The Garden Fence - proper Old Style support and chat!

monnagran

Softstuff, I have learned recently that home is where I throw my hat. Having lived in one house for 30 years, the next house for 18 years, in the ten years since then I am planning to move for the 5th time.

Another lovely day and I should be donning my pith helmet and hacking a path through the jungle that is my garden. Unfortunately my get up and go, went overnight, so have done nothing much productive today.

I must make some bread as the slices in the freezer are diminishing rapidly, but that could, and probably will, wait until tomorrow. Thank goodness for tomorrow - the procrastinator's best Labour saving device.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Never give up what you want most for what you want for the moment.

fuddle

I'm a bit rootless really. I I detest where I grew up and vow never to even so much as drive through the place ever again. I never wanted to come back to my county and it still hurts that I'm back here now even though I chose the area where I wanted to live. I do know that when I was wandering because of a forced hand I always yearned for stability in one place. I love being stable and I love my home but I could have said that about my rented houses too. Honestly, if I won the lottery and I could choose some where to live I just don't know where it would be.

Maybe flip it all over and decide that actually the grass isn't greener. Here is what is. I dunno. By I'm not the chirpiest today am I?!

nursemaggie

well I would say I am rootless. Of anywhere I feel at home on Anglesey but I also feel quite at home in Pembrookshire, Gwynedd. I do feel well settled here but that could be because DS is here. It does not have the beauty of the last two counties in fact it is full of derelict mills and rows and rows of terrace houses.

moneyistooshorttomention

I guess that's one blessing Fuddle - though I'm "rootless" I do know where I'd live come a handy Lottery win.

I think I'd probably keep the house I have here and buy one back in my home city.

Just not quite sure of the proportion of time I'd spend in each - probably basically live back in my home city - but it would be handy to have Current House as a holiday home (as this is a holiday area I'm in) and as a "bolthole" if required.

"Best of both worlds" then - as I'd have access to my parents and best friend/shops/eating out in a foodie location/better access to the rest of the country/lots more social life/much greater freedom to express an opinion without anyone batting an eyelid about it on the one hand/need for healthcare if it arose.

On the other hand - there'd be a place to "bolt" to if the pressure of population/pollution/the constant "build/build/build" that's going on in South of England currently/worries re possible fracking nearby got a "bit much".

I've had battles with my conscience as to whether I'd have a second home ever if I were in a position to afford it - ever since living with a family abroad back in my early 20s and going off with them to their holiday home in nearby Sweden. I promptly decided that was a very nice idea - if ever both my conscience and finances would allow. By now - I do have to admit that I'd only be considering whether my finances would allow it (answer - not likely bar that lottery win...) and my conscience would almost certainly be told "Sorry mate - I've listened to you an awful lot in my time and it's cost me bigtime. But I'm afraid I'm not going to listen on this one. I know it's wrong - but I'm going to have a second home (ie keep the Welsh one)".

nursemaggie

Oh no! It should have been a string of these!!!!!!! I thought I had sorted it all with Virgin Media. It is well past my leaving date and I have not had any service from them since around the 26th July. I have received another of their emails asking me to say how good they are and it does not acknowledge I am not there customer any more.

I have just spent 2 and a quarter hours answering them. I still have 3 more dates to complain about them before I finish. I need to check my bank account again as today was the date for paying the last bill for 00.00. that threatened me with dire consequences if I did not pay it. I bet my blood pressure is around 250/170.

Can someone talk about something cheerful please?

MadamMim2013

I thought for many years that I was 'rootless' in some way, I moved around an awful lot, often unhappily aged 16 to 21 and have had a few houses in different areas (always within Somerset) after that.
It is only in the last few years that it's truely struck me, not only am I (or rather 'we'.. my teenage boys live here too) very lucky to live in the part of the world that I do, it's that for the first time in my adult life the house I live in is actually MY home, secure, warm, safe.. I really could not ask for more.
Yes, its rented and quite small (especially when trying to fit two large lads into a 2 bed!) yet it's comfortable and we genuinely love it. I am grateful for this everyday.

nursemaggie

I went back to the survey about virgin media and it said it had expired. I can't see how I can properly complain about all the problems without going into details, listing all the conflicting communications they have sent etc.



Looks like I will either have to complain to the ombudsman or write it out and cut and paste. Well not today it has already wasted 3 and half hours. for nothing. I am still snowed under with paperwork with impossible maths to do.

mardatha

I'm like you fuddle I never miss where I grew up and never want to live there or even see it again. Mining villages are not cool. I wouldn't say I feel 100% at home and embedded here, but I like it. I like being away out in the wilds, and getting up to get off the bus in the middle of a wilderness lol, all the people stare at me. Anywhere high and lonely in Scotland would do, and I'd move to Ireland without a second thought. But that's it, nowhere else.

fuddle

I've had a think. My check list for where I would choose to move to is:

weather - interchangeable, I get bored. I love warm to days but I also love a good storm.

Aspect - has to be hills and valleys. Not necessarily in them but looking at them.

Neighbours - non - I like to live my life without gosip or curtain twitching and people judging my window cleanliness!

I think it would be Scotland somewhere prolly Highlands but away from tourists and near a hospital, unfortunately.

monnagran

It's interesting, this finding an ideal place to,live. Having been born and brought up in Southampton, along with several generations of both sides of my family, and then come back to this island, I realise that I am happiest living close to the sea. Having been away from it for over 50 years the first time I heard a foghorn early in the morning and the unlovely screech of seagulls I felt that at last I had come home.

Earlier on I loved to live in the back of beyond but regretfully, as I get older, I realise that there are advantages to having neighbours and being close enough to civilisation to live safely and comfortably. Fortunately I've never had to deal with nosey or difficult neighbours and I don't think I would like that, but living alone it is comforting to know that there are people around.

The sun is shining, there is a very gentle breeze blowing so once I have made my bread and done the bare minimum of housework I am out for a stroll along the beach.

There is a lot to be said for retirement.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won't have a title until much later.