Back to normal

I am slowly getting back into the swing of things. I’ve changed my details with several companies. I never realised how many companies hold my personal details! The removal people collected the last of the empty boxes yesterday and things are looking quite normal at home except for one bedroom. Unfortunately, the base of one of our beds didn’t fit through the stairway so we had to get rid of it. Now we have to buy a bedstead for the room. I also need to get myself a new dishwasher. Money is draining away like water from our pockets at the moment. There are still a lot of projects I would like to do on the property. Like the garden for instance. I miss my lavender plant and ferns. Oh well, I will need to work on that later. Autumn is just around the corner so there’s no point in doing much. I have to get rid of the snails though. We have a snail colony in our back garden. However, I am also aware that birds eat them. That’s a dilemma for me. What to do…what to do?
I found that work isn’t that all important in my life anymore. This is just a means to an end. The country life hubby and I have is simply fantastic! It’s the quality that matters. Career no longer holds a strong allure. Maybe I have matured

Driving me crazy

I consider driving a chore. The only time it becomes a pleasure is when I am on the open road--alone! I particularly hate “tailgaters”. This sense of claustrophobia heightened since my accident a couple of years ago when a lorry rammed the backside of my car!
I am sure I will get used to the 45-50 minute drive to and from work everyday. I didn’t realise the impact of an additional 10 miles to my journey until yesterday when I was held up by a hay lorry on the A35. Overtake the damn thing I hear you say? Well, unlike the A30, which is a dual carriageway, the A35 is a two-way traffic. It is not a straight road either so overtaking a huge lorry is not for the fainthearted. I thought an additional 5 to 10 minutes will not make a huge difference to my day. I arrived home shattered nursing a dull headache.
Yesterday was not exactly a relaxing day at work. I didn’t even feel like eating my dinner! However, that didn’t stop me from cleaning my front room windows. I am a bit obsessive about windows. I like looking at squeaky clean windows. With the views we have, there's more reason to have them sparkling clean! Judging from the state of the windows, the previous owners were a bit slack in that area.
I think this weekend will be devoted to cleaning and final unpacking of books in the attic. The house is really fab and we are very happy with it and the surroundings. The downside is we do not want to go anywhere!

Off to the country!

I am a happy chappie. Why wouldn’t I? I survived the hassle and stress of moving house. Last week was absolute hell! At one point I thought I’d collapse from exhaustion. Manual handling is one thing but stress and fatigue is another. Anyway, hubby and I (plus Sam) are now the new residents of a country dwelling in Musbury near Axminster, Devon located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The views from my front room are spectacular. All I could see are distant rolling hills and valleys...and from the kitchen? Well, the house backs onto open fields and woods. Absolutely exquisite countryside. I watch the cows make their way back to the farm every night--“until the cows come home”-ha ha!
The downside is I am farther away from work, exactly 11 miles more than Honiton. That equates to an additional 15-20 minutes to my journey each way. I also have to navigate winding country roads. My driving is improving no end! I need to familiarise myself to the roads before the onset of winter when it gets dark earlier and the roads can get icy--brrr--makes me shiver just thinking of it.
Yes, life is good.