Our New Home

As promised, here are the photographs of our new house. I'm sorry they've been such a long time coming. There's been a lot going on in my life recently, and blogging has had to take the back seat for a while.

Spud, letting himself in for the first time, having just picked up the keys from the estate agents 

The living room

The dining room (all 25 feet of it!)

The kitchen (from three different angles)

The master bedroom (our bedroom)

The spare bedrooms. No prizes for guessing the previous owners had daughters!

The bathroom, complete with double shower and bath with whirlpool action!

We were very lucky with our purchase as we nearly ended up with something that was literally half the size. Because this property was repossessed we got an excellent price. We are looking forward to moving in when we get married in August! In the meantime, we are getting in about twice a week to work on it. 

Home At Last

I haven't much felt like writing recently, but that's because the recent development I alluded to in my last post, has occupied most of my attention and energy over the last few weeks. I am now ready to make the announcement... Spud and I have bought our first home. It is a three bedroom end terrace, literally twice the size of the one we nearly bought back in November, and it's a dream come true. While it's in reasonable condition and suitable for moving into straight away, Spud and I aren't moving in until our wedding day in August. We've been calling in once or twice a week to work on it, and make it our own. Our priorities have been fortifying the security as we were burgled within the first few days of ownership. There wasn't all that much for the trespassers to take, but they got away with Spud's tools and a ladder. We have reason to believe the burglary was more to do with the house being unoccupied at the moment, and the back door (which was forced open) being insecure. We are not too concerned, but obviously it's not a nice feeling knowing that somebody has broken in and trespassed on your property, even when you don't yet live there. 

We have met a few of the neighbours who are extremely friendly, and were very concerned to hear of our misfortune. One elderly gentleman has lived in the neighbourhood all his life, and said he has only ever had a piece of fencing stolen. He was in the building trade and helped us to secure the back door temporarily for us. We haven't met our next door neighbours, but we posted our contact numbers through their letter box, and they texted me the next day in acknowledgement, which I thought was very kind. 

It is an exciting thing setting up house. We got the electricity working yesterday, and Spud spent the day installing a new lock on the front door while I cleaned the kitchen, dreaming about painting the walls the butter yellow of my vision. Even Spud saw my perspective and agreed to this! 

I will upload some photographs of the house as it is now, just as soon as I get onto Spud's computer again. 

Hello January!

'Tis but the frost that clears the air,

And gives the sky that lovely blue;

They're smiling in a winter's sun, 

Those evergreens of sombre hue.

Anne Bronte - 'The Arbour'

Everyone keeps going on about how much they hate January, but I for one am loving it so far and not just because of the positive developments that it has brought about so far, one of which I will write about very soon. My last few Januarys have been good ones, even last year when I was stuck in a job I hated and suffered spells where I was incredibly miserable. I love the combination of the brisk raw air and the clear winter skies, particularly as this January has been comparatively mild to those previously. I remember one especially lovely day a year ago when Spud and I went to the beach, and for some reason I took upon to wear a dress even though it was January and it was freezing. I was happy that day, the combination of weather, scenic surroundings and good company raising my spirits. 

I think, for me, January is the most positive month of the year. I consider it a chance to start again, the new year's resolutions giving me something to aim for, and the opportunity to really think about what I want from the year. I've always engaged well with targets, and the results have been more than I could've hoped for so far. Sometimes my resolve to achieve these can ebb during the year, but January is the month that I am most determined to make things happen. 

It has been a good year so far for my writing, despite the rejection letter I received yesterday from Women's Weekly magazine, after sending them my two best stories back in September. I was naturally a little disappointed and put out, but I took it in my stride and wasn't in the least bit upset as I might have been before. I didn't receive any feedback and was only told that my stories hadn't met the required guidelines, so I am going to write to them and find out what their guidelines are for next time. 

In the last few days I've written a poem and the first twelve pages or so of a new project. I have been driven by my desire to be a writer, and inspired by the things I am reading at the moment (poetry by the Bronte sisters, 'The Tempest' and David Copperfield, for those who are interested). I will get their someday, even if it takes my whole life. 

Yes, January has been kind to me so far, and I've had a good start to the year. 

2011, A Summary

2011 didn't get off to the best of starts. I was unhappy at work, and it was beginning to take its toll on my health and mindset. All I could do was pray for an escape route, and that came in March when I was offered a job at Sainsbury's. The job was nothing spectacular, and the wage barely enough to cover rent and petrol, but I was overjoyed with it. 

At about this time, my grandfather deteriorated and passed away at the beginning of April at the ripe age of 79. I absented myself from my last two shifts to attend his funeral, and started at Sainsbury's a few days later. 

The following months were fairly uneventful. I settled into my new routine, and took on as much overtime as I could get. Spud had to have a tooth removed in hospital, because of his heart condition, and while I wasn't there for the initial procedure, I had to take him back due to complications and witness the follow up surgery. Surprisingly, I could handle the blood. I think the worst part was Spud screaming as the injections were administered in his jaw!

Spud and I celebrated our 4th anniversary in the summer, and went out for afternoon tea in a hotel to mark the occasion. We didn't go on holiday this year, but we did spend a week at Bible camp as Tent Officers again, possibly for the last time. 

In September, after sixteen months in unemployment, Spud was offered a job, and words can't express how relieved we both were. We made up for lost time, and arranged an appointment with a mortgage advisor who confirmed that we could indeed get a mortgage. We had already fallen in love with a little terrace house, and got proceedings going with that, only to be gazumped days before we were due to exchange contracts. We weren't disappointed for long, as Spud found us a house that was double the size. We exchanged contracts just before Christmas which means the house is safe and we are legally obligated to buy it. We complete next week and the house will be ours. 

I wanted to say a personal thank you to everyone who has encouraged, supported, and prayed for me throughout the year. Thank you for being such loyal followers, and most of all, for being my friends. Next year is going to be a big year, and I may take a step back from blogging. That isn't to say that I'll stop altogether, but I think my posts will be a bit less frequent. I'll still continue to follow you guys though, and will post when I have news. Happy New Year! I hope 2012 will be a happy and prosperous one for you all!

#24 Christmas Message

Yesterday seemed to last forever, but we made it safely home in the end. I was surviving on just three hours sleep after completing my final night shift, but the roads weren't as busy as I'd envisaged, or if they were, we weren't effected. After a false start, when Spud realised he'd left his driving gloves and glasses at home, we left at around 1430 and arrived around 2045 to a bowl of beef stew and homemade mince pies.

Despite being totally exhausted, I still managed to wake at 0530 today (due to my body clock being completely messed up, rather than excitement) although I dozed on and off for a bit (and no doubt will this evening). I spent some of the morning lounging about in my pyjamas with my mum, drinking coffee and catching up. The tree is up but it's really obvious my brothers decorated it this year. Honestly, I think even Little One could have done a better job!

Spud is now helping my dad change a punctured tyre, and I'm just taking the time to type a brief Christmas message, before settling down and watchign The Muppets Christmas Carol with one of my two favourite muppets brothers. I did create a video log for today's final Advent installment but it was so terrible that I couldn't bring myself to upload it. I may work on another for the New Year, so watch this space.

Anyway, what I was really meaning to say is, I wish you all a very happy Christmas. May it be a restful and peaceful one, full of fun and cheer. I want to thank every one of you from the bottom of my heart for sharing in my adventures this year. It hasn't been the easiest year, but I've made it through, and next year is looking to be a very exciting one indeed.

Love to you all,

Kess (and Spud)

xx