Our time in England has been a time of reminiscing, firstly back in MK and now in Lincoln. These two places where I lived for 38 years in total, so familiar. As well as visiting old friends it has been a chance to revisit places – familiar haunts.
Swanholme & Hartsholme Lakes
Right on our doorstep in Lincoln is an area of woodland and gravel pit reservoirs.
Our time in England has been a time of reminiscing, firstly back in MK and now in Lincoln. These two places where I lived for 38 years in total, so familiar. As well as visiting old friends it has been a chance to revisit places – familiar haunts.
Whisby Nature Reserve
An opportunity to catch up with family and visit Whisby Nature Reserve. A wetland reserve on the edge of Lincoln.
T Minus 6
After our time in Cheddar meeting with Anita’s family, today a chance to touch base with mine, courtesy of Mum. My Aunts and Uncles are visiting along with one of my cousins. As we have grown older these gatherings have been fewer and farther between. It’s great to catch up and nice they could come. There are others in my family who aren’t here so to them fondest wishes too and hopefully we will be able to catch up when we return. Certainly we hope to keep in touch my electronic means.
T Minus 7
So with Friday here – it is now the case that every day will be the last in the UK for the time being. It is amazing to realise how time has flown in the last 90 days – it hardly seemed that long ago I was recalling the half way point but now we are in the final week.
Today was spent doing a little sight-seeing in my home town of Lincoln, plus a little more last-minute shopping ( picking up things ordered on Wednesday.
It was great to wander through the town and to descend, then ascend Steep Hill in Lincoln, thus ticking off another bucket list item. When you live in a place, you can take it for granted and so it is with Lincoln. The Cathedral dominates the city and is an amazing piece of architecture – it was the tallest building in the world in the Middle Ages (until 1589 when the central spire collapsed). It is far too expensive to go into (unfortunately) but the views are good from the Castle (much cheaper) and the square below. Steep Hill is a fitting name – it’s a good climb up with plenty of little shops on route. At the top the Cathedral and Castle are sited on opposite sides of a square. The castle is currently undergoing refurbishment prior to the arrival of Magna Carta in Spring 2015. Even so part of the wall is walkable with some fantastic views, when finished the wall will be navigable.
This morning it was great to spend time with my brother and to have a walk around Swanholme Lakes a local nature reserve. The old gravel pits have become lakes and surrounded by woodland. Blackberries and Acorns adorned the bushes and trees – still ripening away. Funny to think we will not be here for Autumn this year. The reserve is a familiar haunt and a walk we do most times we come to Lincoln – it was a slice of the familiar before the unfamiliar which awaits.
T Minus 8 Today another thing to tick off on the Bucket List. Clumber Park is a National Trust Property in a North Nottinghamshire; part of Sherwood Forest. It’s a place we went very much in our childhood and youth. A large open space for walking, picnicking, ball games. Today a place to wander as we circumnavigated the lake. Memories of years gone by and a chance to talk.
Posted in Holiday, travel, UK Living
Tagged Anita, Clumber Park, Graham, Lake, Lincoln, Mum, Nottinghamshire, Sherwood Forest
T Minus 9
Today has been a shopping day in preparation for Tanzania. Traffic in Lincoln was as bad as ever so it took much longer than expected. 
Even so our spree resulted in shoes for all (2 pairs each) ;school uniform for our kids; a work suit for me (linen – for the hotter climes – not sure if I’ll need a jacket but useful even so); a mini camera and an iPad Air (our iPad 1 being on it’s last legs) to add to our collection of electronics – we feel this important and necessary in our transition and will provide some semblance of normality along with the laptops for work etc.
We have also plumped for trekking towels – I found that these worked excellently in Vietnam /Cambodia last summer and are do much less bulky than the traditional material. It’s a bit like drying with a chamois leather but very effective and they dry so quickly.
I really don’t know how all this is squeezing into the luggage, but needs must.
T Minus 9
Our grand tour continues as we make our way to Lincoln. Although not the place of my birth – it is the place I grew up in and now we have sold it is the closest thing to home there is (for now). A house I moved to in 1972 with lots of memories so a good place to reflect ahead of the move. I will feel the leaving of this place almost as much as my own home (perhaps more so as this was such a rush in the end).
It is a place I lived in until 1984, and came back to throughout the next four years whilst at University; rather like this visit with a tonne of washing (following our 10 days under canvas!). Even after 1988, it was still a home from home – especially in those years before 1993 when I bought my own house. Now we are homeless (in the UK) at least it has reverted to it’s prior role for the first time in 21 years.
Lincoln is the place I transitioned from
childhood through teens to adulthood; the place I became a Christian. Similarly MK was the place I transitioned from young adulthood to middle age; single to married to parenthood.
Life lived in phases (the seeds of another blog in that phrase alone!).
The next phase is rushing upon us – where will it lead and how will I (we) change?
For certain the next 5 years will see the transition in our family, as our kids finish school and start out on their own careers / university / college courses, becoming young adults (as I was when I left Lincoln). You never give up on being a parent but things will change, whether we go to Africa or not.
Posted in Getting out, UK Living
T Minus 26
A second day in Lincoln, at the home I grew up in from the age of 6. It’s strange to think by the end of the week this will be the only house in the UK with which I can call home (I know I don’t own it but 42 years down the line I think it is very much my second home – the place you grow up is always your home whilst it’s still in your parents possession). We will return here once more before we leave for a few days mid-August.
It’s been a relaxing couple of days with Mum and my brother and his wife. The gorgeous hot weather has allowed us to eat al fresco. This morning we went to St George’s (my very first church) and though there were very few folk who were from my era it was nice to see some familiar faces and we were prayed out. Amazingly one of the members of the church (Lyn) used to work at Isamilo as a year 6 teacher. It’s such a small world! It was good get some insight into Mwanza.
T Minus 27
Here in Lincoln at Mum’s on a sweltering hot July afternoon.
T Minus 53
As with many of these blogs this started as a thought on the journey home from work. That thought germinated and grew into an idea which developed into this post 🙂
T Minus 62
I’m writing this from Lincoln where I am up for the day. It’s a chance to visit Mum and to bring her back to stay with us for the week, but there is another purpose to the visit. I am here to drop off some items for storage.
In recent weeks Anita has been frantically scanning all of our photo albums. These are now fully digitised (she was up until 5:45am and has stayed home to sleep). So these albums are boxed and ready to store. These are accompanied by our Vinyl records and the DVD cases emptied of their contents which we will pack.
Another milestone on our route out of here!
Posted in Getting out, Getting Prepared
Tagged Anita, Clearance, clearing out, Graham, Lincoln, Mum, storage
This weeks Travel Theme is Fresh – here is my take on the theme
There’s nothing like fresh fruit picked off the bush. I think Blackberries are probably my favorite although Raspberries run a close second and Strawberries third. These were picked in Whisby Nature Reserve near Lincoln in August 2008
Posted in blogging
Tagged Blackberries, fresh, Lincoln, photo, Raspberries, Strawberries, theme, travel, UK, Whisby Nature Reserve
Lincoln High Street on a Sunday Lunchtime near Stonebow.
Serekunda, The Gambia
Serekunda Market in The Gambia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Two Monks in Phnom Penh
Talinn, Estonia
Quiet streets in Talinn old town
Prague, Czech Republic
Narrowest Street in Prague
Rome, Italy
Outside the Vatican in Rome
Posted in Tanzanian living
Tagged challenge, Lincoln, photo, postaday, Stonebow, Street Life, weekly
T Minus 145
This morning we are up in Lincoln having travelled up with Mum last night.
In the UK today is Mothering Sunday (aka Mother’s Day) but apparently they are not the same.
Posted in Normality, UK Living
Tagged Christian, church, Fiona, Lincoln, mother, mother's Day, Mothering Sunday, Mum, St George's, Stephen, travel
Graham has been to: Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Ethiopia, France, United Kingdom, Gibraltar, Gambia, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Kenya,Cambodia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Netherlands, Qatar, Rwanda, Slovenia, Slovakia, Senegal, Thailand, Turkey, Tanzania, Uganda, Vatican, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
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Tanza-Longs 
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