Moving back to Cheltenham is a dream come true for Nick and me. Ever since we left here in 2007, we have talked about how we would jump at the chance to live here again someday.
Yet when Nick was offered the job here this August and we actually saw our opportunity to move back, we didn't jump immediately. In fact, we balked and tried our best to talk ourselves out of it.
Why? Because it's hard to live 5,000 miles from home. Half a world away from family and friends. Nowhere even close to support and help and convenience. Besides, we had already been living in Europe for three years. We were both very ready to get closer to home. And the realities of living "across the pond" for six years in succession were difficult to face.
Trust me, friends, it's easy to sit there in your giant, air-conditioned American house with your mom a short drive away (and with Target round the corner and Walgreen's just down the street) and say, "Wow! I would LOVE to live in Europe."
I'm not complaining. Really, I'm not. But the decision to move here was a tough one.
After one week here, I'm beginning to remember why this was a dream destination. I am starting to believe that this will be better than the last three years in Germany.
Exhibit A: The Play Farm. It's Ramba Zamba Light. It's on a smaller scale and the Department of Health and Safety has nixed some of the unbridled wildness, but it's still loads of fun. In the words of Kate, "The Play Farm is just like Ramba Zamba, but without any of the scary alligator guys."
Exhibit B: Jamie Oliver's Italian Restaurant. Not only was the food excellent, this place had character. Even in the bathroom. The best part was when two giggling 70-something English ladies walked out of their stalls and said to each other in their posh English accents, "Did you see that? No doubt why they are called CRAPPERS!"
Exhibit C: Bath Road Shops with Susan. On Friday we drove to Swatty and Tricky's house for a picnic lunch. After a cup of tea and biscuits, we "popped round to the shops" near their house. Susan and I with our three kids in their matching strollers made a trip to the post office, hair salon, public toilets, and the charity book shop. After about an hour, Susan turned to me and said, "Strawbs, is this imagined what it would be like to live here again?" I stopped dead in my tracks, squealed like a little girl, jumped up and down a few times, and hugged my dear Swatty right there in the middle of the road.
(Thank God no one photographed that!)
Exhibit D: Churches of Cheltenham. We made our first trip to Christ Church this morning. It was a great service -- the girls even went by themselves to Sunday school! -- and we were warmly welcomed by at least a dozen people. It's a nice welcome indeed when the vicar scribbles down his phone number and urges you to call him if you need anything at all during the move-in process. After church we went to lunch at Zizzi...which happens to be inside an old church. After a fun morning and a delicious lunch -- complete with a dessert course of orange and lemon sorbet -- Ella exclaimed loudly, "Mom, I LOVE church!"
Yet when Nick was offered the job here this August and we actually saw our opportunity to move back, we didn't jump immediately. In fact, we balked and tried our best to talk ourselves out of it.
Why? Because it's hard to live 5,000 miles from home. Half a world away from family and friends. Nowhere even close to support and help and convenience. Besides, we had already been living in Europe for three years. We were both very ready to get closer to home. And the realities of living "across the pond" for six years in succession were difficult to face.
Trust me, friends, it's easy to sit there in your giant, air-conditioned American house with your mom a short drive away (and with Target round the corner and Walgreen's just down the street) and say, "Wow! I would LOVE to live in Europe."
I'm not complaining. Really, I'm not. But the decision to move here was a tough one.
After one week here, I'm beginning to remember why this was a dream destination. I am starting to believe that this will be better than the last three years in Germany.
Exhibit A: The Play Farm. It's Ramba Zamba Light. It's on a smaller scale and the Department of Health and Safety has nixed some of the unbridled wildness, but it's still loads of fun. In the words of Kate, "The Play Farm is just like Ramba Zamba, but without any of the scary alligator guys."
 |
| Just look at that cow and sheep -- nothing wild or scary about them! |
Exhibit B: Jamie Oliver's Italian Restaurant. Not only was the food excellent, this place had character. Even in the bathroom. The best part was when two giggling 70-something English ladies walked out of their stalls and said to each other in their posh English accents, "Did you see that? No doubt why they are called CRAPPERS!"
 |
| Yes, that is a toilet tank. And yes, it says "CRAPPER'S." |
Exhibit C: Bath Road Shops with Susan. On Friday we drove to Swatty and Tricky's house for a picnic lunch. After a cup of tea and biscuits, we "popped round to the shops" near their house. Susan and I with our three kids in their matching strollers made a trip to the post office, hair salon, public toilets, and the charity book shop. After about an hour, Susan turned to me and said, "Strawbs, is this imagined what it would be like to live here again?" I stopped dead in my tracks, squealed like a little girl, jumped up and down a few times, and hugged my dear Swatty right there in the middle of the road.
(Thank God no one photographed that!)
Exhibit D: Churches of Cheltenham. We made our first trip to Christ Church this morning. It was a great service -- the girls even went by themselves to Sunday school! -- and we were warmly welcomed by at least a dozen people. It's a nice welcome indeed when the vicar scribbles down his phone number and urges you to call him if you need anything at all during the move-in process. After church we went to lunch at Zizzi...which happens to be inside an old church. After a fun morning and a delicious lunch -- complete with a dessert course of orange and lemon sorbet -- Ella exclaimed loudly, "Mom, I LOVE church!"
 |
| There they are...at lunch in church. |
*gasp!* Kate looks bigger to me. Sad. :( I'm glad you guys are LOVING your new/old area- but I do miss hanging out with you terribly. We talk sometimes about the pros and cons that we felt while living in Deutschland and forming a friendship with you is a big PRO for me. Take care of your itty bitty girls! :)
ReplyDeleteSo I am curious....what did Swatty & Tricky have? Also I might have missed this but is that their real names? Glad you guys are reconnected!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you guys are getting settled and are warming up to your awesome town!! I'm slow on the blog thing, just found it :)
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