LOST IN LOCATION…

TEDDY TINKERS
TEDDY TINKERS

The day couldn’t have been darker, colder, more foreboding or windier. What did we expect? It was, after all, the East Sussex seacoast in early spring; a perfect day to get out of the cottage and explore the neighbourhood in spite of the dreadful weather. Right. The residential hill behind the train station looked straightforward, and looked straight up.  It was straight up…an all-out straightforward looking and straight-up hill climbing climb. We started. Up. It’s what you do on holiday, on a Sunday, in dreadful weather.

Right.

We walked uphill for over an hour on steep inclined street after street lined with aged and weather-depleted pastel painted mid-century mansions that breathed cracked stucco, ruined or missing exterior embellishments, slate roofs, and crumbling red-tiled chimney pots. Definite signs this was once an active seaport village and lovely coastal resort was evident, but now was a tired but true mistress of an English seacoast.

The weather, darker and windier than the hour before was the deciding factor to begin the cold and soon to be wet journey back to town for an early afternoon coffee…but not just yet. There was just the one uphill corner to reach, navigate the street intersected roundabout before the steady, knee pounding, toe scrunching downhill journey. Besides that…we were lost. Hadn’t a clue which was the right down-direction to get us back to our now desperately needed warm café and hot, white coffee.

At the top now. Just there. See? Standing before us… please pardon the expression…like jewels in the crown untouched by wind, rain or beastly weather of any kind or season; a row of painted, artisan-bursting with colour neighbourhood shops.

News-agent.

Barber shop.

Teddy Tinkers.

Perfect.

Sunshine on a cloudy day comes to mind…

48 thoughts on “LOST IN LOCATION…”

  3. So so beautifully written R. you have captured the essence of the East Sussex coastal town with an enjoyable read and watercolour. I am so loving your paintings, so vibrant, so so wonderful. I can feel the smile behind this painting……J

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      1. Hi R. you are very welcome and unfortunately I am really going through a crisis and may have to move home. All is up in the air at the moment, but I may have to act very soon. I do not want to burden you with this but I will keep you posted via email if this ok. Best regards, James.

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    1. Ah….”tired but true”…it’s Sunday and the beginning of a new and improved week.
      I think that phrase could easily describe describe more than stately albeit dated mansions. You think?

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  8. Outstanding description of the day to get to this corner. I also went to Google Images to get other images of the area. Wonderful! …. and the wonderful painting is the coup de grâce.

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    1. Late getting back to you on your comment, aFa…thank you in any case. I also Google St. Leonards and it is really much prettier than the images shown. Very grand. Very stately. Lovely and…old!!
      Are you getting hit with that BIG SNOW?

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      1. I’ve never been to the UK, but I know it’s a place I would enjoy … after all, I love being in Europe!

        We won’t get the big snow as the storm the northeast will get went south of us, then up the coast. We had a coating this morning with a bit of nip in the air … so that’s it .. buy out friends in the NE won’t be as lucky.

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    1. Your comment did not go un-noticed….just slipped up in the neatly order WP process. You always make such nice comments…indeed!…muchly appreciated. Thank you.

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  10. I echo all the other Readers! Your hands and mind are gifted with talent galore! Your words are perfection along with that lovely image discovered on your walkabout… Sunshine indeed! xo

    Liked by 1 person

  11. I echo those already written – memories of San Francisco hills, and more importantly you paint as charmingly and eloquently with words as you do with paints.

    I don’t know how I missed that you are on the other side of the pond; I’ve been picturing you ensconced in your colorful art-and-light filled apartment in Portland, Oregon 😉 i see I’ll need my passport for our dinner date!!

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    1. I do live in Portland. Last time I checked no passport needed to enter Oregon…just a bike! Dinner date is still on, I hope. Thank you for the glowing words…my, my, my…you deserve two maybe three helpings of dessert…which means I’ll have to give up two of mine…

      St. Leonards-on-Sea IS in England…I’ve lived (London area) there and go back as often as possible to visit my two best in the world girlfriends and their husbands and families. We take our holidays together. (See post ONE DAY LIKE TODAY) Clear?

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      2. Raye, I returned to re-read ‘One Day’about your visit with your dear friends. I loved it – you are very fortunate to have that time in your memory bank.

        Liked by 1 person

  12. It’s amazing what turning one more corner will do, what surprises lurk there. You reminded me of our San Francisco trip a few weeks back, when I was exhausted from climbing all the hills, and we turned a corner, and surprises abounded. Well done, and beautiful artwork, as others mentioned.

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    1. Not really liking the way WP has this “answer comment” thingy set up…gripe, gripe. YES, Mr. B. St. Leonards also reminded me of your own posting/commentary of your trip to San Fransisco….even the weather…cold and wet! I think we need to HIGH-FIVE each other for making it back alive after climbing them. Don’t you think?

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      1. How about a high five with an Irish Coffee or two to warm the sore muscles!!!

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  13. “A tired, but true mistress of an English seacoast.” Your words are as fine as your painting. Enjoy the cup of java. It read like it tasted warm and comforting. You made me want one. Cheers, BTG

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    1. No surprises here, Hugh…always coffee…always white! Coffee is quite popular now, but there is always tea-time in the late afternoon. And yes…I’m in fairly good walking condition…but this hike was certainly that…a hike and all uphill!

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    1. New Yorker!!! Wow!! Now that’s an endorsement. Thank you, z. Always nice to see you in the neighbourhood whenever you get your “net” up and running. I know I can speak for several of “us”….I just wish there wasn’t this lag time between you and “us”. Love your visits. Absolutely love what you do…..en toto.

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      1. Hey amiga! Yes, those watercolors are New Yorker worthy – Hmmm, why don’t you lob one or ten or 610, and maybe a much-larger audience will get to enjoy your images? http://www.npr.org/2015/01/25/379787274/howd-a-cartoonist-sell-his-first-drawing-it-only-took-610-tries?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=artslife

        i hope to try another usb option from a different company, but only if it’s a short-term trial period. if that’s a dud, i’ll try the third option… it’s like throwing darts w/a blindfold over the eyes!

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        1. Sista-Sista z…know that I appreciate (MUCHO) your thoughts. Am checking out your npr link right now while I wait for the primer coat to dry on my new back door…so I can then prime the other side. Flipping it over by myself, however, might be a bit tricky for me alone. I’ll get it sorted! You carry on as shall I………
          Good luck with your usb “other” option. Raye

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  16. Well, I wanted you to take me into one of the shops! Perhaps Teddy Tinkers. So rich in description and more . . . now a tired but true mistress of an English seacoast. [nice]. Maybe converse with a shop keeper. Your artwork is outstanding, and the brief description of a moment, more than adequately matches.

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  17. They look like colorful candy! I enjoy your visual excursions into the beauty of everyday things.

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  18. Darling,
    Posting you another can of W-D40 for that errant wheel on your trolley. You can never have enough…wheels or errants…and?
    …and I still love you in spite of everything.

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