The moment I heard the phrase, “catching happy days,” I felt it resonate deep within me like a forgotten memory. It’s no secret how much I love the idea of living a happy life and helping those around me be happy. This, however, felt like more than that. I knew this phrase would become part of my repertoire for the rest of my life—as perhaps it had been once before.
Shameful shopping cart abuse
Agree to disagree as you wish. I believe a human’s being, heart and soul are made up of endless prior lifetimes and experiences. Each life we live is meant to practice and utilize past lessons learned, as well as to teach us new, important ones. Hold onto your knickers people, but I believe I’ve once been a dog, shopping cart, a home and a Brit, just to name a few.
Sure I receive my share of dumbfounded looks when I share this, but it’s my belief. For those who need further explanation; here goes. I have such deeply rooted emotions, fascinations and connections towards things that seem to have no logical reason or explanation. For example; I cannot leave a shopping cart unattended in a parking lot without feeling terrible. To this point, whether rain, sleet or snow I will return the cart to its shelter for protection. Whenever I enter or walk past a home I feel a tale of those who've come and gone through the front door. I respect and admire each home for providing shelter and protection to those who've lived within her walls. I trust you get the gist.
So imagine my delight when my new next-door neighbour revealed a British accent. I about keeled over with delight. I certainly hadn't planned on really liking her, as I already had plenty of wonderful friends. I just planned on enjoying her accent. But as life often goes, a different plan took hold. Three years into our neighbourly friendship she invited me to tagalong with her across the pond to visit her homeland, friends and family.
St. Pancras International Railway Station located in the heart of London.
I am happy to report some six years later we are in every sense of the word dear friends and have just returned from, as we warmly refer to now, our third Tagalong. As you’d suspect we visit all the typical tourist sights and perhaps some you might not. We traverse London proper and even the not-so-proper bits searching for history, architecture, unique shops, delicious food and drink. We log endless miles on foot, bicycle, Underground and iconic black London taxis. We explore markets too numerous to count but never to be forgotten. We even manage to find a few hidden treasures too!
The Breakfast Club in Spitalfields, London. Ask the hostess to speak with the Mayor between 5 and 10 p.m. If you’re lucky you'll be escorted back in time through a refrigerator door, down a staircase and into a hidden Pub! @Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town
Once we handle London we head off to the countryside. Whizzing along the “wrong” side of narrow roads past sheep grazing on bright green hills, through small towns with moss-covered roof topped homes with chimneys for as far as the eyes can see.
Castle Combe is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England
We tinker about in antique shops for hours, sit around eating decadent cheeses and drinking comforting cups of tea. This is a life I believe I have lived before. It truly feels like my home away from my home.
Hungerford Arcade is a jackpot of English goodness.
Yes, perhaps it’s fantastic friends who treat me like one of their gang. It may have something to do with sitting alongside her family to eat a proper Sunday meal. But maybe, just maybe, I was an English gal once upon a time. Afterall, I cry every single time I watch Mary Poppins. The Union Jack flag makes me tear up. I simply love cheese, gin and tonic, scones, a good cup of tea and those salt and vinegar crisps are to die for.
So on our flight home, we selected the movie Elizabeth at 90-A Family Tribute to honor the Queen. Not two minutes in and the Queen’s cousin remarked as children they loved to play a game called Catching Happy Days, which consisted of running around outside catching leaves falling from trees. I love trees. I love leaves and often times collect them too. I rest my case. It’s safe to say I’ve been Catching Happy Days all my lives!
Moral: “Everything is possible, even the impossible.” Mary Poppins
xx,
