My time in England is drawing to a close. How the time has flown by! Looking back over my stay, these are some of the things that I really love about England.

–       Like Eva Cassidy, I love the Fields of Gold in England! The bright red poppies sparkling amidst golden fields of wheat and barley in the sunshine simply take my breath away.

–        Many of the houses and cottage are beautifully crafted in local stone. England differs to South Africa in that in many areas you can actually determine where you are by what the a buildings are made out of. At the beginning of my holiday, I was fortunate to stay in Cassie Bassett’s (nee Holliday) wonderful holiday cottage in the Cotswolds. All the houses in this area are built of the most beautiful sandy, russet, golden blocks of stone. In the sunshine they seem to positively glow. Where ‘B’ lives in Norfolk many of the cottages, churches and walls are built of Norfolk split flints and instead of glowing, they sparkle in the suns rays.

–       The light in England is different to South African light. South Africa has a beautiful orange-gold glow to it. In England it is softer. It is more yellow-gold. it is gentler somehow. They are both beautifully different.

–        As I have mentioned before, the colour I associate with England is green. Radiant thickets of green foliage tickled with rays of sunshine. Breathtaking in their greenness.

–       England has one of the best television organisations is the world with the BBC. They also have the best TV Catch-Up App with the iPlayer. This App is absolutely tremendous particularly when used in conjunction with my wonderful iPad that was a birthday gift last year. Whilst I am in England, I can turn on my iPad and via the iPlayer watch a myriad of TV programmes. Drama is my favourite category and what is even more amazing is that every programme is available with subtitles!!!! Only people who are deaf can fully appreciate the absolute joy of subtitles! I am able to download any programme I want before I head back to SA and they will remain available for me to watch for the next 30 days

–       Whilst in England I go to B and John’s church, Proclaimers. It is a vibrant church made up of young, enthusiastic, non-religious Jesus loving people. Their pastor, Tom Rawls, is phenomenal. His messages are inspired by the Spirit of God, and while making you think, he also makes you laugh. I always leave there with my precepts challenged and that is what good preaching is about, isn’t it?

–        I love this time of year in England. The sun goes down at 9.30 p.m. in the evening. It is the most idyllic thing sitting in the garden at that time of night, listening to the birds make their final preparations, drinking your last cup of camomile tea, before going inside, brushing your teeth and in turn heading for bed – and the iPlayer!!

However, my favourite thing in England, without a shadow of a doubt, is my best friend and soulmate – B!

PS – I have had the most glorious hot and sunny weather whilst being here, this is nothing to do with the English, I brought it with me from South Africa!