Thursday, September 11, 2014

At sixes and sevens…

…is probably an understatement of the state of play in the Transit household at the moment. Life here is never totally predictable in any case, but just now we are facing an enormous change and while not exactly running around like headless chickens, DH and I are finding life more than a little stressful at the moment.

The reason for all this is that early next month we shall be leaving the hills to move a couple of miles to a house on the edge of the village down in the valley below us. After health scares for both of us in the past year we realise that perhaps the time has come to live somewhere more accessible and less likely to be snowed-up in winter

With the kind help of my burly brother-in-law we're planning to do most of the move ourselves over a period of weeks, just getting in outside assistance for the heaviest furniture. DH is rather looking forward to hiring a van with an electric tailgate to take the smaller stuff!  Even DD and her family are getting in on the act, since they are coming to visit during half-term at the end of October and have offered to help with moving things like books.

So if I become even more noticeable by my absence from the blogosphere over the next few weeks, you know the reason why. It will be a big wrench to leave our beloved hills, but there are compensations. The new house has a stream running along the back of the garden and we’ll have a stretch of river-bank of our very own. Wind in the Willows, here we come…

Image via Google 

44 comments:

  1. Oh, the stress of moving - I remember it well! But you are fortunate to be able to do so over a period of some weeks, I presume because you haven't needed to sell the house in hills yet, in order to move to the village.

    However, do encourage DH to sort things out before moving them. I know from experience that if you don't do so, they don't ever get sorted out!

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    1. Tell me about it, Ricky. :-) This is our 4th house move in 13 years! Yes. we're lucky to be able to take our time and we will also be able to take our time over the sorting-out. We're being selective about what we take with us, leaving the rest (mostly DH's 'stuff') to be sorted gradually over the winter and either kept or disposed of. Even he accepts that there will be a considerable amount of the latter. ;-)

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  2. Moving from a favourite place is never easy, but it sounds as though your new home will be nice, and the river bank area will bring new adventures. Do take care in moving, and not do too much all at one time. Glad you will be having help. I will be thinking of you. All the best.

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    1. Thanks, Bonnie. It will be a big change, not least because we will have neighbours at the new house instead of being very isolated. We're fortunate that we don't have to rush through the move and will be able to rest when tired and of course we're not moving far, thank goodness.

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  3. Having just gone through a major move last year I can totally relate to life being "more than a little stressful." It's always hard to leave a place you love. But oh my - a stream running through your back garden and your own stretch of river bank!

    My one word of caution would be to take care when moving and packing. It's so easy to overdue things, or twist, bend or turn in a funny way and end up hurting yourself.

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    1. Thanks for the good wishes and good advice, Kristie. I know you had a big move last year, not least because you were moving from one area to another, which is always much harder. we can do our move in easy stages, which always helps. The stream runs alongside the garden and forms part of the boundary and I love flowing water. :-)

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  4. It sounds like the intelligent thing to do Perpetua, however hard the wrench might be. I hope you will find life easier (physically) at a lower level. Hills are OK for the fit and young. Slightly less so for the ageing.
    The new waterside life sounds inviting (provided of course it is not liable to flood). Only joking!
    Take it steadily and you should survive your move in reasonable 'nick'.
    BlessingsX

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    1. Thanks, Ray. That's our hope too.My knees don't do hills happily nowadays, especially going downhill. Moving now while we're still reasonably fit seemed the best thing to do and the new garden is completely flat. :-) The stream hasn't flooded here in living memory, even in the dreadfully wet winter we had, so we should be OK.

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  5. Let's put that double yoke on ourselves as we both move! As I write, the dining and living rooms are stacked with boxes. We take possession on Monday and will begin to move the small things as painters and floor re-finishers do their work. We have hired a large truck and moving team for the furniture, like you. So, look west, waaaaaay west..........that's me waving at you. We are both headed for adventure in new nests. If a the flutter of a butterfly's wing can set in motion events far and wide, just think of the results of all this moving on both sides of the ocean!

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    1. I thought of you and your move as I was writing this, Pondside.We're moving for very much the same reasons as you and the GD and feeling the same wrench at leaving somewhere we've lived so long and loved so much. We'll be a couple of weeks or more behind you as we don't complete on our purchase until the very end of the month. In the meantime I'm on top of our hill waving towards the west and wishing you luck as you pull up your roots and plant them elsewhere.

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  6. The new place sounds lovely, and I am sure that once the upheaval of the move has become a memory, it will feel perfect. being perpetually in transit, maybe this feesl like another bit of the usual moving around....just dont forget which house to turn up at next time you arrive at this part of "home".

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    1. I'm sure you're right, Janice and I'll hold on to that thought in the midst of the upheaval itself.at least it will be a leisurely move, which will help a lot. It will feel odd not turning to go up the hill next time we come back from our travels, but we'll soon get used to it. :-)

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  7. Change is always hard. I think we are in a similar position to you. We've lived in our house for the past 40 years. It's up a single track road, two miles from the main drag. The nearest shop is a 12 mile round trip and the doctor's surgery 6 miles away. Apart from that, it's big, it's old and it's dilapidated. But we love being here and where else do we go? Your new house does sound very nice and all that help in hand with your move does sound just the job. My thoughts and prayers are with you in your upheaval, but I'm sure your new house will become 'home' as much as this one.

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    1. Thanks, Molly. Yes, your situation sounds very like ours here, even down to the two miles of single-track lane from the village (and a 500' climb) Sadly the village shop has just closed so we too have the same round trip to both shops and doctor. We too have been in this house for over 40 years, but at least we'll still be in the same village with the people we know, which is great.

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  8. I understand the sixes and sevens. I often use that expression myself.

    Having just gone through the big transition from one town to another and from a large three story house with a large yard to a smaller house with no yard, I understand how distressful and disruptive the entire process can be. The physical nature of the move is hard enough. The emotional attachments we leave behind may be even harder. I must say that your new abode sounds delightful. I think you will be very happy there.

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    1. Thanks, Sally. Yes, yours was a very big move, as you changed location as well as house and that's always hard. We at least will still be in very familiar surroundings, as we've lived in the same village since we moved to Wales over 40 years ago, except for the few years | was in full-time church ministry. We will still have a garden, but everything should be much more manageable once we're settled in.

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  9. Dear Perpetua, it was when I had the Meniere's health scare that I decided to move back to Missouri to be nearer my family. I also realized that I needed a one-story home because steps when one has vertigo can be treacherous. Moving is hard, I discovered, but there are many compensations I've found. And your attitude is so positive that all shall truly be well for you and your husband. Peace.

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    1. Thanks, Dee. Yes, we do have to think sensibly as we get older and our health isn't quite as reliable as it once was. We still have stairs in the new house (my main form of exercise) but the garden is flat which will be much easier and more usable. I will also be able to walk to church, instead of always having to get the car out, which will be lovely.

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  10. Well yes, moving can be stressful but exciting in a way. It's often good to get out of our ruts and start making new ones. You never know what wonderful things you will discover when you have offloaded possessions no longer really needed and have new spaces to move around in. Moving in your own time and having lots of helpers is an added advantage which will make things much easier for you both.

    I bet you will love your new place.

    Victoria in Indiana

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    1. After 40+ years in the same house (with just one period away when i was in ministry) I guess we're in a very deep rut, Vic. :-) However, now we've made the decision, I'm looking forward to getting on with the move and the settling-in and starting to make the new house a real home. Sorting through possessions is an ongoing task, but we'll get there eventually.

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  11. Hari 'tOM
    Completely understandable, sensible and timely.......and none the less stressful or heartfelt for all that. Quite a different prospect from the usual 'transit' as well. We look forward to piccies and updates whenever you can - - - blogging is so voyeuristic isn't it??!! Only between pals of course...&*> Good luck with it all and happy settling. YAM xx

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    1. Thanks, Yam. You've summed up our mixed feelings very precisely. It makes sense and will be good for us, and yet it's hard to leave somewhere we've lived for so long, except for my few years in full-time ministry. Even harder for DH who so loves the hills and trees. But they won't be far away, thank goodness. As for piccies, I'll do my best... :-)

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  12. Oh, my dear blogging friend, you must be filled with many emotions. It is hard to leave a treasured home, emotionally and literally, but, it is also a new adventure. Good for you and DH for making this decision in a timely manner. As others have said, take your time packing and, if you can, relish the shedding of some items along the way. When we moved here, to the Cutoff, we moved from a small house to a bigger one. I dread the thought of moving from here one day that will come sooner than later. The fact that we still have boxes that were never unpacked after nine years is testament to the fact that we don't need as much as we think we do. At any rate, thinking of you, glad DD and crew will be helping - and that burly brother-in-law.

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    1. Thanks, Penny. Lots of different emotions swirling about. We are so lucky to be able to take our time about it all and yes, there will be quite a lot of shedding in due course, even though the new house is a decent size. We still have things in boxes from our move back here when I retired from parish ministry 7 years ago! But DH is a bit of a hoarder so I foresee some interesting discussions. :-) It's hard to have to face leaving somewhere very special, so I well understand your trepidation about one day leaving the Cutoff.

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  13. Sensible move Perpetua, but I can understand how you must feel. Living in the same place for so long I know you will have accumulated 'stuff'. I moved from N.Z. to Australia in my early 60's and oh dear, the accumulation!! Two sons helped 'sort', they were ruthless, but that was needed. In the end I moved across the Tasman with 6 small plastic boxes of belongings, mainly books:)
    I had to smile at your DH's anticipation of hiring that van. Men always look for a rainbow, often mechanical:)
    Enjoy your new home Perpetua.

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    1. Thanks, Shirley. Our move pales into insignificance in the light of your move between countries! We (and in particular DH) have accumulated a LOT of stuff over the years and it will take a good bit of sorting through. Thankfully we don't have to hurry with this and I do plan to at least try to be ruthless, though I may not succeed completely :-) My weakness is books, whereas DH positively hoards things that may come in useful one day...

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  14. Moves are so stressful -- especially when your head dictates sensible choices and your heart aches for what's being left behind. I hope this will work well for you both. But I know the act of moving, even when you have moved four times in 13 years, can be overwhelming. I have a dear friend who is moving out of a beautiful seaside condo because it's a third floor unit that is hazardous now that her husband, who is partially paralyzed from a stroke and suffering from dementia. They are going to a much more modest inland rental apartment that has accessibility features for the physically challenged. She says that their new residence will suit them much better for this phase of life. Priorities change by necessity. But how hard it can be to know that and then move on. I hope all goes smoothly for you!

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    1. Moves are indeed stressful, Kathy and we're leaving the house in which we've lived since 1973,except when I was in full-time parish ministry from 2001-2007. Bit thankfully we're not leaving the area and will still be in the village where our children were at primary school all those years ago. The new house is very appealing and it will be reassuring to have neighbours nearby, just in case, and to be able to walk into the village instead of having to get the car out all the time.Thanks for the good wishes.

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  15. Best of luck to you both. I know how stressful moving can be. I hope to never do it again, but I know that isn't realistic. Fortunately, we could most likely live here the rest of our lives and I hope that's how it goes but that's a very long time. I hope everything goes smoothly for you. I look forward to hearing all about your new home.

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    1. Thanks, Jennifer. We've had over 40 years in this house, except for the 6 years I was in full-time parish ministry, and have loved living here. However, I'm sure we'll love the new house too and it will be good not to be so isolated in bad weather, or if one of us is ill. I'm looking forward to turning it from a house into our home. :-)

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  16. Good luck with the move - it will be a wrench to leave your idyllic spot after 40 years but the new house with a river boundary sounds great. Look forward to hearing all about it.

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    1. Thanks, Susan. Yes, it will be hard to leave this lovely spot, but we're not moving far and can easily come up into the hills when we want to. The valley is lovely too and I'm looking forward to being able to walk further on the flat than I now can on hills (bother my knees!)

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  17. Good luck with the move. How nice you can take your time sorting out what is to be kept and don't have to do things "all in one go" which is so much more stressful.
    The last time we moved [on average we've moved every 5 years, no we're staying put here :-)] it was a 3 way affair --selling house in England, selling house in NL and buying house in France. The English side of things was the most stressful and we vowed NEVER again in England!
    The stream at the bottom of the new garden sounds wonderful. Looking forward to hearing about adventures along the riverbank :-)

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    1. Just call me Ratty! :) Thanks for the good wishes, I think they'll be needed, despite the leisurely timetable. At least we're doing one thing at a time, not like your 3 way process. I do agree that the English system of property purchase needs to be changed to make it more straightforward and likely to go through. We've been lucky, with lovely vendors and the ability to set our own timing, but it can be the stuff of nightmares.
      The river bank (a very small river) is lovely and I'm looking forward to getting to know it.

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  18. Oh, my. Good luck to you, Miss P. My last house move was four years ago and I still have palpitations when I think of it. I do like the idea of a stream at the bottom of the garden. Perfect for curling up on a rug with a glass of rosé and a good book!

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    1. Thanks, MM. Our last move was 7 years ago and that was from halfway across the country. We were surrounded by boxes for weeks! This is only two only two miles, so should be relatively painless, says she busily crossing everything. :-) The curling-up with wine and a book will probably have to wait for next spring...

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  19. Thank you Perpetua for all the interesting comments you left for me whilst I was away - I appreciated and read them all.
    Well, what a surprise! your feet must have hardly touched English soil and already you have acquired a new house, and are soon to move.
    Lots of good wishes to you & DH - there will be so many advantages for you both to be living within a community and your own river bank sounds delightful.

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    1. You're welcome, Rosemary. I keep catching up in fits and starts.
      I've left it until now to mention the move, but it's been in the planning for months. We complete art the end of September and will start transferring things between houses soon after that. Hopefully this still, dry weather will last until we've finished.
      I'll then be within walking distance of the church, but sadly the village shop closed at the end of August. Sigh...

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  20. I came to read about your move from Normandy and see that you are on the move again! It will be good for you to be closer to town but you will miss your hills – although since a stream is running through your yard, that will be lovely to see it up close. You will be exhausted after all this moves – I hope you are all done by winter so you can just sit and relax.

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    1. The move back from Normandy is quite routine nowadays,Vagabonde, but this move is something else. Luckily we can take our time over it, so hopefully we won't become too tired in the process. It should certainly all be completed well before winter. Yes, we will miss the hills, but they aren't far away and the stream will be lovely and fun for the grandsons in summer.

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  21. Bit late Perpetua, due to problems with leaving comments. However it seems that Google Chrome is more compatible.

    Anyway, good luck with the move xx

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    1. Thanks, Ayak. We may need it. :) Sorry to hear you're still having problems commenting, an am glad you managed it this time. I find Chrome much better for dealing with Blogger and hardly ever touch Internet Explorer nowadays.

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  22. I read this last week from my phone and thought I'd responded, but I see I didn't! Perpetua, I think you're making a wise decision and that will be comforting once it is behind you. But to leave the home you've loved isn't an easy transition. I hope it won't be too hard on you either emotionally or physically. I know you'll make your new home a very special place. ox

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    1. Thanks for the good wishes, Debra.Don't worry about the late comment. I too am very behind with blog reading and commenting. At the moment life is pretty chaotic, but it will all get sorted out eventually. It really helps that we're moving such a short distance and not leaving this lovely area behind. There will still be plenty of pictures of beautiful Mid-Wales on my blog. :-)

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