After twenty eight years of living in the States….at last I was able to return home. Not just a visit, but to return home permanently. Christie was to spend a year in Paris which meant that she and I were back and forth on the newly opened Euro Star – Channel Tunnel . This was all before smart phones, etc….a very different and much more pleasant world. .

I had already made several visits to Crickhowell, Wales where my cousin, her husband and children were living close to my Aunt and Uncle in Glangrwyney…. The first time I set eyes on Crickhowell I knew that it was the place for me.

I returned home with very little money, but no debt…and so it was vital that I secure work asap.

My cousin and her husband PJ (who sadly died of pancreatic cancer during this past year) ran a design company. When I arrived in Wales they were working on a big project for the Cardiff Bay.. Through them I was commissioned to paint a series of large Tea Clipper paintings – plus numerous watercolours and paintings for several other large hotels…

One of the tea clipper paintings in the Cardiff Bay Hotel. My first commission when I returned.

I used one of the warehouses belonging to Hilary Rayner in Crickhowell to paint large pieces.

Commissions like these kept me afloat financially – on both sides of the Atlantic- for years.

I will be forever grateful to Lyn and PJ for giving me a lot of work – all of which kept me afloat and at the same time gave me time to organise exhibitions in Cardiff/UK and France.

It was also a time of being with family…..and getting used to being back where I wanted to be.

Thomas, Kara and Tasha plus dogs Bumble and Ben. All grown up now with children of their own in the garden at Ty Gryn….Crickhowell where I lived for the first six months.

We had so much fun….and I loved walking Bumble every day across the fields up to the Canal…and back again.

Thomas, Tasha and Bumble at Tty Gwyn…..

With my Uncle and cousin in front of the house in Glangrwyney…..

This lead to my being commissioned by the church in Crickhowell – which I will show and tell about on my next post.

Recently I learned from my daughter and a good friend that a house my family had lived in – a house filled with personal memories had been demolished!

Here’s the story…….It’s the eighties my husband Bill and our two children, plus animals had been living in Westtown Pa….just three miles outside of West Chester, Pa. The house in Westtown was a great family home. however in the American tradition we had to get in a car for everything……..! Coming from the UK/Europe this was alien to me….I was used to having local village shops/restaurants/pubs/coffee shops close by – all within walking distance of wherever I was living. In other words I was used to having a real community on hand.

Fast forward to the eighties……when Bill and I found what is now ‘the house that disappeared’. Set right across form the West Chester University library – at last we had a house where we could walk everything. It was like being released….no longer were we strapped to the bloody car!

We could walk out of our driveway into West Chester which again had shops restaurants,,etc. – …..and later on a studio a fifteen minute walk from the house.

And so imagine my shock and surprise to hear that the house had disappeared…….!

The house was about one hundred years old when we moved in….It had been built by the AMISH – in my opinion some of the best builders anywhere. It had been commissioned by a wealthy man as a wedding gift for his daughter. Not only was it as solid as a rock, but it was also aesthetically pleasing,, particularly on the inside.

Although it was right next to the University and quite a busy road….there were private hedges surrounding the property, plus a beautiful Lebanon Cedar tree behind the house which it looks like might have been saved.

Clearly not my business any more, but why on earth would anyone want to demolish this house.?

I think of a house that’s been in my Mother’s family in the UK since the 15th century which is listed – meaning that no one can cone along and tear it down! I completely support this way of being…..

On a personal level, I think of all the memories my family have surrounding this house…….which will always be with us.

My question is – does this represent a ‘throw away culture?’

Whatever it represents, It is very sad…. a little like The White House ballroom….(I couldn’t resist:)

This photograph was taken in 1964 when I was eighteen years old. I am with art school friends Maureen and Patrick. We are standing in front of what was then the Commonwealth Institute – now the Design Museum in Kensington, London.

Those were wonderful days in the UK/Europe – days that felt like they would never end. Life was exciting and anything seemed possible.

One of my favourite expressions is that ‘None of us is ever creative enough to know how things will actually work out’ I had no idea when this picture was taken where life would take me…..and for the most part that was good.

In January 28th 1966, having married possibly my parent’s worst nightmare, I set sail for the United States for what was to be a two year visit. My husband had family in the States and he wanted to spend time there…..two years seemed doable.

And so off we went……

We sailed on the United States Liner….on what turned out to be a very rough crossing. ………. Upon arrival in New York we took a Greyhound bus to Miami Florida…where we were picked up by my husband’s uncle ..who drove us to what was then the active Marine Base on Key West. My husband’s cousin was a captain on the marine base and his wife was involved with helping Cuban refugees. Because of this we became involved….handing out clothing etc. to Cubans arriving on small boats. Fascinating times.

Meanwhile I found out that I was pregnant…remember these were the days before birth control pills and pregnancy tests…!

And so Voila – my beautiful son Jarrod was born in the brand new Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale.

Here we are…Me with my new born baby Jarrod who would have been just a couple of months old when this was taken in a photo booth on Los Olas Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale.

Jarrod who is a musician will be 60 on September 10th this year……

And so now here I am approaching my 80th birthday……My goodness it has flown by…..

Here my son Jarrod is playing music for me while I sketch him….. this picture was taken about four years ago when I was visiting Jarrod and his partner Kendle in the States. .