Bluebells, becks, ducks, peacocks, Anglo-Saxon Saints, yellow & blue fields, and fish & chips.












As you all will probably guess - we are back in Lincolnshire. Becks are nothing to do with Beckham [the footballer] or Becks Bier, becks are the Lincolnshire term for the streams that have biscected this landscape from the Middle Ages, ducks abound and appear in all villages. The peacocks were here when Meadow Court was the grounds of a large farm; the birds decided to stay with plenty of food and good cover of lots of shrubs. Hibaldstow is named after Hybald [apparently an Anglo Saxon Saint of stalwart proportions], the fields are yellow with rape seed oil plants or borage, and this village has a wonderful fish & chip shop, excellent doctors, Women's Institute, and a very good general store selling fattening pies and Grace & Jack's comics. The picture shows the village across a field with the church [and us] to the left and the disused windmill to the right.
The Irish venture is over - was it a mistake? I guess it was in a way, it was certainly costly and could have been painfully costly had we not cut our losses and returned to Lincolnshire. Do we regret it? Perhaps in some ways but then if you do not try to live your dreams and aspirations then you will forever wonder. Tina and I have lived our lives - that's for sure.
Ireland is still one of the most beautiful places on earth, at times magical, but in becoming the "Celtic Tiger" a lot of its charm and gentleness has gone. You are likely to be served by a nice lass or lad from the Czech Republic or Poland saving money to get married back in their own country and thrust off the road by a brash hard Irishman or woman with bling driving a Chelsea tractor [SUV]. Nobody in their right mind could condone the poverty that used to be there but in joining Europe they should have kept the charm, the humour, and pace of life; it is now in short supply.
Was it a big mistake? Heck no! Tina and I were thrust together with no friends or family on hand to share problems or joys with on a regular basis, yes we phoned frequently, but the sense of it being just us was always present particularly late at night and first thing in the morning.
The experience confirmed that not only do we love each other [how could we not?] but we actually like and respect each other. Do not assume that we always agree, that would be unusual and boring [in a way], but we do really like the person and besides talk, listen.



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