Why Don't We go, Somewhere only we know....

When the kids were small, we used to walk them around the country roads surrounding the village where we lived. 

Although they were the main roads between the neighbouring villages, they weren't particularly busy and you could easily do an 8 mile round walk, passing only a couple of cars.  

However, our favourite walk took us north out of the village, nearer towards where home is now.  This walk took up up and over a hill, and another hill, and into this dell. A wee dingly dell, however, this dell was the home to "the wee old man". 

When we walked there, we always walked quietly there.  We would stand and look over at the "wee old man's house", and contemplate if he was in there.   The mound on which this little house stood, was "landscaped", neater than the land around it.  Daffodils had been planted on rocky outcrops - in a semblance of a pattern, tree branches had been pruned; and despite the little shack sitting on the edge of this hill, it was protected to the north, west and south, and it had the most amazing view to the East, and pretty garden to look over. 

One day, Si and the kids were brave enough to go close up to the shack, and stick their heads in the door.  I wasn't. 

It was obvious from their investigation that the wee old man had long since gone... the shack, whilst still water tight, was deserted and the last camp fire had long since burnt out.   He was gone, and he wasn't coming back.  I told them not to rake around too much less they found his body. 

I came over the "Wee Man's Hill" today en route to work, and it's almost unrecognisable.  Whilst the flowers still grow, and the shack is still there, it is almost buried beneath the undergrowth.  The sides and the roof has almost deteriorated away to nothing.   I had to leave the car and wander back and close to the wall to get a good look, make sure I was in the right place. 

Although it looks sad and shabby, I felt quite warm and happy standing there, remembering two small Cruse's clambering over it all with their daddy - oh the adventures.