One More Week at the Castle

Dear Friends,

I landed at just a shade past midnight… walking into my little Castle in Brentwood, NH for the very first few moments of Saturday morning.  My mum, arriving earlier in the evening, was already soundly sleeping up stairs in the tower (second floor).   After hauling my but some 8000 miles across China, Russia, Canada and a smidge of the US my mission was clear, brush teeth, take out eyes, BED!

I woke up early, dragged my mum out of bed and with our local friends Tracie and Little M found my way to Bessie’s for breakfast.  No better way to start the day than with a big helping of eggs, sausage, hash browns and maybe a few slices of french toast :).

It’s back home to the castle now… turn on the radio and fill up the house with music.  Dust of the ramparts and get the drawbridge oiled up for another tour of duty.  It’s the last week I will call my castle at Lilac Farm, Brentwood, NH home.  Next Saturday will be moving out day and by Sunday the drawbridge will close up one last time for me as I rustle my possessions out in a few well packed suitcases and into the great beyond.

The house of Ben is on the move!  I’ve spent four lovely years here in my home and filled it up with a vast array of knick knacks scooped up from my travels around the world.  I had a chef once cook for me on my mighty stove and had a lovely lass make pancakes and chicken dinners in my kitchen once built to teach the fine art of culinary .  My office proudly housed my grandfather’s vintage redwood and leather topped desk and I watched countless hours of Star Trek reruns on my old leather couches superbly filling up my living room.  My big fuzzy rug guarded well the cold floor in my bedroom and my fancy Ikea bed kept me warm at night.  My ridiculously small bathroom kept me shiny and clean and my spare bedroom kept close watch over all the rest of the “stuff”!

And now it is time to fill up the great hall one last time with the sound of music, cooking, laughter, Star Trek reruns and the sound of life.  Time to remember that I was here… that I lived here… and this was my little push pin on the map of people’s homes.  In one more week it will be time to saddle up, pack up the suitcases one last time, bring the front door closed with a jingling bang one more time, slap on my sunglasses and ask the sun where the compass leads next.

It’s not about the homes we leave behind… but where we choose to make the next one that is important now… where adventure calls, where a local diner beckons to offer a toasty warm breakfast and local pub has a seat and a beer waiting.  I’m hitching my wagon to the next great adventure in my little bedside story and a chance to make a new place… my next castle.

Come visit!  Come sit at my kitchen table and chat and laugh and debate and regale… and if you have time pack a box or two :).  Here we go peeps… it’s time to start one more week at the castle… maybe it will be the best one yet :).

 

Your friend,
Ben