River Spa Break

Words On Blips And Kindness On A Life Journey

Saturday July 18th 2020

Last Wednesday the farmer-vendor withdrew the land we had made an offer on from sale as a separate lot, meaning we can no longer afford it. We must shake it from our minds and move on, although our minds revisit it unasked as it had felt like home and it has been the closest to getting the next big life adventure in motion. It had been scary, facing that jump, so we had braced ourselves: stagnation was a bigger fear, so we had been running at it; and then it was gone. Yesterday we took a trip around two lots that were beautiful and possible until on the journey back we realised they are both too far away and the roads were bad, (bad as in likely to get our planning applications blocked) and this would become a huge burden very quickly. We do not have the strength for that complication. And while my eyes and heart and mind delighted in the sweep of pasture and muddy, tangled up woods, intuition was untouched. If it’s going to be a test you need gut-love. (Or more cash, haha.. Lottery win? Would accept this plot device in my story, we’ve grafted enough for balance.)

Overall one must conclude that it is not a bad life, haring up and down teeny lanes where the hedges are ten feet tall and wafting with meadowsweet, wading through fields conjuring huts and lakes and further adventures, sitting in an open car peeling off damp socks, putting ointment on fly bites and sipping cold coffee. This week, after the nearly-found-it rebound landhunt, we taught 2 Tae Kwon-Do mini-classes outside at Simmons Park, Okehampton. We could hear the river behind us, there was a puff of herbal smoke on the breeze (which the locals say is a usual thing.) Dogs ran through, wagging tails, it was warm, not too warm, birds sang, we all felt happy. Repeated our land adventures to students and parents, we are all caught up in this now. The river there is shallow, good for paddling not swimming. On the way home we stopped at Meldon, walked down through the woods to a pool hollowed by a moderate waterfall. I swam across reflections of trees to get a massage from the turbulence. Mr sat on rocks, listened to the music of the river-spa. We have firmed up plans, found where our whole selves want to be headed. We have found ourselves supported. We are on the same journey. It's surprising what we know about boreholes, photovoltaic power, water management, rural planning; we also have practical support, offers of installation and diggers. Thank you dear everyone for your kindness. Thank you bumps-in-the-road for your teaching. Thank you river for washing off the doubt.