The Final Week: Thursday

I have lived first in Hull then in Filey and there are some things I will surely miss.

While there were parts of Hull that weren't bad, we lived in the less nicer area of town, about a mile from town centre, which, to those in Sacramento would understand as being mid-town, though not nearly as nice.  And then we moved to Filey during the summer and I really like Filey, I love Filey, it's a small town in North Yorkshire right on the North Sea.  Sometimes I feel as if I could just wave high enough my brother and sister-in-law could see me from Oslo.  It's a nice thought that they really are that close, that we share the same sea.


Of all the things I am going to miss, the most important and the most obvious will be my Gunton.  I am going to miss waking up next to him in the morning (unless he's gotten up before me) and going to sleep next to him each night.  I am going to miss his excitement when he reads something exciting and must share it with me instantly.  I am going to miss the way he goes into ecstasy over that first cup of coffee in the morning, or even how he gets me to do it by claiming that he just doesn't make it as good as I do.  I'm going to miss making breakfast with him while we talk about this, that, and another thing.  Over the last year plus we've lived in each other's pocket and despite many hardships we've only gotten closer.  Everyday I am grateful that the Lord has seen fit to bring us together.

I am also going to miss my in-laws here in England.  I am going to miss the phone calls from the padres and the tios to make sure that we're doing all right.  I am going to miss the love and affection of people who love even though they don't have to.  Just the other day Daddy Gunton said that he Mummy Gunton were getting a bit sad over me leaving because, as he said, he's never had a daughter before.  Yeah, I am so going to miss them and for obvious reasons.  And it's not just them, I really enjoy spending time with my Gunton cousins too.

Mummy & Daddy Gunton, my Gunton & Mommy at Shakespeare's house

I suppose I ought not neglect the cats.  My Timothy Alexander and Lucy Jane.  Yes, they have middle names, don't judge, you're thinking about it now too.  I am going to miss the way Lucy comes in from outside and has to tell us all about it even though she was outside for just five minutes.  So Mom's calico is also a talker but not nearly as much as Lucy is.  I'm also going to miss the way Timmy walks up to me, and slowly but insistently invites himself onto my lap, or into my bathrobe because it's warm. I'm going to miss they way he purrs as he does it.  I'm simply going to miss them, the way I've been missing my Coopaducks.  They are good kitties who never fail to make either one of us laugh each and every single day over something they do.

Timothy Alexander deciding he doesn't want to go out in the snow

Lucy Jane thinking about something

I'm going to miss other things, small things that we don't do or have in the States.  While I am not exactly fond of three laned roundabouts, I am going to miss single lane roundabouts.  There are even street signs to let you know what kind of roundabout you're approaching, either a multi-lane, single lane or mini.  There are also lane indicators I really like.  They always let you know what side of the road you're supposed to be on.  It's very handy when you get to a roundabout or you're making a right hand turn and you're not sure which side of what line you need to be on, these little beauties remind you.

corner of Queens & Princes Rds in Hull

I'm going to miss the sound of the ocean, of being able to walk half a mile down the road and be at the water's edge.  I have really come to adore Filey and I am going to miss this sleepy little town.  I'm even going to miss the traffic patterns.  I've gotten so used to seeing cars drive on the left that I can't tell what is and is not normal.

It's hard to list all the vary many things I'm going to miss since I am not entirely positive what I'll miss until I'm far away from it.  I do think I will miss having a Tesco within walking distance.  The Gunton and I can decide we need to go get a few groceries and a five minute walk gets us there.  

I'm going to miss cadbury chocolate.  I really like cadbury chocolate.  I didn't so much when I first got here but I really like it.  My favorite part of Cadbury Creme Eggs used to be the gooey middle now, hoever, I really like the milk chocolate.  I much prefer it over Hershey's to be honest.  I know, how un-American of me.

I'm going to miss the Yorskhire accent and the friendliness of the people here.  Believe it or not, people in Yorkshire do smile.  And I'm going to miss the Yorkshire pride the folks around here have.  The War of the Roses might be over but these folks love Yorkshire no less than their long dead ancestors.

And I'm going to miss those thing I find funny.  Here everything is a 'scheme' or a 'tariff', or a 'programme'.  Back home, we never call something a scheme, a scheme is a bad thing, we call a 'scheme' a plan.  We Americans like our plans.  And we don't have bolt-ons for our phone tariff but we have add-ons for our phone plans.  And I suppose time will tell if I miss hearing people use the word 'mobile' rather than 'cell phone'.  I know I always feel weird saying mobile.  I don't say cell phone but I will usually say phone.

I am going to miss a lot of things.  Maybe, if I think about it, I'll make a list and talk about it.

Of course, there are many things I am not going to miss, but that's for the next blog post.