Sense of place

I have good intentions of walking daily in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which is challenging given the frequency potatoes are available as part of our diet here at the House. It is not uncommon to have macaroni & cheese, garlic bread, and chips at one meal. I know “poor me” having most meals prepared and all I need to do is have my red plastic tray out to receive the daily meal. It is communal living at its finest. Henry “our chef” is a character. A rough and tumble sort of chap, always trying to engage the students with a hearty “You al’right?” to which an appropriate response would be “Fit to hellish”. He badgers them with comments about their hangovers, late evening romps, etc. Although it may be somewhat accurate of a few students it is not characteristic of the majority. Many have commented that this group is a serious, committed, socially conscious one. In fact this past Thursday afternoon the majority spent time clearing portions of the Esk River of debris. Piles of bicycles, toys, prams, etc were dredged out of the river. Several garbage bags full of trash were also collected. They did this as a gesture of taking care of our home. I am proud of these students, their spirit and sense of place. Walking over the bridge that crosses the Esk I could see more debris that looked buried in the silt. It is an ongoing issue, flagrant disregard for the beauty of place.

My thoughts as I walked out of the grounds today and up the road to Woodburn were related to the American way of travel – we are dependent on our automobile for what we do on a daily basis. Here my primary mode of transport is on foot and public bus. So where I go to do errands (“fetch messages” as the Scots would say) has an element of pre-planning. Walking and riding the bus require me to ask questions I normally wouldn’t think about in the US: What do I need? Where will I get it? How heavy is it? Will it fit in my recyclable Tesco bag or backpack? I suspect friends who live in large cities and do not have a personal vehicle are faced with similar questions. I like having to reconsider ways of meeting needs and exploring. My travels are limited; I do not have the means to explore far and wide on a daily basis. However I find ways to create a sense of adventure on these daily jaunts. There is always something new to see and experience.

These past 2 weeks contained family interactions – some wonderfully anticipated, some unexpected. Niece Jane and her beau James departed yesterday after some r & r at the house prior to finishing music gigs in London. They seemed to enjoy all that the grounds offered, mentioning it’s the most rested they’ve felt since arriving in the UK. I am happy that Jane has someone in her life that loves her dearly, is a gifted musician in his own right, and a happy employee of Qualcomm working on cutting edge abstract software development. I learned about the continuum of abstract and pedestrian software to a point of being duly impressed. Their plans to relocate to San Francisco are exciting although they recognize the effort of re-establishing careers and connections will be challenging.

Today is a beautifully warm and sunny with a stiff breeze. Although much work waits, I hope to get out and enjoy the day.