Old China Patterns

1 Comment

1. Mark Rushworth
   09/23/2010 at 7:39 am

   You blew me away when you sprung that on me this week. Tracey makes excellent points. It's really hard for me two and a half years on to properly quantify my feelings. My greatest England was my childhood. Brilliant parents and a little Sister I adored (and still do!). I was lucky to have a wonderful childhood. Losing my Dad broke my heart, but Trisha, you made it better and by the time Tyler came along, it was almost mended completely. Losing Mum hurt deeply and it made me want something better for the three of us. I couldn’t just sit there and let the things that were making me miserable adversely effect our lives. I wanted better for us all and in Colorado, so far, I think we have found it. My England was family holidays (vacations) in tents and cheap package deals, picking strawberries, finding fossils on the beach and walks in the country. It was the most amazing Christmases and Birthdays where it was your special day. It was wonderful. As I got older it was my great friendships with Russ and Rant and later with Darren. It was Coventry City and England (football / soccer). It was English pubs and fish & chips. It was the history, the traditions and the unique and quintessential things that made it … England. I miss my family, my friends, Coventry City, donner kebabs, Brains faggots (meatballs!), Indian food and seeing Gary Numan in concert. I miss decent beer, pubs and The Butchers Arms restaurant. However, I don't miss dog crap on the streets, litter, broken glass and utter ignorance to looking after your community. I don't miss people living in fear of packs of 14 years olds with their loutish behavior. I don't miss the grossly under funded crumbling school system with their bullies and powerless teachers. I don't miss non existent summers when the sun comes out 4 times in 3 months. I don't miss unfriendly, ignorant people and “clicky” towns. I don't miss extortionate housing prices, outrageous taxes, congested roads with ever increasingly aggressive drivers. I don’t miss a totally frigged up National Health Service that totally missed my Dad’s cancer and diagnosed my Mum’s 2 weeks before she died. England will always be my England. Coventry will always be my city. I love both with all my heart and talk positively about both with great pride. We will return one day, but not yet. When we do, we’ll always have a return ticket.