This Time I'm Really Going To Do It

Suffolk_lass

Karmacat said:

That sounds amazing, Watty, such good ideas.  And really good to take your time thinking about each consultant too, going for feedback and analysing it in the light of what you know and in terms of your history and your knowledge of this area of the law.  This is going to be great!

Spot on with these comments. You can set out in the plan that the barn accommodation will remain within the curtilage of your property and be classed as an annex (ie, not legally a separate property and not for separate sale)

Watty1

@Suffolk_lass  an interesting line to take, but, ultimately I do want it to be a separate property.  Ideally I would like to, at some point, sell the house in order to fund retirement so I am wary of putting that argument forwards because I would be in breach of planning in a very short space of time.   If I go for a holiday let me thoughts were I would move into the holiday let and let out the main property which is separate.  

I do not need a large three bedroom house (the cottage in which I live) but I do need some money for my future.    My ideal goal is to build a small, eco friendly, one bedroom bungalow (so convert the barn) that I can live in.   Putting that forwards as an idea to a planner will be a flat refusal - but - suggesting I convert an unused barn into a business premises fits in with the local plan and so might fly with them.    A holiday let is a business premises so I am trying to go for my goal the long way round.  Make sense?

daisy_1571

makes perfect sense.   After all, plans change so what you originally intended as a holiday let could temporarily be used for you whilst freeing up bigger accommodation for letting over the summer.   Completely unforseen at point of creating the little holiday let.  Then you find it suits you better so you just stay.  😀 

Daisy xxxx

LadyWithAPlan

This sounds like a great plan ! Lots of work especially with planning but you have the time and if it helps with the retirement plan then definitely worth it 
2 pages of A4 to dos - ouch - good you picked just two to get on with 

Honeysucklelou2

Just catching up with your diary. That seems a great plan to move into the barn conversion… it gives you a fresh new home, free from memories, that you can  start a new chapter in, while remaining close to the stables.

Watty1

The idea is sound, I just have to work on planning.

Nice day today, took the Charming Cob out to a "coffee and cake" club. The idea was a ride through some woods followed by coffee and cake.  The VNM came to drive. Feeling confident driving the lorry is something I will work on. The ex hammered my confidence driving so I will work on rebuilding that.

It was such a gorgeous ride. Yes, it rained, but from the car park two of us (plus the organiser on foot) rode out of the yard straight onto the most wonderful woodland path.  Rode for an hour. I had not realised how completely bored of riding through the lanes the Charming Cob is.  He was keen to get started and strode out. I loved it. On the way back the VNM asked if I had not thought of moving somewhere there was better off road riding, and the idea appeals I must say.  Not just yet, there is planning to go through next year and lot of regrouping but the Charming Cob and I had so much pure enjoyment in our day that yes, I want more of that.

Watty1

The Charming Cob went to have his saddle fitted this morning.  VNM drove us in my horsebox.  Usually the saddler would come out but it was easier to go to him this time and I am so glad I did.   Lovely place, down a leafy lane with 4 bridle paths that crossed it and miles of woodland.  After Friday's ride I was admiring the woodland and again, the VNM asked why I didn't move somewhere.    I came home and interviewed RightMove and found a house for £825,000 which would be perfect.  It was on that very lane with 3 stables and 4.5 acres and all that glorious woodland on the doorstep.

I don't have £825,000 but I can dream.   My long term dreams are changing for sure.  I realise what I really want to do is ride the charming cob around woodlands  and just have fun.  As I articulated that to the VNM I started to cry.    So much of me has been hidden in the struggle of working and paying for stuff with the ex and then dealing with the fallout.  I was really emotional as I realised my dreams are really quite simple.    Perhaps hard to achieve but if I can get to where I am I can get the rest of the way.

Watty1

In other, perhaps more important news, the charming cob has dropped the equivalent of 4 dress sizes so the saddle really did need re-fitting.

daisy_1571

its lovely to hear you beginning to get your head up and look to the future, for so long you were so mired in it all and naturally couldn't see beyond the struggle.   Love it, you are like an early blossoming spring time in November xxxxx

Watty1

Dont feel particularly blossoming today. I have made a right mess of the day.  i have a meeting at 1.00 pm with my professional body as somehow I ended up volunteering on the council. It is likely to last 4 hours.
A coaching group I  am part of has a meeting at 2.30 pm and I would love to go.  I get a lot out of this, it helps me see the way out of the trees.
I have booked work consultations at 1.00 pm, 2 pm, and 3pm.
I am waiting in for 2 couriers to pick up parcels for work and I am out of milk so can't leave the house
I have a Teams meeting for the British Horse Society (I volunteer as an access officer for rights of way) at 7.00 pm

And I have absolutely no idea how to get through all this.    Plus I realise I have to return some items I bought online as I shouldn't have bought them.

It all seems overwhelming and there is no chance of a cup of tea and chocolate to calm me as I have neither.  I should have mucked out already.  

So I need to figure a way of managing all this and setting priorities.  I think all I can do is tell the professional body that I will drop in and out of the online meeting allowing me to do the work calls and the coaching call.  I really want to do that.  The volunteering is all very well but maybe I need to put myself first.

I will make a black tea, and then read the instructions on how to return an item and then take it from there.  Feeling overwhelmed.