Our New Home

Say hello to our new home! Last night marked the first of many evenings spent under canvas in our quest to simplify our lives, live more sustainably and save money. After having spent all of Saturday packing, cleaning, moving and organising, Sunday was designated as our official moving day. Dan finished making some adjustments to our Frontier stove, which did smoke a little when we did a trial run; after working his magic, it now seems to be running much more smoothly (thank goodness). I spent the day at the house, trying to get on top of the mountain of packing, and while I ploughed through a lot, there's still much to be done. 

We finished the day rather more happily, and with the faint hum of carols, we decorated the Christmas tree and settled in for the winter. It was a night of mixed emotions: happiness and exhiliration at finally having reached this point, but also trepidation for the months to come.

Our first morning was frantic to say the least, as I had to leave for work by 8am. We have decided against lighting the stove if I have to be at work, so instead I stole quietly into my grandparents' house (they live next door and we're going to be showering there and occasionally using their cooking facilities), grabbed something suitably smart to wear and got on with the day as normal. Except it didn't really feel like normal; always in the back of my mind was the knowledge that something significant had altered, and that when I returned, it wouldn't be to a home in the conventional sense.

Tonight, Dan has gone out for the evening to his Christmas meal with work colleagues, which leaves me in charge of the stove and of the tent. So far, so warm. I've managed to keep it alight and have enjoyed a cup of scalding hot tea, with water straight from our new boiler. I've also managed to find a smidgen of Wi-Fi, hence the post. I'm not sure yet what I make of it all, as I keep oscillating between emotions, but now I'm out of my work environment, things do seem more positive. 

The house is really the biggest cause of stress at the moment. Tomorrow, the landlord is coming around to do an inventory, and then we officially have to be out by the 31st. I'm hopeful that all of the boxes will be in storage long before then, and ideally by early next week, so that we can actually enjoy the festive period, but that seems a long way off at this point. It's strange how we all collect so many things, yet actually need very little. We have given away and recycled so many of these things, yet it still astounds me how much we have left. When we do eventually move back into a house, there will definitely be a few changes.

But for now, we move forward with hope. Hope that Bella doesn't wake us up in the middle of the night again. Hope that the house will soon stop being the burden that it currently is. Hope that despite all the stresses, strains and changes, this adventure will be everything we planned and more.