Red Poppy Sunday

In the UK, today is Remembrance Sunday. This date was established after the “Great War”, which was World War I. But then WWII came along, and then several other conflicts, including the current ones.  As I mentioned in my post last year, paper poppies are sold everywhere to raise money for veterans of the numerous wars and conflicts. Everyone wears them, from punks to pensioners to posh tots. They are sold in Tube stations and in grocery stores. They unite the country in a very visible way… in a way like nothing here in the US does. British forces all over the world, from those currently serving, to the aging Chelsea Pensioners, stop to remember their fallen comrades spanning the generations.Please take a moment to remember those who have lost their lives to ensure our freedom and safety, both here in the US and all over the world.

I’ll Take This: The House on St. Mary’s Lane

About ten years ago, my parents took my siblings, their children and me to England for much of the summer. We rented two knitter’s cottages in the small Cotswold town of Tewkesbury. The houses were beautifully sited, just around the corner from the incredible Tewkesbury Abbey (which you can see in the background to the left of the house) and just a short three-minute walk to the Severn River. Two of the three adjacent cottages were owned by the Landmark Trust, and the third (on the right) was privately owned, although it was also restored by the Landmark Trust.Imagine my surprise when I was looking through the Guardian’s real estate pictures today and I saw one of the knitter’s cottages for sale for the somewhat reasonable price of £275,000. Inside are three bedrooms,  a sitting room, a dining room, a study and a kitchen. Outside the garden is a mere courtyard. It also has a garage, which is both a rarity and a convenience. The view from the back of the house looks over the Severn River, the Ham and across to the Wye River and the hills beyond.Since I already know this house and the town, I will take it!