It was such a lovely day today that I decided to drive to Dedham which is just over the Essex/Suffolk border and not far from me. I decided to leave the A12 as soon as possible and take the scenic route which I certainly did with a vengeance as I got totally lost and found myself driving along a very narrow, twisting road with high hedgerows on either side of me. I hadn’t the faintest idea where I was heading but as the sun was shining and the birds were singing, I decided not to worry and see what happened. What did happen was that I came face to face with a Landrover whose driver, most courteously and efficiently, immediately backed up some 100 yards and slid gracefully into a shallow ditch on the side of the road to let me pass. I was most grateful to him and said so, but I daresay he took one look at me in my Nissan Micra and knew full well that this was the safest course of action for him to take….
Dedham is one of the most popular place for tourists as it is in the middle of Constable Country and Flatford Mill, immortalised for ever by this painter, is not far away. It has hardly changed at all since being portrayed by Constable but in the summer is so packed with visitors, all eating ice creams and taking boats out on the river, that it is difficult to enjoy it. The visitors were starting to stream in as I left, all heading for the craft centre and the Essex Rose tea shop, so I decided to leave having enjoyed my brief wander.
When driving back along the same winding road, which I deliberately chose this time, with the windows open, the sun warm on my face and Chopin on the radio, I thought to myself that life was pretty good on the whole.
