A Happy New Year to my gorgeous Grand-daughters. Well, it has been wild here! Nature's being rather dramatic- and locals tend to walk about- shoulders set, with a sort of 'weary of the constant sound' of the wind expression. I've kind of given up listening to the Weather forecast, as it seems we are bashed about every few days right now.
So- you'd expect everyone to be indoors right? Not a bit of it Em, down at Dimbola I felt like applauding everyone who came through the door- just for getting there. Then they stay quite a long time- so we're all happy! And today at the Bookroom, more of the same. Sandbagged Yarmouth still functions rather well.
My first delicious day back there since Christmas, and time to pick up my Christmas present to myself- here it is Em...
Apologies for the flash and the rubbish angle- but I was in a hurry to show you. This lovely piece is number two in my Freshwater and Isle of Wight map collection- I fear it will grow and eat up my wages rather too quickly! But ooh Em- just look, it is dated 1817 and amused me because The Isle of Wight is classed as a 'Remote British Island' which I guess it was, by horse and cart- but even so!
Also, it has a fab engraving of the Bay, and no GiGi's house to be seen- in fact nothing at all. No Fort Redoubt, no Plumbl'ys Hotel, no Albion, no 'Cabin' which should've been there on the Beach. That (also known as The Mermaid) was by all accounts a bit of a dive. It's where the artist George Moreland hung out and got drunk after escaping his creditors on the mainland. So- there's another reason for remote visiting I guess. Then Mr Tennyson and his desire to escape adulation, thought he'd got the remote bit right- until everyone started coming over to catch a glimpse of him (including our stalker Dodgson.) I guess varying reasons for coming here are pretty much the same centuries on.
Anyhow, that was then, and this is now. Your Grandmother thinks it is the Centre of the Universe as you know. But, I did think that maybe the internet helped me move here. Perhaps it did Em, and I love the remoteness of living on the edge of the Down, and looking out of the window at night in the Winter- seeing no people, no buildings, paradoxically for me feels the opposite of being alone.
However- what with all this Weather- I sometimes think it's more like Newfoundland in 'The Shipping News' and again- I quite like that.
Last week though, we had a bit of a test. The main internet mast broke- and Grumpa installed a washing machine in my office and left all the router plugs disconnected. So what we thought was down to the mast, became prolonged down to a lack of plugging-in. But, guess what Em, we got used to it. It was a bit odd to begin with, but then it ceased to matter.
I'm glad it is back on- I enjoy catching up on what my friends all over the world are up to for one thing.
But it was a nice little test for me here on a 'Remote British Island' theme. LOVE IT.
So, I shall sign off for now, and await the next storm!
See you both again soon. We shall go for our walks with Milly and Marley, you will pinch my hat and pretend you are me. You'll comment on me doing my make-up and discern that the one made up eye is 'quite nice- do the other one' , and I shall feel all over again how rich my life is and how lucky I am! Your ever-loving Grandmother, GiGi xxxx
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