Naming the house

Just read a post at Steve&Julie's houseblog about naming houses which reminded me of the discussions Dave and I have had about naming Amherst.

Our initial idea was to name it after a place in Sussex or Kent, because they're my favourite parts of the UK. Also, it's a really odd feeling, but everytime I've visited I feel "at home" there, as if I belong - far more than I've felt in any other place. I don't think it's because of genes or anything like that since my family all came from "oop north" originally, Cambridgeshire and Yorkshire. Perhaps it's just the landscape, where everything is so gently curved with rolling hills, because it's been in cultivation for so many centuries. Whatever it is it's a magical place for me. (And had we 10 million pounds to spare we might even be doing the "Amherst thing" there... but that's never going to happen and besides, it will be nice to return to Australia one day).

Anyway, that was the initial idea but I'm starting to change my mind. We've poured over maps of the region trying out names but none seem to work. I think it's because the landscape at Amherst is just so different; the juxtaposition of the image in my head when I hear the Sussex name and the reality of Amherst just doesn't jibe.

We also thought about Cricklewood, because we do have wood (or rather, forest) on 2 sides at Amherst, and Cricklewood is the suburb of London where we live now. Plus I like the name. I checked out the list of historical Australian house names on Steve&Julie's site and spotted a Willesden, which is the suburb next door to us in London, so by calling it Cricklewood we'd be following in tradition too, kind of.

I'm not too worried, I know eventually we'll come upon a name and it will just seem right, and then we'll know. We had the same problem naming a dog once. Dave got this puppy and we just couldn't work out what to call her. We'd tried about 3 different names, and she didn't respond to any of them so after a few weeks we decided to let her choose. Dave had some friends round, drinking beer, as you do on a hot summer Saturday afternoon... the puppy was sitting on the lawn looking at them. They just started shouting out names to see which she'd respond to. Went through all the usual kind of dog names to no avail so then just started shouting out random things... well, someone called out "Fishtank" and she instantly stood up, her ears pricked up and tail wagging! That was it. From then on she was known as Fishtank!!!! It was quite amusing too when you were at the park with her, watching the look on other people's faces as you shouted out her name and she came running. Ah, poor Fishtank, rest in peace. (She died a few years ago but she was a lovely lovely dog)