Visiting home again -

Time is flying fast and we've already been here in my home town for a week.

Needless to say it has been really busy and will remain this way for the entire

stay.  Many family members and friends to visit, places to see, shopping

 being done for things English I still find hard to live without, and restful times

 to just sit and enjoy the scenery with a coffee mug, cup of tea, or a glass of

 wine, depending on the time of day.

Weather has been quite good, warm and sunny at first, now cooler and

a little damp with light showers and bracing breezes from the 

English Channel.

Some photos to show you where my "home, sweet home" is - all of these

 were taken in Torquay, Devon.

I'll try to get back here during the visit - if you don't see me here, just

know it's because I'm having too much fun!

Beach Huts and Dame Agatha!

 

Life at the shore often includes beach huts in the UK, and there are about

 20,000 of them scattered along the island's coastline which measures

 approximately 8,000 miles.

The history of these small wooden buildings is timeless.

To own one is like having a precious piece of shoreline history in your 

pocket. To purchase one these days can be like buying a quite decent 

full-sized house. . . . . . .you'd need deep pockets!!

One hut, in Dorset, was recently for sale at over five hundred

 thousand pounds, twice the price of the current average home. 

Apparently it's cute but doesn't have a toilet!

These are the colorful huts along the beach at Corbyn Head in my

 hometown of Torquay. I spent a lot of my childhood beach days

here, swimming, fishing for hermit crabs in the rock pools, picnicking, 

and even managed to almost get stranded with a friend at high tide

 in the red sandstone caves in the cliff!

Behind the beach is The Grand Hotel where author Agatha Christie

 spent her honeymoon. Born and raised in Torquay she is now celebrated

 annually - info below if you are interested in attending in September.

What an amazing author she was!

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller; 

15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her

sixty-six detective novels and fourteen short story collections, particularly

 those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. 

She also wrote the world's longest-running play, The Mousetrap, which

 was performed in the West End from 1952 to 2020, as well as six novels

 under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. 

In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) for her contributions to literature. 

Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer

 of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies. 

via Wikipedia

Recalling the colors, sounds and views -

 Here it is another weekend and I'm still chasing my tail! The heat of July is upon us, and yes it's unbearable for me. Late afternoon storms have brought some relief to the shrubs and flowers struggling as they always do at this time of year.

But my deeper thoughts are about home. 

The one across an ocean. 

The one where I recently visited

The one by the sea where the gulls fly overhead as the fishing boats bring

back the daily catch. 

Where the clouds temper the heat of the sun. 

Where friends of many years hug me as always and say they miss me.

Where family of an entire lifetime show their enduring love in many ways.

My roots are there in that corner of an island. 

Overlooking the bay and the English Channel beyond.

Until I can return again I have the photos, recollections, memories.

I'll do a few more posts about the trip to England so as to share more photos. 

I didn't take a camera other than my phone this time. 

Less to lug about with a painful shoulder issue, but not as good

 quality photos perhaps!

Have a super weekend wherever you chose to spend it.

I miss the longer Summer days enjoyed in Devon. 

Waking to bright sunshine at 5 am, strolling around the harbour

 on those long, beautiful evenings when the sun didn't set until

 almost 10 pm. . . . . .and no mosquitoes. Heavenly!!!

HOME is where. . . . . . .

. . . . . . . one's heart beats faster, then settles quietly and allows the memories

 to flood back. At least that's how it always feels for me when I step down on to

 the bricks, concrete, grass of my hometown in England.

It never changes, it is a feeling I've had for almost sixty years, each and

 every time I've been fortunate enough to go home. I've lost count but think

it must be around fifty times I've 'crossed the pond' with England in my 

sights. 'Going home' has been a very important part of all the travel I've done.

Seeing new places around the world has been wonderful, but heading back

to where I began is always the special trip. It's the one I need because loved

ones are there, thankfully still many in person, others gone but the sweet

memories of times with them come back to mind more clearly when I'm

treading the streets and lanes of childhood and teenage years.

I breathe differently. . . . . the sea air perhaps, along with the green 

countryside, both give me a lift which feels like my true home.

View from our Torquay hotel room across Tor Bay to Paignton.

Torquay -- Princess Theatre & Victorian Fountain.

Thatcher Rock, Tor Bay.

Across the bay to the fishing town of Brixham where my father was born.

Torquay, Inner and Outer Harbours on a summer evening.

 

Inner Harbour, Torquay - St. John's Church.

Torquay rooftops and a sculptured frieze depicting 

King Neptune and sea creatures.

Old and new buildings. . . . . . .of course you know which are my favorites.

Another view from the hotel.

We're now back from the road trip to Eastern North Carolina which was

 really good despite my hesitancy in leaving home again so soon after an

 overseas trip! I have a lot to do here and, after celebrating the

Fourth of July, followed by Bob's birthday on the fifth, I'm hoping to 

catch up with everyone, write more posts on the UK trip, leave comments 

on your posts etc.

Then there's the garden which has run wild and is longing for attention as

 the rains apparently didn't come while we were away . . . . . but it looks

 promising for the days ahead with some late day showers at least.

Enjoy Independence Day.

Kissing cousins, brother, husband - "my guys" ---------

A short distance along the coast from Torquay is the smaller, a little more old fashioned seaside town of Teignmouth.  At the mouth the of the River Teign, beneath the cliffs and sloping hills, it was for several years the home of my mother her parents and siblings, and has always been the home of my dear cousin Sue. I spent many summer holidays there as a child and teen, we two girls were loving cousins then and still are to this day despite an ocean between us!

 

Teignmouth seafront

Mary (me), cousin David, cousin Sue, my brother John

We are the four cousins, our three mothers were sisters. Sue (79) lives in Teignmouth, David (78 today) in Torquay, John (70) in Southwest France, and yours truly (78) in Raleigh, North Carolina. Getting together has taken three years due to the pandemic, however yesterday we managed to do it. . . . . .. and in brilliant, hot sunshine we hugged and kissed like never before!

Bob, looking debonair in a borrowed hat, when we sat on a rooftop restaurant for

lunch in Teignmouth. Unbelievable weather here - hot, dry and non-stop sunshine every day.

Supper last night with John (today he's flying home to France) at our favorite fish 'n chip shop SALTWATER in Torquay.

Off to meet up with a really 'old friend' this afternoon - at a quaint tea room overlooking the bay. Jackie and I have known each other since before birth!!! Our respective mothers actually met at the maternity hospital before we were born!  We've remained good friends all these years and always pick up where we left off last time. . . . . . .as only best friends can!

Home sweet home - I'm really here!

 

Just so you know, we made it and we are having beautiful weather to 

see Devon at its best - sunshine, perfect temperatures, light breezes and blue skies.

So much to do, places to go, people to see.

No time to do much on the computer. . . . . but I'll catch

 up once I'm back!

Best wishes from South Devon, England.

A long way from home ----

A

. . . . . . . will not be winging its way back across the pond for the time being.

Thatcher Rock and Tor Bay, Torquay, England ~ my home.

For the third time since COVID-19 arrived and shut down the world to international travelers, we are cancelling our long overdue trip home to the UK. We were due to leave in a few weeks and planned to stay for 3 weeks. Now, after much thought and discussion, listing the pros and cons of travel overseas, and checking with my family and friends in England, we have decided not to risk a trip which still has so many cons, especially with new variants rearing their ugly heads, and no way to get a third vaccination before leaving the USA. 

I so miss England. 

I miss not seeing my remaining family and friends across the pond. 

We are all aging and time is precious. It's now well over two years since

 I last visited due to COVID . . . . . the longest period of time I've ever

 spent away from my real home since emigrating almost 59 years ago! 

I am homesick - really homesick! 

Thankfully my home never actually fades from my memory as I've been

 fortunate to go back such a lot. . . . . . and now we will plan to go next

 year, perhaps in late spring.

Vintage Torquay guide book - a much cherished item from home.

I often spend time looking through this book and remembering how

 things were when I lived there in the 'good old days.'  

There really is "no place like home" no matter how long one has been

 gone and made a new life elsewhere. 

Do I have regrets about leaving? Yes, sometimes I do, but I mostly

feel I made the right move and am thankful for the good life I've

experienced in America all these years.

To live a full life includes having regrets. They are an unpleasant,

though unavoidable, part of the human condition. 

You may know people who staunchly declare that they have no

 regrets whatsoever. That is unhealthy because with regret we get to

 reassess our lives. Whether or not we chose our actions, 

we get to think about who we are, how we relate to the world

 and where we may have failed.

Regrets are necessary to being a complete human being. 

Meanwhile, as the saying goes, once again "I'll pick myself up, brush myself 

off, and start all over again" - and hope to go back home as soon as possible.

No journey home yet!

It was to take place this month. 

Now everything is cancelled as International travel

is still not really safe.

It's been two years since I've been able to travel

 to England due to the pandemic situation.  

I don't think I've stayed away that long in the 

 almost 59 years since emigrating to

the USA!

Torquay, Devon - circa 1960's

Torquay - Last visit home - May 2019

Am I homesick?

You bet I am!

We have rescheduled everything and now hope to make it

across the pond in September.

Family and friends over there think this is the best plan

and, sad as it is, we have to agree. Hoping by then life will be

better, perhaps not normal, but safer and more cheery and 

manageable for travel long distances from the comfort of home.

The Victorian railway - travel back in time. . . . .

 

I came across this very important, to me, greeting card many years ago.

I have never sent it to anyone because I cannot part with it!  From the first glance I thought this was me!  It isn't, but it could have been!  Clark's sandals, Peter Pan collared dress, straight bobbed hair.

Growing up at the seaside in Devon actually didn't require taking a holiday there, it was an everyday place. It was home. In summer we often ended days at the beach at Torquay station, just a short walk from the beach, to take the short run to the next station along the line. There, we'd hop on the local bus to our village, riding up a lengthy slow rising hill with views of blue Tor Bay beyond the rolling fields. It was a beautiful place to spend a childhood in the 1940's-50's.

An online newspaper article a couple of weeks back featured 

the same station, the headline read. . . . . . .

PLANS TO MODERNIZE TORQUAY'S VICTORIAN RAILWAY STATION

Apparently the station fails to comply with the law on equality. Major changes are being planned to modernize and install elevators in the two towers so all passengers can use the footbridge to cross between the two platforms. Makes sense, should have been done long ago to assist disabled people as there is no step-free route between the platforms. 

The building is listed because of its historic importance and a surviving example of Victorian railway architecture. It was opened in August 1859, later being rebuilt in 1878 as Torquay grew in popularity as a major holiday resort.

My station photos were taken in May 2019, actually the last trip home as we've been unable to get back since the pandemic hit. Sadly, last year's trip was canceled, and although we are lined up to go this spring, it's looking doubtful with quarantine issues etc.  

That lovely sunny day in May we traveled by train to Cornwall to meet up with longtime blog friend Barbara (also known as Elizabethd at Small Moments). We had the most fun time with her, she is a special lady in many ways.

"A little girl curls up on the train seat at the end of a seaside holiday, 

clutching her bucket and spade, her comics and a rag doll."  

PICTURE POST cover - 1946 (Haywood Magee)

It took a lot of research to find the original photo used on the card. 

Note there are railway workers outside the window, 

and the caption is 'The End of the Holiday.'

I recall the plush velvet upholstery. Overhead there would have 

been a netting 'shelf' to put baggage, and the ticket taker would

 come round with a friendly smile. Those were the days of

the wonderful steam trains.

Sitting here this morning I had a wonderful surprise outside the window.

One of those 'being in the right place at the right time' moments.

A true gift!  

I will share with you later in the week. . . . . . and yes, it's all about 

'the birds' again, of course!

Stay safe - well - and warm.