A Very Special Day

Peggy, me and Stephen

The view from Stephen and Peggy's kitchen

Yesterday was a very special day for me.  I took the three different tube lines and a train and finally arrived in Aylesbury, a small village of farm land about an hour outside of London.  You may be wondering a) Why was it a special day? And b) Why travel to a small farming village?  Aylesbury is home to a very special person named Stephen Sidebotham.  During World War 2, my grandma Hilda and her older sister Eva were sent to England on the kindertransport in order to escape the Nazis.  The kindertransport sent Jewish children out of Nazi Germany and into the safety of other countries.  When Eva and Hilda arrived in England’s safety, they were able to connect with their uncle.  After a time, their uncle sent them to a vicarage where a very generous pastor was boarding Jewish children.  That was Stephen Sidebotham’s father.  Stephen at the time was only four but his father took care of Hilda and Eva until their parents were able to escape from Germany.

Stephen and his wife Peggy treated me like I was Jesus Christ myself.  Stephen told me how much it means to him that he met me.  Peggy showed me pictures of my grandma and her sister when they were working on the vicarage’s farm.  She also had a copy of a letter Stephen’s father had written to Hilda and Eva’s father telling him that his girls were doing well and were a pleasure to have.

Stephen and Peggy had a quaint house with a gorgeous view of sprawling farm land just behind their yard.  Peggy grows all her own vegetables and made a lunch of all home-grown food.  She even made elderflower cordial –a drink made from a flower- using the ingredients in her own backyard!

After lunch we took a drive through the village, stopping along the way to look at farm animals.  I saw pregnant sheep that were due to give birth in a couple of weeks.  Peggy called their birth process “lambing”. 

Then we drove to a goat farm, which ended up being a petting zoo type place.  Stephen bought me food to feed the animals.  To my great pleasure, the place was filled with bunnies, guinea pigs, a llama, goats, pigs, etc. etc.!  I hand fed all the animals and even got a nuzzle from a goat!  All the animals were so cute… and so hungry for my treats!  Outside the little farm house were ducks and ponies.  In the spring and summertime the farm has funny events, like “ferret racing”.  Seeing all the bunnies made me miss my bunny at home! 

Stephen and Peggy insisted on walking me all the way to my train and then stood on the platform waving until I left.  They looked like they were going to cry when I got onto the train!

More pictures from the farm...

And the best part of all... my future retirement destination...