Sunday 19 June 2011

Step by step

He walks...
seeking out new footpaths, different routes, unknown views; making a landmark of a tree silhouetted against the wide clear sky; seeing patterns in the clouds gathering along the valley.
He takes pleasure in a mock orange hanging over a tributary of the river; stopping to inhale the perfume, burying his face in the blossom; 
He visits local pubs, greeting landlords with cheery enthusiasm, trying out the local beers.
He stands silently at the gates of Broughton Manor; where Offa of Mercia battled with the King of Kent, and Edmund Ironside defeated the Danish invaders. 

I can't sit still...
picking odd things up, trying them in a new position; opening the last of the boxes;
cleaning surfaces, wiping and dusting like the good housewife I've never been and will never be for long.
I re-order books; taking one at a time from the bookcase, trying it next to a new neighbour on a different shelf.
I stand at the kitchen sink; gazing into the long garden, watching the light at different times of day, listening to the birds in the tall trees next door.
I cut the grass, walking slowly up and down, my feet marking out our new territory, my footprints on our ground.
I plant a rose; figuratively and literally putting down roots.

We're slowly settling in.

20 comments:

Philip Dodd said...

Sorry, can't stop to comment, I've got a path to explore....

Baglady said...

I love the juxtaposition here of his ways against yours.

I like that you're finding your feet together but apart :)

Happy Frog and I said...

You know what each other needs to do and respect that. Really enjoyed your writing and post. Glad you are planting roots.

Nessa Locke said...

Entertaining. I like the way you've portrayed the two of you taking on the same task down totally different avenues at completey different paces, yet you seem so together in it.

libby said...

Settling in to somewhere new...how exciting.

Pat said...

Cut the grass?
But that's man's work.

Mr London Street said...

I like this clever, subtle almost-poetry. It will be interesting to see how Otford becomes a new home - in real life and in your writing.

caterpillar said...

Nice to know you guys are settling in...and to to put that into words so beautiful definitely takes talent...

Bobby Stevenson said...

Poetic x

Wally B said...

Lovely images as usual. Good luck with planting those roots....

Kristi Campbell said...

Its wonderful to hear that you're putting down roots and each exploring the new home in your own ways.

I'm interested to see how you each make it your own, especially if it will be presented this poetically. :)

dkplant said...

i like how you're transitioning together and apart. very nice writing

Shopgirl said...

Lovely as usual. I felt like I was there watching he running off and you dusting off...

Glad to hear about you two settling in and polishing up the new place.

Young at Heart said...

one day at a time...and what an exciting journey!!

Olga said...

You're going through such a transitional period. I can imagine how complicated that can be in every way. It's like immigration :)

Alyson said...

Ah, the bookcase. :)

I liked the way you're both handling the settling in differently, as Baglady said. And the way you wrote this does read a bit like a poem.

I'd be in your shoes, settling in that way, I think. Apart from the lawn mowing...no thanks. :)

Lizzie said...

Really liked the way this post came across, the different lay out worked so well. It was poetic and exciting, making the reader grasp for the next image you describe. Lovely!

Anonymous said...

I agree with the others--this is very poetic. So beautifully written as well--the images are sharp and vivid to me. Great post :)

J said...

This was so great.

Kind of reminds me of like beat-poetry... At least, that's how I pictured the experience.

Loved it.

Anonymous said...

Good Article