By: Blonde Two
I am not sure how I feel about time. I am fairly unconvinced that it is a simple as most of us assume it is (back to quantum weirdness here). The world moves very fast and we presume that time does too but when you find yourself in places steeped in as much history as Dartmoor, time can, if you concentrate, stop a bit .Anyway, what I wanted to talk to you about today was the people that you remember from your formative years. Who is on your timeline, who helped to form the person you are now? To whom can you look back and say – “They made me the person I am.”? Besides my parents and sisters, I remember a pair of older lady teachers who introduced me at the tender age of 7 (?) to all things ornithological, further back, a lovely headmistress who took us on nature walks across the Malvern Hills with paper cups so that we could drink the spring water.
My sisters will recall and still talk about one secondary teacher in particular who, to be honest, was quite odd (Blondes are obviously not odd) but single handedly took us all on numerous sailing and walking trips and even down to Ten Tors (in the days when you didn’t have to live in the south west to take part). In fact, if you talk to almost anyone who loves the outdoors, you will find a memory of a particular person there, someone who first inspired that love but more importantly someone who gave that love the opportunity to grow and develop.
The Two Blondes spend a lot of time (not as much as we would like) working with youngsters in the outdoors. Many people spend a lot more time doing it than we do. Sometimes it is difficult to know if you are neglecting other things too much in favour of it all – particularly family. I am big-Blonde-headed enough though to like the idea of a legacy, just a little one, you understand. I don’t want to conquer Everest (Blonde One would probably jump at the chance) or swim the Amazon. I would, however like to be remembered, for teaching someone else to love the outdoors and, more particularly, to love Dartmoor.
I think you have succeeded! I for one will look at Dartmoor in a different way from now on. You have given me the urge to do some walking there!
Come on down Ray, the Two Blondes will show you around 🙂 (ps, can we bring 30 youngsters with us?)
I am sure you have achieved your ambition often. Your writing may also be another legacy. In reply to my last post my brother who was a lifetime journalist and magazine editor who takes writing very seriously, has given you an accolade, and believe me he hardly ever dishes these out.
That is great to hear. I had no idea how much I would enjoy writing. One day I would love to have a column in a writing magazine … like I keep telling the youngsters, it is good to have ambitions.
Thank you!
I’m still not sure what I’d like to do when I grow up.
JJ
The answer to that is obviously to avoid growing up at all. No decisions to be made then!
You have achieved that ambition goodness knows how many times already! I doubt if any of the team members will ever forget.
I remember a third officer WRNS who twisted my arm to go on the Ten Tors bronze – and I still have the medal thingy.
I also remember the horrified voice of a Naval Petty Officer on the phone, when a Wren asked to go on the 50 mile walk from Falmouth to Penzance and back, hee. (And his relief when I said I would walk alone and didn’t want to join one of his teams.) It was fun – 25 lads and muggins – but the Wren got told off afterwards for not smiling when the Captain (almost god) congratulated the 14 of us who had made it. I still have the little dish we got for that, too.
The third person I remember was a very quiet, quite prosy, gentle little man who took me in hand as a rather poor grade 4 pianist at college and in two years turned me out at grade 8 – how he achieved that, I don’t know; you’d never have thought it, to look at him. Rather a special person.
You will be remembered, dear Blondes.