Tara Tuesdays - Part 23
Posted on 25 September 2012
Village Life
I don't know if anyone else loves the Archers as much as I do but my Sunday morning ironing sessions are so much better when I listen to the omnibus edition of the show at 10.00! "It's not real" my husband always says to me and I know it's not as it is recorded in a studio in Birmingham, however, when I listen to it I never think of the actors in a studio with sound effects etc, the beauty of it for me is that it IS real! I find listening to audio very relaxing although it is a bit heavy at the moment with some strong story lines, but I still really enjoy it regardless!
Since leaving work back in March, it has been SO lovely to be at home and also to be in my village as I was always commuting and was only rarely here at weekends as was too busy trying to catch up with everyone as well as all the usual chores, same old, same old! What I have realised is that there is just SO much going on that I wouldn't know about if I hadn't been here so much lately! Of course this will change when I start my new job next week (more on that soon!) but for now, I am enjoying the little time I have left!
I am lucky to have a gorgeous fruit, veg and florist shop right opposite me and have had a great time this summer catching up with Kerrie the florist who works there! I will go over for a few things and come back an hour later as we have been chatting! The shop is her Dad's and he has been here for more than 30 years and they grow their own flowers and veg and often have inviting displays of flowers and plants and gifts outside which Kerrie also displays in the window too. Kerrie always makes my Christmas garland for me for my fireplace and also my wreath for my front door, but this year she has said that she will be running some courses so I will be able to make my own which will be great!
Kerrie has two beautiful horses and I had the pleasure of looking after them for her for a week this summer when she went away! They are lovely girls and were quite good for me and loved being groomed although Fortune did tread on me (by accident) ouch! Kerrie did this gorgeous display for me as a thank you which I was delighted with!
On the other side, dead opposite my house is the Kings Arms Pub where I went only last night for my wedding anniversary and had a gorgeous meal of scallops and lamb, food face! The pub currently have their 3rd set of piglets in:
A few weeks ago they had Rotherfest on the Millenium Green which I am fortunate enough to overlook from my lounge! This was a music festival which was great, the weather was good although it got a little bit cold later but we had the windows open and could hear all of the bands, I didn't even mind the reggae music that the DJ played in between which isn't normally to my taste! Amongst other things, Justin the landlord of the pub runs the "Down Town Fish Bar" during the week and I remember when we first moved to the village, how excited we got when the van used to be here on a Friday night! When the weather is good, the beer garden at the back of the pub is packed as it seems all the families in the village get their orders in and eat outside, the kids have a whale of a time playing afterwards, I do love my fish and chips but try not to have it every week if I can!
We have an antique shop and also the Village Store that have recently taken over the Post Office, a hairdressers, the most beautiful Church, a Doctor's surgery, and much more! What I wasn't really aware of is the Charity "Rotherfield St Martin" that is run from the village in it's offices just a little way up the road from me. The founder Jo Evans was recently interviewed on my local news which was great publicity for the Charity and my house and car was even in the clip which was fab!!!! You can see it again here if you missed it. Up until recently I have done a little bit of voluntary work and attended some Committee meetings and have taken the minutes for RSM and decided that they could do with a new Tea Cosy as their old one was looking a bit past it's best, this picture captures the moment perfectly, as soon as I gave the Cosy to Jo, she put it on her head, a bit like me in my sewing class with Em! Great minds think alike!!!!
Finally, here are a couple of pictures of the village taken in 1905 and more recently in 2010, check out that snow! Also, the saddlery shop is now the Florist and Growers! As a townie originally from South London, I regularly tell myself how lucky I am to live here!
