The Old Dairy Barn - Our home away from home this week

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We had a hired car and driver take us from the hotel to our cottage rental. Five minutes into our drive Martin, our driver, asks "I just have to know your story. I'm trying to understand why American travelers would be staying in a hotel on the outskirts of Southampton (There wasn't much there besides our hotel and Peppa Pig Park, which was a 15 minute walk from the hotel.) and hiring a car to an old dairy barn in South Devon. That's not the typical American tourist route.". I was so excited when he used the term "I want to know your story" which was the premise of my sabbatical paper. I was happy to share my story and the purpose of my trip with Martin. Martin was able to share some his perspective of that time in history. He commented that my grandfather's story would make for a great movie, to which mom asked me who would be the actors. I mentioned that Grampy always reminded me of John Wayne. Martin had a great John Wayne story that he shared with us about the time that he met and shook the Duke's hand while he was shooting a movie on the outskirts of London. Stories have a great way of connecting people with one another. 😊

The drive along the seaside to Devon was spectacular! Large, expansive rolling hills that were meticulously manicured was all we saw for miles. Each field a patchwork neighbor to the next with very orderly borders. I believe I saw more sheep on this car journey than I have seen in my whole life. Across from our cottage rental, there is a sheep farm. We got to see a collie herding his flock at the end of the day. Those dogs are amazing workers.

Is there a word that means 'less than narrow'? That would describe the road into our rental cottage. The hedges that lined the street touched each side of our compact car. There wasn't even room for the length of a hand between the car and the hedges that lined the street.

Cottage is a very modest term for the 16th century converted dairy barn that we are staying in. It really looks more like a small castle/estate. The owners are a husband/wife that bought the property in 2011 and lived in it for 4 months without running water, heat or electricity. They began restoring the property bit by bit. It is still in process. Part of this building was a cider barn. The old stone press now forms part of the Manor House's front steps. All the gutters and down pipes are cast iron. It has a slate roof. There are large beams in the ceilings and the stone walls are 16 inches thick. It's all really extraordinary. The property is a historical landmark and they have done tree-ring analysis of the timbers. The timbers date back to the years 1420-1557. There are four bedrooms and one of them actually has the smell of an old dairy barn when you stand by the window. The key to the door is an enlarged, silver replica of Meme's front door house key.

When we pulled up to the front of the house, Doug and Rosemary were waiting for us. Upon setting eyes on Rosemary (and seeing how she has aged ... I mean that kindly), there is not a shadow of doubt that she is an Ostasiewski. Her features reminded us of Great Grammy O. I will get people photos tomorrow. Doug and Rosemary had stocked our frig with food staples and put the kettle on for tea for us. We enjoyed the rest of the day just simply visiting, chatting and becoming reacquainted.

We will have to curtail our American way of buying food in quantity and variety because the refrigerator they have here is slightly taller than a college mini fridge.

Other observations:


• No outlets in the bathrooms - Mom is currently in a frenzy, searching at 11:15 pm for a place to plug in her curling iron tomorrow.
• Cold water and hot water faucets are on opposite sides.
• No top sheets on the beds here (or at the hotel) ... just the bottom sheet and the comforter/duvet
• Keurig has no market here, nor do automatic coffee makers.
• The large chain grocery stores have AMAZING food variety and flavors in everything! Tell Grammy Wnek that Activa yogurt has a rhubarb flavor. Mom and I just had to buy it.
• It stays light out until close to 10 PM at night!!! This is uncanny!


It's 11:25 here -- five hours behind at home and I am wide awake! Until tomorrow....

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Photos

The Courtyard
Enclosed courtyard with seating, flowers and an olive tree in the center. Our door is on the left.

The Manor House
A view of the complete building, complete with a central wing (The Manor House), a cider barn (apple orchard around) and a dairy barn (our section, which is the building to the left)

Comments

[Dziadziu]

old dairy barn centuries of dung waft from the stone walls