On the Road Again

After hours of driving on fairly empty roads earlier in the week, today was a day that needed serious driving concentration! I left Bingham around 9:30am, and opted to travel east to Grantham and join the A1 going south – slightly less stressful than using the M1.  SatNav managed to navigate me off at the right place and weave me through a south-west route to Wheathampstead, where at noon I found Peter and Elspeth’s home – I’d not visited them in their new place. Peter’s the oldest cousin of the Coult side of the family, and I had the luck that his youngest daughter, Helen, was visiting from her current home in Singapore.  It was lovely to have time to catch up with them, and to be introduced to their lovely garden, stretching way behind the house.

I'm sure there's a fish in that pond....

Elspeth & Peter

Time didn’t allow for a long stay, and I hit the road again at 4pm, this time heading over towards Reading. Driving was a little more edgy, with three motorways to negotiate, but SatNav once again proved a winner and landed me at Fran’s place near Caversham. She and I were at university together, and share a passion for church music.  I went though university and college saying “I want to teach!” and then got into the classroom and discovered it was the last thing I wanted to do; she went into teaching somewhat reluctantly but had a very successful and fulfilling career in private schools, as well as being a community choir and church choir director. For both of us, it felt as if it was no time at all since we’d been together, and it was lovely to share memories and events in our lives. 

SO good to be together again!

My trips to England, up till Mum’s death, have been mainly about spending my time in Bingham, and this holiday has been a great opportunity to catch up on other family members and friends.