Moving On


I moved into a new housesit in Appledore, North Devon, yesterday. This is my third housesit looking after Fenn the puss in a lovely old fisherman’s cottage just up from the waterfront, so I was happy and looking forward to the move. But there are always some regrets and anxieties. I’ll miss my walks beside the sea in Littlehampton and the companionship of a wee dog that was never far from my side.

There’s also the upheaval of cleaning house, packing, and making travel plans. This particular trip involved changing trains at 3 different stations. Luckily, they were all small stations so it was easy to locate and change platforms. As I was early arriving at Littlehampton station, staff suggested I catch an earlier train, so I even had time to buy a hot drink at my first changeover! All the trains were on time, but that’s not always the case. My previous trip from Yorkshire to West Sussex was seriously messed up, but it’s hard to complain when you know the delays are often caused by someone committing suicide.


Each housesit is very different, but I particularly appreciate the homeowners who offer a generous welcome and friendship. I enjoy an opportunity to get to know them and to perhaps share a meal with them. After all, they are inviting me into the privacy of their home and I have agreed to care for their home and love their pet while they are away. Most of the homeowners go out of their way to make me feel welcome whether it’s by picking me up at the train station, taking me shopping, leaving some treats in the fridge, or a bouquet of flowers or a small Christmas tree. In return, I try to leave flowers or a plant and to make sure the home is at least as clean as it was when I arrived.

My first day in a housesit is always busy. I unpack, set up my laptop and workstation (usually on the dining room table), shop for groceries (Appledore is a popular tourist destination so I have the luxury of a deli as well as a small grocery store), and begin to familiarize myself with the house and the neighbourhood. Searching for light switches, figuring out how to work the stove, and getting turned around on my way home from the shops are all par for the course. I spend time introducing myself to my new furry friend and I’m happy when they remember me from a previous visit. Fenn is so much friendlier this time as she obviously remembers me. I’m hoping she’ll be sleeping on my bed by the time I leave.


I try to make the most of every housesit, so in addition to keeping up with my work, I follow local businesses and places on social media and read every poster I come across, so that I can participate in local activities. I plan to go see a film in the Appledore church hall next Friday and I’ve signed up for an art class (scary!) at the art gallery in a neighbouring community. This morning I signed up for a temporary library card. That worked out really well in Littlehampton where I read books by favorite authors as well as books about beach huts and a British bakery chain.

Littlehampton was unusual as I had several opportunities to socialize. A friend of a Canadian friend invited me to her home and took me to a wetland centre and a concert. A neighbour invited me over for Christmas dinner and took the dog and me to Chichester for a quick look round. I’m in Quillan for two months later this year so I’m hoping to be able to volunteer, maybe at the library, especially as I want to improve my French.


I try to pace myself. It’s tiring being constantly on the move and there are often challenges – homeowners who change their arrival and departure dates (I recommend leaving at least one day and preferably two between housesits) or a frozen credit card because Mastercard didn’t know what GWR stood for (Great Western Railway). My next challenge is how to travel from the UK and across France when France is experiencing massive rail (and other industries) strikes. I try not to fly more than I have to, so at the moment I’m hoping to take the Eurostar as far as Lyon, with the option of taking a long-distance bus for all or part of the trip. Fortunately, I have up to 3 days to make the journey!

PS None of the photos are of this year’s visit to Appledore. Although it was a gloriously sunny day yesterday, I was too preoccupied with the basic necessities to get out my camera.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Flavourful Saskatoon, August 28, 2017

Image
The Next Great Food Business Public Tasting, Sept. 7 The Local Kitchen is hosting a public tasting with samples from each of the finalists in the Next Great Food Business competition. Finalists are: King’s Jerky, Kind Condiments , Smoke and Salt BBQ, Bannock Express , and Voodoo Van . Wine Tastings Guess the most expensive wine (Sept. 8), sample some Rhône wines (Sept. 22), or attend the 2017 Premier Showcase Wine Dinner (Sept. 28) sponsored by Saskatoon Co-op Wine Spirits Beer. Premier Showcase is also offering a Portugal with a Splash of California wine seminar (Sept. 29) and a Women & Whisky seminar (Sept. 30). Refresh and Renew I had a chat with Trent Loewen about his plans now that he has sold Earth Bound Bakery. He is heading east to visit chef friends in Ontario and then off to New Zealand to explore what's happening there. After 9 years with a single focus, it's time to explore new ideas. Interestingly enough, the bakery's new owner is a business...
Read more

Flavourful Saskatoon, August 21, 2017

Image
Prairie Harvest Café I was sad to learn that Prairie Harvest Café has closed its doors. It’s been one of my favorite Saskatoon restaurants since day one, and I really appreciated the fact that the chefs focused on cooking with local ingredients, many supplied by the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market. All the best of luck in your new adventures. We’ll miss you. Hug a Farmer This has been a tough summer for many farmers. Prairie Sun Orchard lost their entire cherry crop to insects. Drop by their stand at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, tell them you care, and have an ice cream. My favorite is the chocolate cherry fudge, but Clare Pearson, the principal ice cream maker, says her new favorite is the salted caramel. Peppers If you’re like me, you assume that all small, skinny peppers are super hot and avoid them like the plague. But that’s a big mistake. Kaleidoscope Vegetable Gardens is offering two long, skinny peppers – one can be hot, but the other isn’t. Padron chile pepper...
Read more

Saskatoon's Persian Store

Image
Mulberries, Pomegranate Sauce, Dried Lemons, Kashk and Doogh From the outside, it looks like an old-fashioned corner convenience store. But step inside, and you quickly realize that you’ve discovered a Middle Eastern treasure trove. The Persian Store at 223 – 25th Street West is operated by Mahyar Behnami, who has been in Saskatoon for two years. The store serves an Iranian/Persian community of approximately 500 people, but it’s an opportunity for all of us to try new things. Mrs. Behnami kindly gave me a tour of the store and explained how the different dishes and ingredients would be served in Iran. Canned Goods There is a large assortment of ready-made, canned dishes. (The stews are always served over rice that is dry, not sticky.) Ghormeh sabzi is often considered the Iranian national dish. It contains herbs, dried lemon, onion and red beans – you can add your own meat. The herbs usually include parsley, leeks/green onions, cilantro, spinach and fenugreek, and the...
Read more

The Golden Towns of Beaujolais

Image
Heading north out of Lyon, you pass through a long tunnel and exit into a lush green countryside leaving the city far behind. You then turn and head up the hill onto winding roads between a patchwork of vineyards. Many of the vines are really old with short, thick, twisted trunks and a thin stem of green leaves and buds. These are the Gamay vines of Beaujolais, interspersed with a few fields of greener, leafier Chardonnay vines. South Beaujolais, just 45 minutes northwest of Lyon, encompasses 25 medieval villages of orangey-gold stone (limestone and iron) that is surprisingly vibrant (I had been expecting something lighter, similar to the Cotswolds in England). Some of the villages still have the remains of 14th century castles. Oingt is classed as one of the most beautiful villages of France and it really is lovely. You can take a walk around the town on the former ramparts and the church is austere and beautiful. I was on a half-day tour , which combined stopping to...
Read more

Petra Market: A Mediterranean Grocery

Image
Tucked away in a strip mall on Primrose Drive (north of Lawson Heights Mall) is Petra Market, a treasure trove of food products from the Arabic countries in the Mediterranean. I’m fascinated by grocery stores full of unknown-to-me products but also a little nervous about trying things, so I was really happy when Nour Dabbour, the owner of Petra Market, showed me around and told me about the different items. Nour is trying to stock products from as many Middle Eastern countries as possible. He even stocks the same product from a number of different countries because he says that each country’s product tastes slightly different. Za’atar , a spice mix, is a prime example with packages from Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and each one is a slightly different colour with a slightly different taste. The most popular areas of the store are the nut and treats bars with an amazing assortment of Middle Eastern candies and mildly spiced nuts. Nour gave me a variety to try and I’m real...
Read more