Winding Down

Tomorrow night after work, Dwight and I will drive to London so we can catch our flights to America early Saturday morning. The time has gone so quickly! I've been here six weeks! Incredible! Since we will be returning at the end of September, we have had some special organizing to do. Our maps and tour books, along with some of our clothes, hiking boots and raincoats will go into a suitcase and get stashed in Dwight's office. My quilt will go into a closet at Marilyn's house for safekeeping. The rest will somehow need to fit into our luggage for the trip home.

We've also been saying our good-byes here at the hotel. People have been so kind to us and, after such a long stay, we have formed friendships with several of them. There have been a couple of envelopes slipped under my door this morning: a lovely note from Margaret giving me her mailing address, and a collection of post cards of the island to take home as souvenirs. The ladies who serve our breakfast have stopped by the table to wish us a safe journey and to say that they'll miss us. Needless to say, we'll be missing them as well.

Then there is this island. When we return, we'll be living down in Weymouth, and Portland will be that hill way in the distance. While we can, and will, come back to our favorite shops and restaurants, the everyday sights and sounds of our lives will be different. I wonder about the people who will become our neighbors. I wonder if, with the summer tourists gone, the people who work in restaurants down there will want to know who we are and what we're doing there. I wonder if the ladies at the launderette will be as friendly. I'm already feeling a little bit homesick for this place!

I think today I'll walk down to Chesil Beach once again. I want to hear the surf and the tumbling rocks...and eat an ice cream.