It’s been a little over a week since we returned from England, though it feels much longer. Thanks to our wonderful farm sitters we were able to have a carefree vacation and all animals were as well attended to as if we were here. However, having been gone for so long we had tons of laundry and general housekeeping to catch up on and I had all the crap I said I wasn’t going to buy to unpack. I think we brought back 12-15 packs of ramen noodles. Yes, you read that correctly. In our defense, we cannot get curry and varying flavors of curry ramen noodles here. We also brought back lots of seasonings. As I write this I am very much missing my curry house and Thai restaurants that were steps from my apartment in Bradford. I also miss the wonderful selection of lettuces. I suppose the climate lends itself to lettuce and mushrooms.

Those of you who know me well know I am a creature of habit and thrive on routine. The older I get the more I say “no” to events that create stress or discomfort and I don’t have time for things that simply do not matter to me. I have to give myself a pat on the back for acclimating to my new surroundings in England AND returning to my current life without a hitch really. It wasn’t a big deal. Proof we do what we like and want to do. Yes, the first 5 days or so were a bit stressful as I learned my way around but I soon found my routine and I was very happy in it. Then Sara came and ruined it all! That is a joke. True, but a joke nonetheless. She and I had a wonderful time exploring and already talk about things we can do upon our return.

Reflecting upon the trip, I feel I have made lifelong friends, and hope some of them will visit us in Tennessee. I so enjoyed talking to and getting to know everyone. I have been asked what was my favorite thing. I would have to say the quiet moments at the rescue, talking with Katie and just doing my little kennel cleaning and getting to love on the permanent residents. In addition to that, Sunday mornings at the rescue are complete chaos and fun! SO many people are there (Sunday is deep clean day and the rescue is open to the public in the afternoon) and there is much laughter and conversation. I was so tired after those days! A good tired like working here on the farm. I also learned a lot. I got to see cases come in and see the difference proper supportive care can make for a very sick and compromised animal. I have more respect than ever for Katie and her volunteers. She runs a tight ship with a loyal crew and they do truly amazing work. I was reminded just how much goes on behind the scenes and how important the volunteers are.

Upon our return we have been inspired to live a little healthier. I couldn’t believe how weak I felt when I first began to ride the bike so I didn’t want to lose the strength I gained. I got the mountain bike I purchased last year out and have been riding at least every other day. We have been walking more and have cut back on some of the proverbial bad habits. It’s one of my favorite times of the year with long, hot days and plenty of time outdoors. I also can say with certainty stopping the horse showing is something I am completely at peace with. We loved it while we did it and had many dreams come true. I will never forget the feeling I had standing at the gate of the John Justin Arena in Ft. Worth TX at the World Appaloosa show. It was a very long road for a little country girl who simply dreamed of one day going to an Appaloosa show and winning a ribbon. I now look forward to doing some trail riding and enjoying our horses without spending all our extra time and money on them! The trip proved I am ready to travel and I do plan to go back to see my friends in Bradford, hopefully with another extended visit. Sara and I have a trip to Costa Rica in March and are always talking about places we would like to see.

We are also inspired to do some home improvements from all that work at the rescue! Ha! I bought us one of those spinning mop and buckets after using one at the rescue. That got a lot of laughs but that thing made an impression on me. Maybe I will mop more…. We also plan to completely redo our catio and I came home and planted flowers. I was worried I might be a little down after getting home but I am happy, inspired, and so grateful for the time I had in England. So grateful for Katie, Jenny, Carol, Laura, and all the volunteers I met. Sara and I live a pretty darn rich life and there’s no price to put on experiences like the one I just had nor does my little blog give justice to the fullness I feel (not from ramen noodles). Of course I miss being there. We had a video chat this past weekend and I wanted to be there with them, having a “cupatea,” said in my best Yorkshire accent. Of course it was hard to leave. I thought about Manisha a lot on my way to say goodbye. I wished she had been there and I thought about how different it might have been. But now, in hindsight I know Manisha was a catalyst to making the trip happen and I am thankful for that. I also have a special memento from my trip which I will post below. It is perhaps a bit humorous but I love it. I also have a lovely pink cotton blanket I purchased because the English use duvets and it was too hot for a duvet one week but I needed something light. What did we do before Amazon?

In closing, thank you again to all who made the trip possible. Thank you to those who followed my adventure. Thank you little white cat from Dubai.

You will never be forgotten.

This picture of Manisha came home with me. ❤️