Taunton, Wadebridge, Exeter, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter again, London, Bournemouth... a ten day crazy merry-go-round of trains and cars, rails and roads, delays and traffic snarls, eating up the miles and the hours. Every time I close the farm gate behind me and set off in the car for the hour long drive to the station, I feel as if I'm straying from home, as if the travelling is against nature, both my own and of the way of things. It's as if I hold my breath the whole time I'm away and can only take a fresh, clean gasp once the gate shuts with me safely inside.I've given up driving long distances unless it's entirely impractical to go by train, so I can read and write and think as I thunder cross country, but even so, it's such a waste of life and I resent every bit of it, which doesn't enhance my mood. Far from believing that travel broadens the mind, I now find it entirely inane, stuck in a canister with hundreds of others, also wishing they were elsewhere.
I wonder if the desire to be a homebody, a farmbody, is a danger; that I wouldn't see beyond the end of my nose, but I don't think that would happen. Lifes swirls round me quite energetically enough, my brain has to work harder than ever, the people I meet are as fascinating and rich in attitude and thought as I could wish, and there's a warmth that cannot exist in the commuter zone.
I will try and plan my diary more carefully and balance the away time less generously. Thank credit crunchie it's friday and I'm home.
And to celebrate, here's a photo taken today of the ewe lambs I'm keeping back for adding to the breeding flock next year.
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9 comments:
You know they say that if you travel at faster than a horse riding/bicycling pace you're severing all those important magnetic connections that your body needs to understand its position in the world.
Not so daft - it explains the lack of orientation and the often disconnected feelings we encounter when travelling - sometimes even provincial distances!
But saying that you manage the both worlds admirably – really.
ps - love the credit crunchie friday...
Now there is a fine looking bunch of women for the flock next year. I know so very well what you mean about travelling and commuting - it gets harder and harder to do that as space becaomes a premium and people are jammed into confined spaces. You just need the eejit who shouts into his cell phone to complete an obnoxious journey.
Is that you there in the crunchy advert Mopsa?
As regards travelling bah humbug - I wouldn't do it at all if t'were not for family living up in the south east.
I don't like venturing too far afield, and not too often either so I sympathise!
Thank you Paula - I just wish I didn't have to!
MOB - I have started to use the quiet carriage as much as possible, so someone will always berate the eejit before I can if they dare start to bray into their phone.
Lady T - once in Devon, why would we EVER wish to leave?
I can quite see why you wouldn't want to leave. It's not as if you've never travelled and the fact that you want to read and write when you have to these days proves there's nothing wrong with your brain! I think it's great to be able to say, "Where I live is where I want to be."
whenever Mrs C and I've come back home and get out of the car after a long journey I always take a few big lungfuls of fresh air, well, Mrs Clewley does have terrible wind, but I still understand where you're coming from there mopsa
Homebody, farmbody, sounds very familiar... and comfortable.
Never thought about it before but it fits me to a tee...
I wonder how many more of us are there out there?
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