We could never have loved the earth so well if we had had no childhood in it.

George Eliot. (Someone with very little facial hair, mainly on account of the fact that he's a she.)

Yesterday's party was back in the village where I lived from the age of about twelve onwards. My formative years, you could say. In fact, I left home at seventeen but even so, this is the place of memories.

Here's the church I went to - the church I was married in, almost thirty four years ago...

Here's the river I swam in and canoed on in my 'Swallows and Amazons' days.

Here's the pack-horse bridge I dreamed dreams on.

My parents are still here in spirit.

And in my heart.