Longest Night

is also our last night in Brighton. As the Northern hemisphere turns back towards the sun, we head west towards home. It’s a bittersweet leaving. We’re clear that we wouldn’t want to live here permanently, but we do hope to return again someday, preferably during the warmer months. Though the locals have cheerfully informed us that summer is not all that different from winter. (Yikes!) But there would be longer days. And fewer mega viruses, one hopes. Sam’s fever finally broke this morning and she has been steadily improving all day. Just a little while ago she informed me that “vanilla ice cream and two orange lollies (i.e. popsicles) are very good for sick girls.”

Indeed they are. As are chips and peas at the Regency Pub. Sam was well enough to partake in our Sunday roast dinner tradition. As we walked home afterward, we heard the hundreds of starlings chirping and singing in their roost in the car park next to our flat. On this darkest night they were home early to wait for the sun. We’ll follow their example tomorrow.

Thanks, Brighton, and cheers.