Punky

Taken October 6, 2004 ... shortly before I returned to the UK. Sometimes in Autumn I miss the Northeast US with it's vibrant colors, smells and flavors. I wonder if there are pumpkin farms here? --- and I wonder if anyone here has seen the "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" Halloween special -- which I remember as always being sponsored by Dolly Madison snack cakes. Mmmm, zingers were my favorite... and every now and then, after undoubtedly being very very good, Mom would sneak one into my lunch box (perhaps accompanied by an American cheese and pickle relish sandwich). Halloween isn't much over here, but apparently is growing in popularity each year. I've definitely noticed a lot more creepy stuff around than when I first moved over in 2000 --- the largest selection so far is the one I saw at Woolworth's. That's right, I said Woolworth's ... one of the original American five-and-dime stores that is no longer found in America! Well, rest assured, it exists here in England and is chock full of good ol' tacky Halloween paraphernalia.

do not drink

is this an admonition or teetotaler's incantation?

from A to ZED

i have been cleaning out my hard drive, sifting and sorting through folders full of images, trying to get things more organized. sometimes the images are funny time capsules, especially ones around the house where there is something with a back story in the background. like a shelf with mary's london street map book on it:























or some pictures of the house just after we painted.
it was fall and i had purchased some blood oranges and pears:















this image sets my taste buds to wanting some juicy blood oranges and all those other fall tastes that will soon be coming into season.

our "daytripping" today involved dumpster diving, unfortunately i did not bring my camera along (shame on me) i will try to share pictures of our plunders tomorrow

Sun and Storm

I'm not sure what homesick means anymore. It's a longing, but not for a place, no one place... at least as far as I can tell. It's people, yes, ... but also feelings, smells, tastes, memories and daydreams, sensations that no one has ever found a word to describe. It's comfort, but familiar discomfort as well. It's where sadness is cradled and soothed, where happiness is exalted. Homesickness is a longing, and for me a longing for something seemingly ever out of reach. I crossed the ocean, and the whole issue became more complicated than I could have imagined. Home isn't where you hang your hat... that I do know.

This is where I live. It's an area called Tankerton in the town of Whitstable. It's in Kent County in the Southeast of England, an hour and fifteen minutes from central London by train. It's a place that some people call home.

daydreaming of tejas and amigas

i have been feeling homesick lately, which can be difficult when more than one place feels like home. sometimes home is just somewhere with good friends, and all my friends are scattered/sprinkled from the northwest to the southwest to the windy city to the other side of the globe and beyond. my chica mary is living in whitstable which is too far away to meet up for a glass of wine, or a wee dram and girlie chat. so we have to a settle for a blog, which we can use to inspire/motivate/keep in touch with each other.