In between the furiously hard work against punishing deadlines, it was a good life, all that we had been hoping for, in fact. It was a good strong house -
even though my atrocious photography makes it appear to be tipping over. The school was just up the road, as can be seen from this picture taken from the house, all the kids went there together and formed a sizeable contingent amongst the 24-strong total of pupils.
Our own garden developed rapidly - I couldn't get enough of hard work back then, and it didn't occur to me to broaden my leisure-time interests beyond gardening. Actually I do myself an injustice, because I was also a member of a local amateur dramatic group and the local amateur operatic society, which allowed my other need to find expression - the craving to perform. More of that later. Anyway, we had plenty of eggs from the Blackrock hens, I had bees to look after, and also ferreting rights on the estate, as well as a bit of fruitless sea-fishing off the rocks now and then, not to mention all the children's activities that ate up time. I slept soundly for a couple of years as far as I remember.
I've still got that hat! Sheepskin. Far too bloody hot to wear.
Not beautiful or particularly artistic, perhaps, but productive, and kept me away from any temptation to behave badly. And the kids loved it, with a huge walled garden full of sheep to play in, just behind that tall wall.
At least it looked like they were enjoying it, even in a posed photograph by the front door -
So let us imagine this post as a sort of weekend off, where I have left work behind for a couple of days, and am relaxing with the family. That is how it was.
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