Rae of Light

Bev Cross was born in Winnipeg, Canada in 1952 and has lived in Britain since 1968.  Now a retired charity lawyer active in the Green Party and as a trustee of a restorative justice charity.  Lives in Yorkshire and has a son soon to be married to (another!) British/Canadian lawyer.  Loves cats, country walks, writing, swimming and enjoying good meals with friends and family.   At the end of his book The Road to Little Dribbling , Bill Bryson gives five reasons why he prefers living in Britain to just about anywhere else including America, his native land. I was born and raised in Canada and people sometimes ask me why I could possibly prefer to live here than there.   My reasons are a little similar to Bill’s.  Admittedly, I haven’t (unlike Bill) gone back to live in Canada since I left it in 1968, but I have visited it, and the States, since.   And you can find out so much of what is going on in a country these days...

While chatting about current reads with my friend Bev, she mentioned how much she enjoyed reading Bill Bryson’s The Road to Little Dribbling .   And how too it had made her think about the reasons she loves living in the UK.   So, considering it a blog worthy idea, I asked her to write a guest post (to feature later this month). Now however, it’s my turn. My residency in the UK was totally unplanned.  Back in 1987 my parents and I were all set to move to Canada where two aunts and an uncle live.  But the Canadians decided not to grant us entry so hey presto, lucky old Britain got us instead. After our arrival we lived in a variety of areas: Edgware, Arsenal, Fulham and finally Herne Hill.  But it is most definitely Herne Hill where I find I want to stay.  When I’m on my travels it’s the place I get homesick for if things are not going according to plan on my journey. And why exactly is that? ONE I have 4, yes 4 parks in my...