Ivor's Insights
Part Fifty-Four

We were also very happy to find that living in Chard was only a short drive to the lovely seaside resort of Lyme Regis where we spent many happy hours searching for fossils. Lyme Regis also had a Silver Band which occasionally performed from their bandstand situated along the promenade. To sit there on a beautiful summer evening with the ozone smell from the sea vying with the flavour from your bag of fish and chips and a glass of cider in your hand and at the same time trying to avoid the seagulls stealing some of your food was indeed a very pleasant pastime to remember and store away in your memory box for future retrieval. Lyme Regis was also featured in the film “The French Lieutenant’s woman” with some great shots of its famous harbourfront Cobb.

 During our time in Somerset, Kathy worked part-time in a care home, and I pursued my love of golf by playing twice a week and also working as a greenskeeper at the Windwhistle Golf course.

 Throughout this time the daily pace of the world seemed to really increase. I had used telex machines for many years, with my employment at Shell centre in London, however, the advent of the internet changed everything. Like so many, I struggled with the understanding of it at first, but my years as a telegraphist at Shell helped me. Now as I write this at age 88, I use it daily and appreciate the vast volume of information available in seconds. Its absolutely Mind-boggling compared to the technology available at the start of my story.

 We continued our enjoyment of travelling throughout this period with quite a few trips to Canada to see our son Chris and his family. Another memory recalled includes trying cross country skiing for the first, AND ONLY, time, we spent more time on the ground and getting long scarves tangled up in bushes than on our ski’s but we had a good laugh and came to no harm.

 We have also seen quite a lot of Canada and the United States of America.  As I have said before our love of cruises has always been there and this period also saw us taking many trips.

  My passion for photography has never left me and I still try to take a “good snap”. The contrast and shades of colours in any picture have always fascinated me. The crisp defines of the forefront and background subject’s coupled with various lighting, can convey such a powerful timeless image, and often very moving. This never-ending desire to capture such an image is always with me. I always appreciate a great Photograph. When I turn a page in a magazine or see a quality photograph anywhere of this nature, I take a second look and admire the work of the photographer.

                                                           End of part fifty-four