Tags
Arran, coronavirus, expat, Family, friends, humor, international travel, lockdown, old friends, Scotland
I’m not one of those to sing the praises of a pandemic that’s stopped the world and created untold suffering, hardship, and death. Frankly, I couldn’t care less if dolphins swim up the Venice canals and do a water ballet in front of Piazza San Marco.
But I will say that I’ve spent more time connecting (virtually, of course) with family and friends. Last week, for example, five of us chatted on Zoom. We’d been roommates and friends since University days, but for the first time in over forty years we were speaking together. Now we looked at each other from computers based in India, South Africa, Scotland, and the USA.
I’ll spare you all the “Remember the time” and “You look exactly the same” exclamations. But as I watched each of my friends, I wondered how we’d ended up literally scattered around the world—still so connected, but each of us in the place she was supposed to be.
For myself, the answer is plain. I live on the Isle of Arran, off Scotland’s west coast, and I absolutely love having it as my own space.
Well… Not exactly.
As we dutifully isolated in the name of flattening that pandemic curve, as all the regular interactions we took for granted were cut off, we realized the truth. We have hit the neighbor jackpot here on Arran.
Since lockdown started, we’ve been the lucky recipients of a nonstop parade of little gifts. The bistro table outside our back door often holds a bouquet of flowers, homemade tablet, baked treats. One neighbor offered a load of top soil when we were working on our bedraggled lawn. My neighbor Deirdre—possibly the best gardener in the village. Or the planet—frequently leaves buckets holding swaths of fantastic plants just inside our shared gates. (She insists they are extras and would probably just go into compost. As if…)
My neighbors Kirsty and Grant are busy parents of preschoolers, but they are constantly leaving stunning little presents. Consider last night’s offerings:
So there you have it. How do you decide where you belong? Clearly you pick the place with the very best neighbors on the planet. Piece of (Barb’apapa) cake!
Billy Joel was so right.
srbottch said:
Barb, such a great story. I, too, have neighbors who have been reaching out with shopping/errands and have just begun to venture out, myself. I’ve appreciated the quiet roads in my neighborhood and have said hello to folks I’ve never met as they walk by our home. It’s beautiful where you live but I think you missed another reason you picked that spot, the fishing. Certainly, it must be excellent, and you’re just a stones throw from the water, right? Have a wonderful day.
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barbtaub said:
I see people fishing. I just don’t see a lot of people catching fish. But IDK since I’m not a fisherman…maybe that’s not the point?
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srbottch said:
I think that just being there and doing it is my much of the enjoyment. I know it is. As the saying goes, “Any day fishing is better than a day at the office”
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Sue Vincent said:
See? That’s why I need to move north…
Here, too close to the metropolis, no-one seems to know their neighbours, let alone speak to them…
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barbtaub said:
I’d LOVE LOVE LOVE having you here of course. But… my kids say it’s too hard to get here and always want me to come to them. Result? Haven’t seen any of them outside of Zoom in past 6+ months. So there is that.
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Sue Vincent said:
Four years and counting till I can retire. I never mind travelling 😉
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barbtaub said:
Just remember that Peri is keeping the guest doggie bed open for Ani!
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Sue Vincent said:
I doubt if Ani would let me forget 😉
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Carol said:
Your view is wonderful, as are your neighbors. What a joy of a place to be.
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barbtaub said:
It sounds schmaltzy, but almost every day we congratulate ourselves on the good fortune of finding a place that’s so perfect for us.
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marysue7 said:
Yes. You hit the jackpot. As the song says
‘ Nothing comes from nothing
Nothing ever could
So somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good’
So enjoy the karma that is rewarding you with a lovely spot to live
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barbtaub said:
So here’s the problem: I must have done something karma-building, but I’m too old to remember what it was!
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Darlene said:
We end up where we need to be. I too felt safe and looked after here in my quiet corner of Spain during the lockdown. My kettle broke and a dog waking friend brought a spare one over. I couldn’t find baking powder at the grocery store and another neighbour had extra so brought some over. I like waking up with myself, in fact, I just like being able to wake up!
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barbtaub said:
Considering the alternative, I have to agree with you. I like being able to wake up too!
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JT Twissel said:
It was always my dream to live near San Francisco and that’s where I live. It always been a magical city but is too expensive to live in. Your island sounds like paradise!
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barbtaub said:
I grew up in San Jose, and have lived in SF and across in Tiburon at various points BC (before children). Obviously, that ship’s sailed and we’d never be able to afford it now. Luckily, I still have plenty of family around for visits. And thank you—our little island is my personal paradise, but I do have extremely fond memories of the Bay Area.
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Kassandra Lamb said:
The first time I came to Florida as an adult, was when Tom and I were engaged. We came down for an event at his fraternity house (now defunct).
When we crossed the border into Florida, palm trees waving on either side of I-95. I let out a big sigh. I felt like I was coming home and vowed I would someday live in the Sunshine State and own my own palm tree.
It took 34 more years but we finally got here, and (politics aside) I love it here! And I have a palm tree in the front yard.
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barbtaub said:
Politics aside, you are the lucky ones!
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insearchofitall said:
I was looking for your kind of neighborhood but my budget was so minuscule that I ended up here. It’s a community of poor elderly and younger people and so many keep much to themselves. I’m not one of those. I’m the neighbor that wants to bring someone food or help with the weeds. All I ask for is interesting conversation. Teach me something new. My son wanted me to buy a little place away from people. He’s a hermit. I like people. I’ve never felt like anywhere was HOME. Yet. I do love your neighbors. I think community is more important than the house itself. You did good there.
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barbtaub said:
Thanks so much for saying that! I couldn’t agree more that finding a community you click with FAR outweighs scenery or climate. WE lived in Glasgow for several years, and I didn’t know the people on either side of us. Then the day we just looked at the island house, I had people at the little village shop ask for my email address so they could send recommendations and encouragement. Fingers-crossed you’ll be that lucky too.
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Lynette d'Arty-Cross said:
I’m not really sleeping in my own space. I’m on a work contract in the Northwest Territories but I live in British Columbia. It sounds like you live among some really great people. 🙂
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barbtaub said:
It sounds like you have two great places to hang out. I hope one of them is your own perfect space.
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Lynette d'Arty-Cross said:
My home in BC is. 🙂
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Teagan R. Geneviene said:
Hi Barb. I admit I’m a tad envious of anyone with great neighbors. But I’m still grateful for my cottage in the desert southwest. It’s a vast improvement over the situation in DC. Thanks for this delightful post — and the perfect theme song for it. I’m going to play it in my head for the rest of the day. 😀 Hugs on the wing.
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