Matlaske, 1973

I've cheated with today's photo and I apologise! I'll explain in a minute.

The day started wet. We'd got plans for a bit of bushcraft with Mollie, Henry & my niece and nephews, so that we could get a few photo's for the website. However, it was just raining too hard first thing, so Manda and I sat and made more miniscule liquorice allsorts, while the kids entertained themselves. Henry and Hayden (13 & 9) went up the road to do a bit of metal detecting. They were gone some time...but it is a safe, quiet village, so we had no concerns. They returned with 'something' they had dug up. No one knew what it was, but it looked like pipe!

After lunch it brightened a bit, so Jon set up his shelter and got a fire going. Mollie took lots of photo's and the kids enjoyed cooking marshmallows and popcorn on the fire.

Manda's visit was soon to end, and at 3.30pm they set off home to Ware with their car loaded. We said our goodbyes, and presume we will not meet up again now until Mollie's 18th birthday in December.

Jon cooked a kedgeree for tea and we gathered our thoughts and overnight bits for the weekend. I am looking forward to catching up with a friend in Cambridge tomorrow, then Mollie and I are going to Herts Uni open day on Sunday.

Now back to my photo. As you all know if you have been following my story of discovery since moving to Norfolk, I am one quarter Norfolkian. (I really am) My paternal grandmother Bessie Ketteringham was born in Guernsey Road, Norwich in 1900. In 1903 her brother Sidney was born, by which time the family had moved to Cranworth. When I was a little girl, we used to visit Sidney and his wife Clara in their home in Matlaske, where Sidney had worked on the big estate for much of his life, and lived in one of the estate houses paying a peppercorn rent. I remember this house vividly, as it had so much character. With my Nanna living at that time in Barnet on her own, the only way she would ever see her siblings was when we took her. This photo is Sidney, Nanna, Clara & my mum, then Manda on the left and me, standing in front. Look at those lovely 70's home made matching dresses. 

Why is this all so significant now? Well, Matlaske is the village adjacent to us here in Lower Gresham - over the fields a bit. So the Norfolk bit of me has come home - and brought the rest of me with it. I hope to go looking for this lovely old cottage when I have the courage to knock on the door!

Norfolk. I am really getting to like it here.