village life: the stanton sweaters

The other day I was enjoying a leisurely jog near the village. I stopped at a wee bridge to stretch, when I saw another jogger, half a kilometre behind me. Striding further along, I heard the steady beat of footsteps coming closer and closer until we were running side by side and the jogger slowed to my 5-foot-2 girlie pace.

"You local?" he asked.

I thought about it, and with some pride answered, "yes I am!"

Still running, me trying to pick up the pace to not reveal the softie that I am, he proceeded to recruit me for the Stanton St John running club: the Stanton Sweaters (and you thought this post was about fashion!).

Dean and I had actually heard about this club some time ago, but the Saturday 8am meeting time has yet to line up with our sleeping schedule. I admitted this and my new friend informed me that they also meet on Monday evenings. He also assured me that his wife and teenage daughters run at my pace and would accommodate my 5km rule (there is no pleasure in running further than that!).

So on Monday night we 'pitched up' (as they say) and joined the Sweaters on a back country tour of Stanton St John. Pavement gave way to clover fields, limestone farm roads, a nettle strewn bridleway and finally the road again! whew! Once I had picked the burrs off my Lulus (and thanked heaven that the overcast sky induced me to wear long pants) I had to admit, it was pretty fun.

I think we'll pitch up more often!

new kids on the pond

The Chapel got a special delivery this weekend. Five new ducklings turned up on Saturday morning and were testing out their new swimming skills all day (with some breaks for naps). We're pretty enamored by these little guys.

Yesterday morning, however, we peeked out the window and sadly discovered they were down by one, and by the afternoon we only had three little ducklings in the yard. We're gunning for the last three to hold strong and didn't even feel angry at momma duck when she started squawking at 5.30 this morning - she was probably trying to scare off the local fox. Dean managed to capture the troups when they still numbered five. pretty friggin cute.

cool off

The sun FINALLY joined us in Oxfordshire on Sunday. We took advantage of it by tootling around in the yard. Well, I tootled - tugging at weeds here and there. Dean's involvement was a bit more hardcore: trimming ivy, mowing the lawn and helping our landlords chop a tree and burn a big pile of brush.

By the end of the day he was sweaty and smelled like cinders and sap. Obviously there was only one proper way to cool off after all that. I mean, beside the soothing sound of rushing water, why ELSE would you have a stream in your yard?

Stream House Chapel, a preview

Last night was our fifth in the new house... our new home. It feels like it already. really! Though I can see how it would be easy to unintentionally cut yourself off from the rest of the world when you're living out in a teeny country village like this.

Lest you think we are completely in the boonies, I should clarify that we're only 10 minutes from Dean's office and 15 from Oxford's town centre. But it is another world out here - one where I can forget pushy European high school exchange students and Sainsbury queues.

So what's it like? Here are some highlights:
- the inescapable soothing sound of rushing water
- friendly ducks, goose and kitty who visit us each day
- trees that envelop the conservatory kitchen and make me feel like I am snug and warm in the great outdoors
- cobwebs and their architects in every corner which I lovingly squash and dispose of
- brilliant white walls and metres of wood bookshelves
- finally, a comfortable bed
- a totally indulgent egg-shaped bathtub (no shower) which necessitates lazy morning routines
- antique chairs for curling up with books
- my first bonafide walk in closet
- a sofa bed with your name on it

I took some photos on Sunday, mid-unpack, and some later that evening when Chris and Heather joined us for dinner. More to come when things around here are finally up to snuff!