AVIE BUGS OUT!

In my last Blog at “Avies Small World” I told you that I was going home, home to the countryside I love. Well in spite of many difficulties I made it and am now ensconced in a lovely country house in a picturesque village in the heart of rural England.

I had seen pictures of the place of course but nothing could have prepared me for my first sight of the home my son had chosen for us. I was exhausted by weeks of packing and tired from the long journey though I had slept through the later half of it,I awoke as the taxi drove into the village.

We passed a beautiful and ancient church and every house looked quaint and old,suddenly the taxi turned down a quite lane,turned into a leafy drive and finally I was face to face with my new home,I gasped in amazement at the beautiful old house,much larger than it looked in the photographs and the gardens,oh the gardens. It was some time ,and many hugs before the tears stopped and I could take a tour of the house and grounds.

I had been alone at the old house for several,sad awful and very lonely days,so the hugs were much needed . Proudly my son showed me round,first the gardens and then the house.

Even with boxes everywhere it was welcoming and impressive. The Drawing Room,pile high with boxes(the removal van had arrived a little before me) was lovely with a large bay window with a window seat and another window facing the far off hills. A lovely old fireplace and a stove added to the cosy feel of this pretty room.

The library, gosh,what can I say, a large room filled with wooden book shelves (my son's handy work),three huge leather armchairs and small tables dotted about and a large stove set in to and enormous fireplace. Every where there were old beams,not just on the ceiling but the walls too,for me it was perfect.

Some French doors led in to a conservatory which was almost as large as our old sitting room and this in turn led in to my son's study. This had been a dining room and was filled with beautiful crystal light fittings and rich brocade curtains,soon it would house my son's desk and his writing paraphernalia. A set of French doors led out in to the garden and an ornate white fireplace completed the picture.

My next surprise was a kitchen as large as the entire ground floor of our old home and very well laid out. Another set of French doors led out into a shady part of the garden where a seat welcomed the tired gardener or the overheated cook! In the kitchen a massive range glowed in the late afternoon sun.

Another door lead in to the scullery and a small wash room, I was delighted to note that there was a stable door which led out on to the patio and a cat flap for our two much loved moggies.

We sat in the kitchen at the beautiful table specially made for me by my son,drinking coffee and preparing ourselves for the massive task of unpacking the boxes,thanks to the boys the furniture was already in place.

Later as we sat down to our first family meal in our new home we were full of excitement for the future and talked of our plans. Tired as we were it would not be long before we were all showered and in bed.

Upstairs......I'll tell you about that tomorrow.