Early 90’s, & I’ve just confirmed a position as a Systems Administrator with a fashion wholesaler in Exeter. Conveniently a house in Pennsylvania is included. Having just returned to the uk after a year of travelling, most of my things were in storage. I’d sold most of the big stuff and so when accumulated, the room of boxes was what was left of my previous life.
Found a small weird house in St Leonards, near the river, which needed some renovation. Met an angel builder both capable & affordable, things were looking up. Or so I thought!
Within weeks the fashion company went bankrupt, & I had to move into my little house, & sadly, my lovely builder died suddenly! I was busy trying to find another position but there wasn’t much around of a similar level. I did a variety of things to survive. Finally, working on a magazine, covering the south west as Features Ed., a small organisation with the nicest of people and a excellent product.
Magdalen Road was my local shopping area & Denmark Road my doctors… so how could I miss Studio 36. I don’t know if you know what it’s like to arrive somewhere new, you know no one, then you stumble across a heavenly oasis, that was what finding Studio 36 was to me. It was, & hopefully still is, a delightfully whacky, anything can happen, sort of place, & it usually did..!
I often wonder why I ever left Devon as it became my adopted homeland, which for a Scot says a lot..!
Life in Brittany, France, for someone who is really bad at languages, is not the wisest of moves. Other than my failure with languages & the catalogue of French ‘trials’, it is truly beautiful. Very similar in its greenness to Devon, but with next to no traffic – I get excited on the extremely rare occasion I’m in a line-up of say 6 cars delayed for a few minutes.!
My next move must be, where English is spoken & I can emerge from my enforced semi-retirement to be the teacher & therapist I enjoy being.
As a sometime actor & director I have few reflections amongst the kind friends here.
Enjoy & appreciate the delight of 36.
