Village life, and Sunday church

Today it's Sunday. The village wakes slowly.
It's been a treat to meet people - we've only been here 2 days!
First there was the butcher - he's nearing retirement. 45 years ago he was the butcher's delivery boy on a bicycle.
Then a lovely elderly gent out walking his dog. He bought a weekend cottage here 40 years ago, and when he retired, moved here with his wife, so is 'nearly a local'.
We met a charming younger couple out walking with their young children. They bought the rectory a couple of years back. She lives here full-time, he comes up from London in the weekends - she says it's like having a Christmas every week. They visited NZ in their OE days and loved it.

There are a few cottages for sale - 1 sign says 'only to locals'. Many have thatched rooves, a large number have crooked walls that seem to be held upright only by the roof. Most are immaculately cared for, as are the gardens, then suddenly we will come across a section of wilderness that takes me straight back to my childhood in Alton, and fields of flowers, nettles and wild strawberries.

I can see food will be more of a challenge here. £50 for a 1 course pub lunch yesterday - and the only thing on the menu that wasn't deep fried or swimming in oil was a huge steak. So that's twice the price of Paris, and a whole lot less healthy. I lost 3.5kg during the month in Paris, and really don't want to gain it back! Plus, in Paris tipping was included, here it is extra. Darn, more cooking for me.
Today we went to a tiny Methodist church, 2 doors along from our cottage. As we walked in a lady saw us and beamed, said 'how lovely, our congregation has just doubled!' Bit of an exaggeration but a lovely welcome. Amelia was the youngest there, I was next! The service was very traditional, 6 hymns, a lovely elderly organist. The sermon was brilliant. I was overcome with homesickness - for my old family at Papakura East Pressy, and for my new family at Palmy Life.  I missed Lynette terribly, and needed a hug - she was the queen of hugs.
Back to our little cottage for home-made soup for lunch and then off to explore a stately home - but that's another story.