A perfect summer day for our last day here. I would happily stay another three weeks, but Derbyshire beckons. I have been doing my walk/slow morning jog amongst this corn and it now towers over me. Harvest time must be near. Sadly, I won’t be here to see this. The pathway through this field was a bit like the yellow brick road – golden. But I am no Dorothy. I am sad to leave – it has been a wonderful home away from home.

The Olympics have been gripping and I have found myself sitting to watch boxing and synchronised swimming! The athletics were very exciting and Keith and I have done much cheering for Australia. We do keep looking at smh online to find out how Australia is going as the BBC often don’t have this included in their coverage. I have enjoyed no commercials and having a bit of choice on the different channels. I am sure I won’t be watching these sports until the next Olympic games.

Keith and I have managed to work on our marriage material – this is quite an achievement as our methods of working are completely different. I like to brainstorm, talk and work hard and fast. Keith likes time to think, read, think and not talk. Interesting, particularly given the topic – marriage. I have come to appreciate the way he works, as I am sure we would not be where we are without his wise thoughts and application.

Tomorrow we collect a hire car and head for the Peak district in Derbyshire. This is the home of the Gell family and we will spend a couple of days in the historical record offices looking at letters that Katherine Gell wrote to Richard Baxter back in the 1650s. There are other papers and documents we will see. I have found the place they have been buried – at a nearby church and we will visit Hopton Hall where they lived – this was plundered during the Civil Wars and was Katherine’s home soon after she married as a young woman of about twenty. The gardens are open to the public. This is my moment for collecting material so I “might” write something about Katherine Gell in my spare time – I also need to quell those noisy thoughts of self-doubt.

This is the start to our long service leave and we plan to cycle and walk, read and relax.