I'm moving. I'm going to live in the Cotswolds, on a big estate of land with fields of wheat, beautiful English gardens, maybe some sheep roaming the hillside. I'm going to drink afternoon tea, go on long walks, maybe get a small English looking dog, one that doesn't shed and preferably doesn't poop either (ok, I can waiver on the last requirement), I'm also going to read all the classics that I didn't read, and then the ones I did, again. I'm going to garden, read, write, cook, paint, ride horses, get a Peloton to stay fit when the weather sucks, and maybe I'll get my masters online. Not sure when I'm doing that, but it's now on my bucket list.
On our way to our van this morning a man outside his house (where we were parked in front) made a comment to John about how big the van was. John replied, 'yeah, well, we've got four kids so we need a big van." The man's reply, with a big smile, was, "you figured out what's causing all those kids yet?" I thought that was pretty cute.
We visited two villages today, Bourton-on-the-Water, and Stow-on-the-Wold. Both within 30 minutes from us in the same direction. It's too much adorableness for one day. One darling cottage after another, just like out of a movie. The villages were busier, but not insane, but I will note that the average age of people seemed to hover around 70'ish. Every other car is luxury or a cool old Defender, so I'm thinking that it's just an affluent area that attracts older people who can live the country lifestyle at the price range that comes with the Cotswolds. Everyone seems incredibly friendly though, it's been super pleasant to be in a country where people actually don't seem to resent you being there. It's not that the French, Spanish or Portuguese were unfriendly, they weren't, but sometimes you could feel this veiled "tolerance" to our presence, our ignorance in their country, our lack of language. Being in England feels like coming home, but totally different at the same time.
We just spent the day walking around both towns, investigating old bookstores (there are a lot of bookstores), and sweet little Tea Houses (ton of those too.) Things seem more affordable than France for sure, groceries, restaurants etc. Groceries for example are less expensive here than in the U.S.
We ate a long lunch outside, and then bought more groceries for dinner. The house is an easy place to come back to in the late afternoon to relax. There is plenty of shade in the backyard and it's nice enough that you want to be there to relax. It's much hotter than normal here, and the temp was in the high 80's today, but tomorrow is suppose to only be 77 degrees (which I think is more average for the area.) Per John, who is trying to ground my new love for the place, explained to me that it gets less sun hours per year than where we are in Oregon, approximately 1500 and we get 1900. Provence was up at like 2700 or something like that. It rains here frequently, hence the lushness, and the temps are generally cooler in the summer. That's fine by me to be honest, I"m not a huge hot weather fan. A handful of 90 degree days is enough for me, the rest can be a nice mellow 78. I've never been here in the dreary winter, but being tucked away in a beautiful stone house with fireplaces in every room sounds pretty cozy.
We took a long walk in the evening and got caught in a little rain shower, but walking in the country was just perfect (once we got off the narrow and dangerous road.) The hills were full of sheep and goats, everything lush and green, the air felt clean and smelled like warm hay. Later in the evening, around midnight there was a huge thunderstorm that sprang up. The violent and sudden onset was intense, and the thunder and lightening were something amazing to watch. It's unlike what we have in the NW, more much. intense. The littles woke up, and we all had trouble sleeping during it because the rain was beating down so hard, the thunder cracked and the sky kept flashing big blue bolts of light. It seemed to be a personification of the edginess that the countryside has, which contrasts to it's visual gentleness. It has this almost mournful undercurrent to it, coupled with the pedigree and manicured wild. There is a broodiness just under the surface that you feel more when the weather darkens and the skies open up, like it might lull you to sleep and then swallow you whole. I like that contrast.
Ava has somehow managed to maneuver going to London tomorrow morning via a train, to meet another school friend and spend the next two nights with her (until we arrive on Friday.) The country is too mellow for her, she doesn't have a lower energy setting.
Signed, ME {lv}
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