Home from home, or home and away.

 I spend a lot of time in my head imagining I am being interviewed,  I have these narratives running around. Probably not unusual. When I stride about in my leggings for example I tell myself I am a youthful older person, which is probably why I was using my nieces scooter when I fell off and sprained my ankle badly,   but when she asks me to run up hill, the voice in my head says run but my legs do not obey, my legs tell me I am not pretend elderly I am elderly.  Young older person statistically yes, but the old lady legs and arms skin also tell me the same story.      Like all things in life it is how one squares that version of oneself with the internal version, it is a constant dialogue.    

Inverness

When I moved from my home to my flat, I imposed a narrative, your son has left home, you are no longer a family you are a single person again,  revive yourself and enjoy this next phase by downsizing. The minute I arrived in my flat, I realised it was a false narrative, and ever since I have not known how to tell myself my own story about where to live. Perhaps where I am living is home, yet I still hanker for home. 

Pitlochry

Yet I also hanker for travel, but this Covid world has made that seem a smaller space dream, and so I embraced this and my old lady narrative, by booking for what I knew would be a holiday mainly occupied by older people by coach up to Scotland and I am pleased to say it went well.  I did tell myself I was one of the younger ones,  but the 80 year old who outwalked me showed that youth is not always fitness.  But that was why it was so wonderful, not having to drag my own case around, not having to get myself from A to B or worry about when the bus or train would come. My only worry was the torrential rain that was forecast which might have seen us all off, but which only materialised thankfully when we were in the coach.  Because of the restrictions imposed in Scotland, some things were off the agenda including a train ride and whiskey distillery visit, but the scenery, history, food, location and company made up for it.    I have now spent so much time in the north of England this year that I begin to feel like a local.   But when I get home, will the south still command my attention?

                                                     

Carousel production Open Air Theatre Regent's Park. 

Moray Firth

Well done. UK team,  brilliant Olympics,  both the winners and the participants, but how lovely that we did so well in this show without an audience, where the Japanese were watching events on their doorstep via TV and yet where excitement was still conveyed.