I'm not so attracted to Cumbria as to Ulverston in Cumbria.
I've left here twice and arrived thrice.
It's a combination of the size and its location!
(as I write, I am standing back and asking "Why am I writing this ?" - and I realise it's a bit like writing a diary but here I'm being prodded to think by other people!)
Yes Ulverston, Cumbria - size and location - as my ad for The Falls used to say "where the moors and the mountains come down to the sea"
12,000 population is a magic number and I'm sure that Glaxo attracted positive active people who made a great mix with a population that had deep roots and were comfortable with things as they've 'always' been.
And rain - I love it!
If its cold lashing rain it pelts my face so that it tingles (and it feels really good to get inside that front/back door and shelter withing two foot thick walls and behind a door that has been there for 150 years a feeling of sanctuary within an old friend that has been built for ever with a lot of thought (The Falls).
I love the greenery the rain produces - contrast with Walnut Creek near San Francisco where the land is always dull, lifeless brown.
When you've lived in America you appreciate the pronominal variety of the skyscape here - many varieties of clouds in subtle colours and you learn how boring to have blue skies every day - yuk!
Then I find that its magical to have the smells and wildlife that emerge as you walk out after the rain.
In drizzle I enjoy the raindrops on flowers and running down the branches, twigs and leaves of trees.
In a real downpour the excitement of getting absolutely drenched when just trying to make it across the road (here I remember trying to cross Sautergate at the bottom with streams running down both gutters) and the feeling of the water sloshing about in my shoes - what the hell - I can get back to my home - these days in the warm central heating - in the old days crouched up to the anthracite cast iron stove - put "French stove" into Google
and the first three pictures will show you one we brought it over with us when we escaped back to Britain before 'The War' - no not the first!!Having got back to 'safety' - strip all those clothes off, have a bath (for luxury) or just a thorough rub down and back into fresh dry clothes ready for the next adventure.
Wow, have I waxed lyrical .
See ya.
