Great that you're nearly settled - or at least enough to resume your substack pieces.
Following what will hopefully be our last move before the care home, I reflected recently that despite some 14 moves in 35 years we'd only once had the stress of buying and moving at the same time - the moves have been into tied accommodation (as a missionary and then a vicar) and the purchases have only ever been of 'investment properties' we've let out to students or holiday-makers. But this final move into a 'forever home' (which sounds very like your erstwhile 17th-century cottage) has indeed precipitated a flurry of knocking down, refitting, nesting & general turning of a house into a home.
A year on and we're almost done! Now, just the very painful process of thinning out the excess piles of books, nik-naks, books, clothes, books and books! (so far I've only got rid of books I've also got electronically).
Thank you so much, Francis. Fourteen moves in 35 years! This one is quite enough for me. The words that are currently springing to mind (as I wade my way through the boxes and listen to the banging upstairs) are "never again". I hope your "forever home" brings you great joy.
Great that you're nearly settled - or at least enough to resume your substack pieces.
Following what will hopefully be our last move before the care home, I reflected recently that despite some 14 moves in 35 years we'd only once had the stress of buying and moving at the same time - the moves have been into tied accommodation (as a missionary and then a vicar) and the purchases have only ever been of 'investment properties' we've let out to students or holiday-makers. But this final move into a 'forever home' (which sounds very like your erstwhile 17th-century cottage) has indeed precipitated a flurry of knocking down, refitting, nesting & general turning of a house into a home.
A year on and we're almost done! Now, just the very painful process of thinning out the excess piles of books, nik-naks, books, clothes, books and books! (so far I've only got rid of books I've also got electronically).
I wish you happy settling in Stoke Newington.
Thank you so much, Francis. Fourteen moves in 35 years! This one is quite enough for me. The words that are currently springing to mind (as I wade my way through the boxes and listen to the banging upstairs) are "never again". I hope your "forever home" brings you great joy.