Many thanks Louise, I think he may well remember his fifteenth birthday.. we had a true Enid Blyton, Famous Five type adventure, where just for a few hours I believed I was young again, on the point of discovery with all the thrills and excitement that held! Seth loved every second, we both did!
What a wonderful then and now story. I love discovering things when I'm out and about. I worked as an archaeologist for a few years and there was a palpable thrill to find artefacts (or bits thereof) that hadn't seen the light of day for a few thousand years.
Thank you Lynn, we really did have the most magical afternoon, despite the weather…!
How very exciting to have taken part in a real archeological dig though? I’ve always wished for the chance but never lived anywhere close enough to practically take part. Luckily there is plenty hidden in the woods around here to keep us occupied yet though…
I love everything about this, Susie! There was magic in every corner of this post. I, too, love treasure hunting (I've even had the privilege of participating in a few archeological digs). But finding an old Victorian dump that you had climb through a bramble to get there, is really something out of a storybook. And the video of your son on the Mobylette warmed my heart in every way. What an absolute treasure!
Oh Jenna, thank you lovely … there truly was magic on this day… for a few too short hours I was that young girl again, filled with the excitement of discovery! It was both a thrilling and enchanting day of almost ‘Famous Five’ type adventure, that I will not forget…
I still hold that passion, as I think many others do, of finding something, even a broken something, so old and etched with stories that you can feel them trying to escape.
I am quite envious of your having participated on a real archeological dig… did you unearth anything of importance? ✨
Kimberly my dear sweet lady from afar, if only you knew… I would hug you if you were close enough, but I could never in even my wildest moments of dreaming, lay claim to such a prestigious title. I am scatty, disorganised, Seth is likely to find the shoe Polish in his lunch box, his exercise books in the pantry… I forget the time when I’m walking and supper is hours late and endless other dizzy behaviours. But, I do try to keep a promise and I love him and my daughter to the moon and back again and his birthday was perfect in every way.
Thank you sweet soul, from my heart which is huge xxx
I loved this post, Susie. I always have the sense that you are tumbling towards the future so joyfully – you write so vivaciously. And what a son, making that mobylette from discards. (Fabulous chocolate cake, btw; I think we spoke of that when you had just made it.)
How are you and how is Sonny? Any companions for him yet?
Hi Roselle, I am delighted you enjoyed this little birthday romp. Teenagers are quite an enigma to me despite having been one many moons ago too, I can’t second guess him anymore, there are days when he seems even more adult than I feel and others when the child is till ever present… but, on his birthday we had the most fantastic afternoon hunting for sites and tumbling down onto treasure, albeit immovable treasure!
Sonny is doing very well, he is recuperating with three lady sheep, twelve hens, three cocks and a huge rabbit… they are all wandering freely in the same protected field, I think he just might feel he has landed in paradise after such a ghastly ordeal. I miss them all terribly but am so relieved that he has settled. I think he will stay there at least until April as it’s unlikely I will find replacements for my flock until then…
How are you lovely? How is your land faring after all the rain? Unbelievably we are completely dry again… I am already concerned for the water levels, they seem to drop faster and faster every year. X
Susie, so glad about Sonny! Have you recovered yet? I feel alarmed for you that you are dry again there, and it's only FEBRUARY. It is indeed VERY wet here; it's not been possible to get out there to do all we need to do on the land this week, but at least our little stream is very full. So far, no worries about the water table, thank goodness.
I think so Roselle, thank you so much for asking, I miss them terribly and I’ve had hideous nightmares but they too seem to be easing. I’m quite surprised at my reaction to what happened though, I’m usually so resilient. I wonder if that is age?
The water tables here were so low after three very hot, dry years on the trot, I think it’s inevitable that they are not completely topped up yet, our well is still only half full, as it was last year at this time. It’s very worrying but I have a ghastly feeling this is the new norm. I have just listened to a report on the radio, apparently January 2024 has been the warmest on record and predictions for the summer are the same if not worse than last year… We have to be extra vigilant is all, no waste whatsoever, we are trying our best!
It seems crazy that you have the opposite problem… I do hope your land drys up soon ! Xx
I read The Enchanted Wood as a child and have always envied those who are able to find adventures within the secret crevices of forests and nature. I wish we had a Creepy Woods to go to!
Please thank Seth for educating me on what a mobylette is. It looks really cool.
Ahh, I wish you had a creepy woods too Lisha, there is nothing quite like childish imaginings in such places, we used to scare each other stupid!
The pink house was the original, the one buried deep in my memory from another walk…. I was so delighted to find it and the others. Im trying to find our more information but it’s proving very difficult… nobody seems to even know they are there except us!
Thanks my lovely, I will tell Seth - he hasn’t read this yet, too many exams this week but we have two weeks holidays starting Friday so hopefully time for more adventures in the woods and on his Mobylette… ♥️x
Best mom ever. What a treasure of a day, treasure hunting curiosities but more, curiosity making a treasure of your day, your life, your love. So beautiful Susie. ❤️
Kimberly my dear sweet lady from afar, if only you knew… I would hug you if you were close enough, but I could never in even my wildest moments of dreaming, lay claim to such a prestigious title. I am scatty, disorganised, Seth is likely to find the shoe Polish in his lunch box, his exercise books in the pantry… I forget the time when I’m walking and supper is hours late and endless other dizzy behaviours. But, I do try to keep a promise and I love him and my daughter to the moon and back again and his birthday was perfect in every way.
Thank you sweet soul, from my heart which is huge xxx
This is THE best kind of memoir writing, Susie. Fabulous links to your childhood memories and making new memories with your lad ... love the Mobylette restoration too. Skills! This has all the feels of a collection ... chapters split by topics; treasure hunting is a good place to start and a title for a book of memories!
Somebody else said to me recently I should put all these memories in one place too… a book though? Hmm, we shall see, another retirement project maybe? In the meantime I am gathering them all into a file titled ‘memoire’ original right… for safe keeping. I admit the idea is growing, along with the file, into something much bigger than I expected. I was lucky enough to have had what most would probably call, the perfect childhood, so there are many more such delights to feed my writing with…
Seth is so proud of his Mobylette, he has another, much older, used during the war we think but in shocking state… a project for when he is earning his own money.
Sometimes the “put all the memories in one place” is enough. ‘Books’ can be daunting prospects that stifle the creativity and remembrance. Start with some gathering just for the pleasure of recalling and capturing … other things might flow from that (but without the pressure of deadlines and expectations, perhaps). Enjoy.
What a wonderful way to spend a birthday, I found myself alongside you in the thickets of brambles and was so sure we were just about to stumble upon a much larger house, abandoned sleeping beauty style. Next time perhaps. Xx
It was a memorable afternoon indeed, between the heavy downpours, the sheer inclines and the finding of the houses I don’t think I could have ordered a better day!
There is a much larger house visible through the trees, still inhabited but not by the original family who died two years ago (there is a story there too though…) after asking several locals since there seems to be no link. I have holidays coming up though, so I may pay a visit to the archives in Rodez… tech this space!
Ahh, I’m so glad you enjoyed it Emily, I actually could have written so much more about our adventures on that old tip, it’s so easy to get lost in the reverie! Thank you for encouraging words lovely.. ♥️
Susie, I love how you find the links between past and present--and how you describe both so lightly and with so much affection. I do hope Seth remembers this experience. I'm sure the joy he obviously felt will go a long way to cement it in his brain. Do you ever share your writing with him? That would help too. I'd love to know what he explored in the hour that you were discovering the four houses.
Thank you so much for sharing The Memory Mine. I've closed entry for this round but if anyone is interested, they can join the waitlist and I'll let them know as soon as it reopens.
Good morning Miranda, my love of treasure hunting has never faded over the years, Rosie, my much older daughter was never terribly interested but Seth is as passionate about it as I am. Even better he appreciates the excitement of the hunting as much as the finding, I’m delighted. He doesn’t read my stories, none of my family do actually but I am in the process of transferring everything relevant to a file as a sort of memoire for them when I’m gone… maybe they will read it then? I hope so…
I’m so happy to hear you have enough entries for the Memory Mine to close the first session, that is wonderful news indeed and you’re welcome for the share… let me know when you open for the second and I will share it again lovely’.. xx
Well now, isn't that a coincidence. I lived in Balcombe (and Haywards Heath) for a while in my 20s! Love this story of your explorations with Seth. Memories have been made - I hope he remembers them.
No way Debs!! Where did you live? I was still very much present in my late teens and early twenties, although moved to Brighton for a while, then up to Derbyshire… perhaps we even know some of the same people ? Although it’s years since I’ve been back. Goodness, what a coincidence!
Unfortunately, no, not anymore. My family moved home regularly, so I got into a habit of non-attachment. When we moved to Portugal we came with only what we could fit onto two motorbikes - all we then owned (it's amazing how quickly you fill walled spaces though!). I don't have many photos from my early life either, so it's nice to have these memory jogs.
I know so well how quickly spaces fill, especially living with two hoarders… moving to a new country with everything you processed on two motorbikes sounds incredible and brave. You must have had quite the adventure!
It really was, Susie, we had such a brilliant time and so many stories to tell. When we set off on the journey, I'd only got my license about two weeks beforehand, I had never even learned how to drive, so double adventure!
The question about valuable - I do wonder about a particular find, which I am still convinced was Roman - it was a sort of a large ceramic cocktail glass shaped vessel, but it suddenly disappeared.
Intriguing… the vase I spoke of was sold for 29’000 uk sterling back in 1977/8, it would have been a small fortune to a family like ours, indeed, life changing. I understand my mothers upset far better now of course… and heaven knows how much it would be worth now? It brought Bert no luck though, his wife left him the year after and soon after that he died of liver failure… fate has a way of dealing cards we will never understand…
I remember saying to my mother, years later when the subject was easy for her to speak of that it was fate.. if we were meant to have found it we would have… there is a reason for everything in this world.
We were so sad too Miranda, as kids we thought he was great, he told us jokes and stories, he always made us squeal with delight. Someone like that can’t have been all bad?
I love that you said that! I have a constant battle with my very unforgiving husband too often about always trying to see the good in people. Everyone has a drop of it somewhere I agree, even if mostly it’s hard to find!
Absolutely Anne, although trying to unearth the history of anything here is easier said than done, the archives in the city of Rodez are excellent if you have names, but otherwise a little limited and trying to find anyone old enough to remember also quite a task! I will not give up though. My instinct is that they were seasonal accommodation for grape pickers, (the vineyards, planted to serve the mines, were all hit by ‘la maladie’ at the end of the 18th century) rather than the miners themselves, the shacks especially would never have been warm enough for winter habitation here, but I’d like to prove it!
A wonderful adventure. You gave Seth a marvelous memory for his birthday. And you can give it to him again in the form of a story.
Delightful, Susie!
Many thanks Louise, I think he may well remember his fifteenth birthday.. we had a true Enid Blyton, Famous Five type adventure, where just for a few hours I believed I was young again, on the point of discovery with all the thrills and excitement that held! Seth loved every second, we both did!
What a wonderful then and now story. I love discovering things when I'm out and about. I worked as an archaeologist for a few years and there was a palpable thrill to find artefacts (or bits thereof) that hadn't seen the light of day for a few thousand years.
Thank you Lynn, we really did have the most magical afternoon, despite the weather…!
How very exciting to have taken part in a real archeological dig though? I’ve always wished for the chance but never lived anywhere close enough to practically take part. Luckily there is plenty hidden in the woods around here to keep us occupied yet though…
I love everything about this, Susie! There was magic in every corner of this post. I, too, love treasure hunting (I've even had the privilege of participating in a few archeological digs). But finding an old Victorian dump that you had climb through a bramble to get there, is really something out of a storybook. And the video of your son on the Mobylette warmed my heart in every way. What an absolute treasure!
Oh Jenna, thank you lovely … there truly was magic on this day… for a few too short hours I was that young girl again, filled with the excitement of discovery! It was both a thrilling and enchanting day of almost ‘Famous Five’ type adventure, that I will not forget…
I still hold that passion, as I think many others do, of finding something, even a broken something, so old and etched with stories that you can feel them trying to escape.
I am quite envious of your having participated on a real archeological dig… did you unearth anything of importance? ✨
beautiful
Thank you Anna, I’m delighted you enjoyed our adventures..
A treasure trove Susie once again.
Love seeing your son on his motorbike.
Beautiful photos too. xx
Huge thanks Jo, we had the best time that day… his excitement was contagious!
I’m so so proud of him fixing that bike up… the only thing either my husband or I have helped with is the money…
I hope your gliding gently into the weekend xx
Kimberly my dear sweet lady from afar, if only you knew… I would hug you if you were close enough, but I could never in even my wildest moments of dreaming, lay claim to such a prestigious title. I am scatty, disorganised, Seth is likely to find the shoe Polish in his lunch box, his exercise books in the pantry… I forget the time when I’m walking and supper is hours late and endless other dizzy behaviours. But, I do try to keep a promise and I love him and my daughter to the moon and back again and his birthday was perfect in every way.
Thank you sweet soul, from my heart which is huge xxx
I loved this post, Susie. I always have the sense that you are tumbling towards the future so joyfully – you write so vivaciously. And what a son, making that mobylette from discards. (Fabulous chocolate cake, btw; I think we spoke of that when you had just made it.)
How are you and how is Sonny? Any companions for him yet?
Hi Roselle, I am delighted you enjoyed this little birthday romp. Teenagers are quite an enigma to me despite having been one many moons ago too, I can’t second guess him anymore, there are days when he seems even more adult than I feel and others when the child is till ever present… but, on his birthday we had the most fantastic afternoon hunting for sites and tumbling down onto treasure, albeit immovable treasure!
Sonny is doing very well, he is recuperating with three lady sheep, twelve hens, three cocks and a huge rabbit… they are all wandering freely in the same protected field, I think he just might feel he has landed in paradise after such a ghastly ordeal. I miss them all terribly but am so relieved that he has settled. I think he will stay there at least until April as it’s unlikely I will find replacements for my flock until then…
How are you lovely? How is your land faring after all the rain? Unbelievably we are completely dry again… I am already concerned for the water levels, they seem to drop faster and faster every year. X
Susie, so glad about Sonny! Have you recovered yet? I feel alarmed for you that you are dry again there, and it's only FEBRUARY. It is indeed VERY wet here; it's not been possible to get out there to do all we need to do on the land this week, but at least our little stream is very full. So far, no worries about the water table, thank goodness.
Rx
I think so Roselle, thank you so much for asking, I miss them terribly and I’ve had hideous nightmares but they too seem to be easing. I’m quite surprised at my reaction to what happened though, I’m usually so resilient. I wonder if that is age?
The water tables here were so low after three very hot, dry years on the trot, I think it’s inevitable that they are not completely topped up yet, our well is still only half full, as it was last year at this time. It’s very worrying but I have a ghastly feeling this is the new norm. I have just listened to a report on the radio, apparently January 2024 has been the warmest on record and predictions for the summer are the same if not worse than last year… We have to be extra vigilant is all, no waste whatsoever, we are trying our best!
It seems crazy that you have the opposite problem… I do hope your land drys up soon ! Xx
That pink structure is beautiful!
I read The Enchanted Wood as a child and have always envied those who are able to find adventures within the secret crevices of forests and nature. I wish we had a Creepy Woods to go to!
Please thank Seth for educating me on what a mobylette is. It looks really cool.
Ahh, I wish you had a creepy woods too Lisha, there is nothing quite like childish imaginings in such places, we used to scare each other stupid!
The pink house was the original, the one buried deep in my memory from another walk…. I was so delighted to find it and the others. Im trying to find our more information but it’s proving very difficult… nobody seems to even know they are there except us!
Thanks my lovely, I will tell Seth - he hasn’t read this yet, too many exams this week but we have two weeks holidays starting Friday so hopefully time for more adventures in the woods and on his Mobylette… ♥️x
Scaring each other stupid is what beautiful childhoods are made of.
I neeeeed more pictures of it, I want to get to know that pink house like the back of my hand!
Oh tell him good luck for the exams!
Best mom ever. What a treasure of a day, treasure hunting curiosities but more, curiosity making a treasure of your day, your life, your love. So beautiful Susie. ❤️
Kimberly my dear sweet lady from afar, if only you knew… I would hug you if you were close enough, but I could never in even my wildest moments of dreaming, lay claim to such a prestigious title. I am scatty, disorganised, Seth is likely to find the shoe Polish in his lunch box, his exercise books in the pantry… I forget the time when I’m walking and supper is hours late and endless other dizzy behaviours. But, I do try to keep a promise and I love him and my daughter to the moon and back again and his birthday was perfect in every way.
Thank you sweet soul, from my heart which is huge xxx
This is THE best kind of memoir writing, Susie. Fabulous links to your childhood memories and making new memories with your lad ... love the Mobylette restoration too. Skills! This has all the feels of a collection ... chapters split by topics; treasure hunting is a good place to start and a title for a book of memories!
Somebody else said to me recently I should put all these memories in one place too… a book though? Hmm, we shall see, another retirement project maybe? In the meantime I am gathering them all into a file titled ‘memoire’ original right… for safe keeping. I admit the idea is growing, along with the file, into something much bigger than I expected. I was lucky enough to have had what most would probably call, the perfect childhood, so there are many more such delights to feed my writing with…
Seth is so proud of his Mobylette, he has another, much older, used during the war we think but in shocking state… a project for when he is earning his own money.
Thanks always Barrie, have a great day.
Sometimes the “put all the memories in one place” is enough. ‘Books’ can be daunting prospects that stifle the creativity and remembrance. Start with some gathering just for the pleasure of recalling and capturing … other things might flow from that (but without the pressure of deadlines and expectations, perhaps). Enjoy.
What a wonderful way to spend a birthday, I found myself alongside you in the thickets of brambles and was so sure we were just about to stumble upon a much larger house, abandoned sleeping beauty style. Next time perhaps. Xx
It was a memorable afternoon indeed, between the heavy downpours, the sheer inclines and the finding of the houses I don’t think I could have ordered a better day!
There is a much larger house visible through the trees, still inhabited but not by the original family who died two years ago (there is a story there too though…) after asking several locals since there seems to be no link. I have holidays coming up though, so I may pay a visit to the archives in Rodez… tech this space!
Thanks for reading lovely xxx
What a wonderful story to read of Susie. I enjoyed this immensely. Thank you for your wonderful writing. 💛
Ahh, I’m so glad you enjoyed it Emily, I actually could have written so much more about our adventures on that old tip, it’s so easy to get lost in the reverie! Thank you for encouraging words lovely.. ♥️
Susie, I love how you find the links between past and present--and how you describe both so lightly and with so much affection. I do hope Seth remembers this experience. I'm sure the joy he obviously felt will go a long way to cement it in his brain. Do you ever share your writing with him? That would help too. I'd love to know what he explored in the hour that you were discovering the four houses.
Thank you so much for sharing The Memory Mine. I've closed entry for this round but if anyone is interested, they can join the waitlist and I'll let them know as soon as it reopens.
Good morning Miranda, my love of treasure hunting has never faded over the years, Rosie, my much older daughter was never terribly interested but Seth is as passionate about it as I am. Even better he appreciates the excitement of the hunting as much as the finding, I’m delighted. He doesn’t read my stories, none of my family do actually but I am in the process of transferring everything relevant to a file as a sort of memoire for them when I’m gone… maybe they will read it then? I hope so…
I’m so happy to hear you have enough entries for the Memory Mine to close the first session, that is wonderful news indeed and you’re welcome for the share… let me know when you open for the second and I will share it again lovely’.. xx
Well now, isn't that a coincidence. I lived in Balcombe (and Haywards Heath) for a while in my 20s! Love this story of your explorations with Seth. Memories have been made - I hope he remembers them.
No way Debs!! Where did you live? I was still very much present in my late teens and early twenties, although moved to Brighton for a while, then up to Derbyshire… perhaps we even know some of the same people ? Although it’s years since I’ve been back. Goodness, what a coincidence!
Thanks always for reading lovely xx
Unfortunately, no, not anymore. My family moved home regularly, so I got into a habit of non-attachment. When we moved to Portugal we came with only what we could fit onto two motorbikes - all we then owned (it's amazing how quickly you fill walled spaces though!). I don't have many photos from my early life either, so it's nice to have these memory jogs.
I know so well how quickly spaces fill, especially living with two hoarders… moving to a new country with everything you processed on two motorbikes sounds incredible and brave. You must have had quite the adventure!
It really was, Susie, we had such a brilliant time and so many stories to tell. When we set off on the journey, I'd only got my license about two weeks beforehand, I had never even learned how to drive, so double adventure!
The question about valuable - I do wonder about a particular find, which I am still convinced was Roman - it was a sort of a large ceramic cocktail glass shaped vessel, but it suddenly disappeared.
Intriguing… the vase I spoke of was sold for 29’000 uk sterling back in 1977/8, it would have been a small fortune to a family like ours, indeed, life changing. I understand my mothers upset far better now of course… and heaven knows how much it would be worth now? It brought Bert no luck though, his wife left him the year after and soon after that he died of liver failure… fate has a way of dealing cards we will never understand…
Eek! On that note, it's probably for the best my find was spirited away!
I remember saying to my mother, years later when the subject was easy for her to speak of that it was fate.. if we were meant to have found it we would have… there is a reason for everything in this world.
Oh my goodness. I was feeling rather cross with Bert, but now I'm just sorry for him.
We were so sad too Miranda, as kids we thought he was great, he told us jokes and stories, he always made us squeal with delight. Someone like that can’t have been all bad?
The older I get the more I realise no one is ALL bad. Even the supreme arseholes have some small redeeming features. I hope.
I love that you said that! I have a constant battle with my very unforgiving husband too often about always trying to see the good in people. Everyone has a drop of it somewhere I agree, even if mostly it’s hard to find!
What wonderful discoveries. Will you research the history of the houses?
Absolutely Anne, although trying to unearth the history of anything here is easier said than done, the archives in the city of Rodez are excellent if you have names, but otherwise a little limited and trying to find anyone old enough to remember also quite a task! I will not give up though. My instinct is that they were seasonal accommodation for grape pickers, (the vineyards, planted to serve the mines, were all hit by ‘la maladie’ at the end of the 18th century) rather than the miners themselves, the shacks especially would never have been warm enough for winter habitation here, but I’d like to prove it!
Thank you so much for reading .