eve (that I'm not allowed to put on Facebook) I have heard it so much it warmed my heart. We even managed to cross oceans and skype "the rellies" in Australia! Uncle Karl looks more like Grandad did every day! But shush don't tell him! There are so many memories that I will take away from the weekend, so many cuddles and tickles and crazy moments from my nephews that I'm quite sustained for my 8 week absence. Oh and I won at Cluedo! Poor Mrs White in the Ballroom, I knew dancing would be the death of her!
I won't pretend that there weren't a few moments where I felt like I was missing something, when you've had someone by your side for ten years there is an obvious gap at this sort of gathering, and when my 3 year old nephew asked where "Uncle Beard" was, there was a momentary sting in the old eyeballs, but it was quickly moved on from, and he's 3, how is he to understand any of it? I'd be more worried if he did, and I certainly wouldn't want him to waste any time thinking about it!
I'd wanted to go get a walk on the Saturday night, have some head space, so when I announced I was going out, my 8 year old nephew Harry asked if he could come too, which then prompted little Tommy to want to come as well. I had a choice, I could disappoint two smiling faces and be alone with my thoughts, or I could embrace the fact that these lovely little cheeky chimps wanted to spend time with me! So off we set as a happy little trio and Tommy made it about 500 metres before he wanted to be carried! Bless, spending my time being bossed about by a 3 year old made me laugh so much!
So I took away memories and photos that I will cherish, and will keep me going until the next occassion when we can all spend time together as a family. I am reminded of a quote that I had on my wall when I first moved to London:-
"You can kiss your family and friends good-bye, and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you." - Frederick Buechner
Well wasn't Frederick Buechner just a know-it-all!
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