Roberta was born and brought up in the very beautiful English Lake District, noted for its famous residents and their guests. To name a few: William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy, Shelley, Lord Byron, John Ruskin, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey – and more. Now a World Heritage site with stunning scenery and a special atmosphere created by many features such as the nail-biting mountain passes (not for nervous drivers) it attracts both tourists and people wanting to live in the area permanently. Being born there makes Roberta a local. Tom and Muriel Smithies, her parents, while being totally accepted, were never true locals.
Roberta had an idyllic countryside upbringing amongst both the local community and her parents’ literary friends: long hot summers, river walks, sparkling lakes and tarns, woolly bleating sheep and mooing cows in green, green fields. Her aunt Doris Howe gave names to two resident ducks on the river at Elterwater, Freda and Freddie, who then had many adventures along the banks as Roberta and her aunt took early morning walks by the peacefully running, dappled and tree-lined water. Winters always seemed to have crisp snow perfect for toboganning and when lucky tarns froze over for ice skating. A typical summer school activity was learning to sail or swim in Windermere. The term ‘Windermere‘ applies to both the lake and town of Windermere, which is over a mile away. Many of the words and names in the Lake District Cumbrian dialect come from the Norse language. A number of Roberta’s friends moved away to big cities, the lure of bright lights and varied work too much to refuse.Roberta joined them. Sadly those friends never returned – Roberta did.
