Family History, Musings, Travel

A Cuppa and a Natter in Devon

Suzanne

There are certain places we love to visit, and Devon is one of them. With a few days between housesits, we decided it was the perfect time to catch up with warm-hearted friends and enjoy some luscious clotted cream.

We flew from Geneva to Bristol on EasyJet. As a budget airline, we didn’t have high expectations, but the service was satisfactory, and the flight was about an hour and a quarter long. Upon landing, we encountered a friendly gentleman at immigration, although we had varied experiences in the past—we had certainly learned a lot along the way.

After a short walk, we reached the Europcar rental office. We’ve used this company many times without issues, and since our booking was for a long-term hire, we got discounts and an upgrade.

Our connection to North Devon began in 2005 when we posted an old photograph in a local newspaper and caught the attention of Rosalie. This sparked hours of conversation about their shared history, leading to regular visits.

Rosalie’s uncle, affectionately known as Uncle Jimmy, is now 97 years old. He lives independently, though he misses his late wife, Winnie. We enjoyed hearing about his recent adventures, including trying new recipes and gardening on sunny days. His sharp mind and willingness to discuss anything from history to politics remind us to “never give up believing that you can do it.”

Nearby lives his sister Nancy, who is 93. Like Uncle Jimmy, she is independent and witty, and our conversations with her are both thought-provoking and filled with laughter.

It’s been a lovely few days spent with Rosalie and her family, but now it’s time to say goodbye and head to our next housesit in the South Hams, Devon.

 

 

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Published by Suzanne

I'm a lover of creativity and movement, expressed through photography, words, travel and sports. . . . . . .

27 thoughts on “A Cuppa and a Natter in Devon”

  1. This all sounds lovely! Some of my friends moved to Devon and I am always so jealous when I visit. It is such a gorgeous area with beautiful coastal walks. 🙂

    I hope you’ll love East Devon too!

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  3. What an amazing experience to spend time with these wise and “crisp” siblings. Very fortunate to still be living independently at that age and having full lives with worldly visitors! 🙂

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  4. Nice post, great to catch up with family that you don’t get to see very often. We’re currently housesitting in Moretonhampstead in Devon and having a great couple of weeks. Hope yours is equally good.

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    1. Thanks Carol, it’s so lovely when we are reminded of good memories. Oh don’t mention the clotted cream, it goes so well with jam and scones!! So luscious 🙂

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  12. Thanks for a heartwarming read! Your acquaintances seem just lovely, and I think I would be happy spending a day chatting with them too. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

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  15. Great write-up and love the photos – what an amazing pair for their age especially. I love speaking to elderly people with such history in their heads.

    Devon and the stunning walks there are gorgeous. 😉

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    1. Thanks Nilla, yes that was last year and we are looking forward to heading back in June to visit them all 🙂

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