You may or may not have picked up on the fact that my parents have left Italy and moved to England a couple of months ago. Very brave move at their age, but also one that has had unexpected consequences for me on two fronts. First, and I’ve mentioned this already, I feel like I well and truly left Italy NOW, 29 years (gulp) after the actual fact. Unexpected feeling.
Second, and this also was a surprise – albeit a positive one – their move is making me look at where I live with different eyes. I want them to like, to love, being here and so I’m constantly trying to take a step back and see it from their point of view. I’m finding a new appreciation and discovering things that I had previously overlooked.
In my new born again status (… maybe this is a little dramatic, but you get the idea), when I dropped No 1 son off to his hockey match I didn’t just hang around in the car with a book (in itself a worthwhile exercise I must add) waiting during the long warm up hour, but hauled my lazy bottom around the little small town of Newent and had a good look around.
Very cute.
It was a cold and grey day as you can see, but I was amazed to see so many beautiful old buildings…and I’m a total sucker for architecture. I’ve been driving through this place for years without giving a thought and felt really ashamed.
Like every respectable market town… the market hall is gorgeous.
Don’t you think?
And the shops really curated their windows, which is a good sign in my books.
Wherever you look there are cure corners and signs of the past.
It was such a shame that this beautiful house was left abandoned….
I found a beautiful example of German pottery in one of the many charity shops… (photos to come)…
and discovered an unknown to me lovely quilting store! Who knew.
And then I went back to hockey…
while you're ahead... 
What a wonderful post! Thank you for sharing your current emotions and BRAVO! Your little adventure has brought pleasure to me (and many others I’m sure) and opened your eyes to one of the miriad gems of England. I remember reading many books and stitching while waiting for my children to finish their activities. At times I miss that closeness. The distance between us isn’t far but they are adults and have lives of their own. That is just as it should be. I keep dreaming about returning to the UK just to explore such places as Newent. How blessed you are to now have your parents close. Enjoy them.
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Sometimes when I am working over at Newent, I have a little wander. It is a little pocket of lovely. The quilt shop is great, one of the best in the area.
Have fun on your next little trinsel!
trinsel being a West Country word for a little outing or a wander with not much purpose other than just to wander!
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