After France, we popped over the channel for a little while. Somewhere where everything was so familiar, we realised just how much of our colonial heritage we've retained. We still didn't manage a double decker bus ride through town, as was promised for little owlet's birthday. But one day soon... What we did manage was fish & chips, bangers & mash and hours of music to listen to, playing everything English in our collection. We read books, lots of old favourites. We watched Time Team, Mr Bean, Pride and Prejudice (an owlet favourite) and a snippet of Lord of the Rings. We took tea with scones and home made jam. We talked about the Royal Family, with particular interest in the Queen, forever known in our household since the recent Royal wedding as Mrs. Buttercup. We ate Sunday roast, as we often do, but with slightly more enthusiasm this week, as well as yorkshire pud, elderflower cordial and trifle for dessert. Then more music, watching as many film clips as we could recall before bedtime... My favourite moment: realising just how chalk and cheese big and little owlet are. We played the British national anthem, God Save the Queen. Big Owlet stood with hand on heart, singing along, while Little Owlet shouted and cried. She didn't like that one. Then we put on the Sex Pistols version. To which Little Owlet danced enthusiastically and Big Owlet cried with her hands over her ears. Yep. She's the Alex P. Keaton of the family. Little Owlet is slightly more Vivienne Westwood...
Then we packed away our English things. Moved on and woke up someplace else. But woke to hear of riots all over London. How could this be? Children. Violence. Poverty. We thought of the world our ancestors left behind when they came here from England and other nearby places. Escaping similar things. And we thought of how little the world has changed. How lucky we are to be here, in our nest, where our children know only love and peace and security. Lucky.
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Each week we "visit" a different country. If you feel inclined to do the same, we'd love to hear about it. Leave a comment and a link if you'd like. xx
oh please tell me you watched Mary Poppins!!! - georgi
ReplyDeleteAh, you took me on such a journey, Lauren! Loved the pic, loved what you ate, listened to, watched and sang! Loved the image of your two, so different, so themselves. Oh, I can see them so clearly, one singing, the other not-at-all, then vice versa and with SUCH heart.
ReplyDeleteAnd then, you took me to Now, which is real and so very sad. And yes, how little the world has changed, and yet, and yet? I hope. And look where good is, and where love and peace and security lie and just try to believe—that the more it's lived, wholly, purely, the more Good spreads. I hope. I so want it to.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Lauren.