Pooh Bear, 4 August 2014

We took the bus to Crawley; then caught another one to Hartfield, today.  The ride was over new country for us and beautiful to see.  We thought we knew what stop to get off at, but after asking the driver, he kept saying: "The next one, the next one."  Some of the other passengers spoke up and one gentleman said to not worry he would tell us when to get off.  He was the best help and a woman asked:  "How far from home are you?"  (Dang, the accent gave us away!)

We arrived at Hartfield, excited to visit Pooh Corner.  This little town is where Mr Milne lived, or by it in the Hundred Acre Wood, the very place that inspired the creation of Winnie The Pooh and all the many tales and books about him.  Christopher Robin was his son.

We couldn't get a picture from across the street of Pooh Corner as the trees and hedges grew right up to the pavement.  The large trucks sped by leaving a whirlwind of air, at times causing you to sway.  We were not about to stand in the street to take a photo!  We were on a double decker bus and it would hit and bonk into tree limbs up and down the road.  We were so close to the hedges at times, that if we could reach out, we would literally be able to grab handfuls of leaves.  My best method of such moments was to look the other way!

Pooh Corner is stuffed full with everything "Pooh!"  We had a delightful time looking at all the many many ways you can promote Winnie the Pooh.  Every little nook and cranney is filled with "Pooh!"  There is a tea room and garden and a reading corner on the floor filled with soft pads, throws, and pillows for listening to Pooh stories.
The landscape picture is out the back of Pooh Corner.  The Hundred Acre Wood is down the main road and across the street.  We did not go there as it is a two hour walk and we had a deadline to be back.

We were fascinated with the little town of Hartfield.  It is centuries old and the buildings clearly mark that.  The growth is lush and very full.  The green grows right up to the road, and it was a very busy road.  There were lots of big trucks going up and down it.  The double-decker bus leaned and swayed up and down on our journey, hitting tree limbs and swishing leaves along the way.

The old with the new and lush growth everywhere.

We headed home by way of East Grinstead, getting off the bus and stopping for lunch at McDonald's.  It started to rain some as we left and headed into town to the bus stop.  We arrived there and had a half hour to wait.  About ten minutes before the bus arrived, we spotted Bro. Adams from the mission office.  He had just parked across the street.  He was happy to give us a lift home!  We were so excited to go straight to the temple instead of riding the bus to Lingfield and then walking home!  Go figure!

When we got out of the car at the mission office, fellow temple missionaries were walking by.  We stopped for a chat and I got out the camera.

The Manor House Sisters - Sister George, Sister Bustamante, & Sister Pilgrim.

We ended the day with a temple missionary photo in front of the temple.

Since there is no definite order here, I will name the four distinct couples in the front and the rest alphabetically.  Right to left in front:  President & Sister Crossland, Elder & Sister Wade, Sister & President Johnson, and Sister & Elder Murdoch.  Today is the Murdoch's 43rd wedding anniversary.
Sister Adler, Elder & Sister Blake, Elder & Sister Brown, Sister Bustamante, Elder & Sister Curley, Elder & Sister Davis, Brother & Sister Essom, Sister Freeman, Sister George, Sister Hale, Brother & Sister Ibbotson, Brother & Sister Kelly, Elder & Sister Littlefield, Elder & Sister Masih, Elder & Sister McClellan,  Elder & Sister Mulholland, Brother O'Callahan-Evans, Sister Owusu, Elder & Sister Parkinson, Sister Pilgrim, Elder & Sister Rogers, Brother & Sister Rushforth, Brother Searle, Elder & Sister Vowels, and others we do not know.