I have been home a week tomorrow. The last two days of my trip were so busy I didn’t have time to write. My week was spent dealing with a Great British cold and getting back in to the groove here. Mountains of laundry, calf weaning, and regular farm stuff have taken up my time. Of course I have missed home. I came in and spoke to each cat and dog before I got my luggage out of the car Monday night. I also miss England, the rescue, Katie and other friends and…Salsa. The volunteers have been doing a great job of making sure she gets her lap time and sending photos to prove it! But it’s a warm thought when I think of them; I am grateful for the rare and rich experience and relationships.

On Saturday we went to Filey Beach, which is on the east coast. It’s a beautiful beach, less crowded than some of its neighbors. We walked the beach, had lunch at a cafe right on the beach with beautiful views and then went into the town. It was another lovely outing and a completely different landscape between Bradford and the coast. It was flatter, more crop land and I actually saw stands of some sort of tall pine that reminded me of home (Georgia).

Sunday morning I did my last volunteer shift at the rescue and spent the afternoon cleaning the apartment and packing the suitcase I vow never to take back. It weighed 63 pounds friends. How? (A VERY nice Virgin Atlantic employee waived my heavy bag fee, saving me $100.)

Sunday evening Katie, Carol, her brother Chris (who loans me the bike) and I went to a nice pub dinner. I had to get Fish and Chips one last time! It was the perfect way to end the trip. After saying my sad goodbyes I went back to the apartment and met Rita, the woman I rent from. We had planned to go for a coffee but never made it happen so she came up to chat for about half an hour. Rita is another wonderful person who after my first trip lets me rent the apartment offline of Air BnB and simply blocks it off when I tell her my travel dates. It would be difficult to do the trip without the apartment. It’s affordable, nice/clean, safe, and convenient. Like many people I have met in Bradford, I feel I have known Rita longer than I have.

Of course there’s already conversation about the next trip! Possible outings and activities, flat whites, good ale, good food and great friends. I am blessed indeed.