"Yes, Headmistress" (part 5)

(Previous posts from this series):

part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 

Part 5

We introduced them to the British lifestyle with high excitement. It was wonderful being back after a 4 year absence! Riding north toward the base revealed all of the beauty I had missed in that span of time, and it all seemed romantic to me. The husband whose Air Force career enabled all of this romance was just as happy with it. What makes the wife happy makes everybody happy. Right? And so he was content.

But we needed a house. It couldn't be just any old house, but must have ample space for two children and a recording studio. I spent an inordinate amount of time gently pestering the housing office lady, enquiring as to homes that might be of interest.

"Do you have any thatched cottages available?" was my very first question.

"Ah, well no, we don't seem to have any of those in your - ah, rental price range, ma'am. Could I perhaps interest you in a semidetached bungalow?"

But - no. A semidetached bungalow did not seem quite to strike the tone I was looking for. One of the upper officer's wives had mentioned her lovely house in a thatchy-homey kind of area. Thetford. "Our daughter, Meagan, has a 'wing' all her own. It's true, there is a bedroom with an en suite bathroom all her own, plus the nanny's room next to it and a kitchen they use."

Sample of a thatched cottage

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pierre_pouliquin/3420047857/

I was shocked. Meagan's WING? Good grief. This became a running joke among the newer officer's wives. We all bugged our husbands to get us a house with a 'WING' for our children and their 'nanny'. We could hardly wait to find ourselves able to have a wing like Meagan's.

Then one day at the housing office we overheard someone discussing a house that caught our attention. Someone mentioned - could it be? - a swimming pool! And now this interested person was saying he might go for a look. We both stood silently and moved out of the door, and in lock step went to the car. Maybe we could get there first!

On the way my husband tentatively said, "Well, it is a ways to this house from the base.."

Oh dear - he was right. It was 25 miles after all. And I didn't want it to be too much of a drive. "Ok, let's time ourselves today and see. Maybe you will find it isn't so bad," I ventured.

As we approached this house, all thoughts of drives and 'WINGS' and studios flew from my mind. THIS was the house. This was IT! It was so cute, for us. Not huge but big enough. A little room just the size for a studio. Pretty roses everywhere. Orchards of apple trees out back...

I whispered, "Oh please....please let this be The House!"

We walked up to the door, and saw a white haired and cultured looking man standing, smiling towards us..


See you along the way!
the Scone Lady

photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/pierre_pouliquin/3420047857/">pierre pouliquin</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">cc</a>