She’s still here actually, but only for another day and night, so I think I am safe in blogging it.
I was worried about this visit. 10 days here on Rum, 2 weeks away from Sussex for Maisie with two massive 18 hour coach trips with various changes and hanging about for her. She is ‘only’ 14. I was also, a little selfishly, fretful about how the visit would pan out. Maisie has been through a lot in the last year including a self harming incident, her parents splitting up (still in the middle of a very messy split infact) and a whole load of upheaval quite aside from just being 14 which can quite frankly be a tricky enough time to negotiate ones way through without any external nonsense.
I was worried she would be so much older than Scarlett, that her presence might upset the dynamic here between the four of us and the two siblings. I had a bit of a ‘change bad’ worry about the whole thing.
I needn’t have done. It has been straightforward, easy, natural and a pleasure. She is a delightful young woman, still the girl we have known forever, still an extension of our family, easy company and in the same way as I have found most teenagers to be an interesting, funny, bright and sparky individual to be around. She is different to Davies and Scarlett definitely, you can see very clearly the difference in what they have experienced the last five years or so. Maisie is more streetwise, less capable. More sociable and outgoing, less thoughtful and articulate. Total swings and roundabouts and of course much more a product, person, individual than just having lived on Rum / lived in Sussex, but there is a clear difference which is easy to spot. She reminds me a lot of Clara who was here with us a few years ago who we met on our cob course. Quite vague and scatty and irresponsible but very charming and fun and up for anything.
It’s been fab for Davies, really, really good for Scarlett and also really, really really good for Ady actually who keenly feels the lack of contact to his family, particularly in comparison to mine and of course Maisie is a Goddard, related by blood to him.
In other news – loads of my seedlings are doing well, I’m holding off planting out as the temperature is set to plummet again in the coming week so they will have to stay in the polytunnel a wee while longer before hitting the soil. I’ve cleared a couple of raised beds when weather has allowed for weeding.
I’ve made a load of new hats and some paracord midge keyrings for the shop, determined to use up craft materials and have a good final season the shed.
I put out the last copy of the Rumble – a newsletter for Rum I started way back. It’s monthly and this final issue was number 51, so over 4 years of monthly newsletters. It’s dwindled a lot in terms of contributions in the last year or so and I feel good about letting it go, it’s time was up. Another thing to log as having done, done well and been proud of and known when to end it.
I’ve been exchanging emails with an independent TV producer bloke who is keen to talk to us about a TV documentary. He is even keener to learn we are moving on and thinks that would make a great story. I am not sure but am happy to talk to him.
Ukulele has been shelved a little with company here but I’ve been podcasting like mad listening to all manner of interesting stuff.
We discovered a dead whale washed up on the beach. This might be exciting news, we’re reported it to the relevant bodies.