Why I've Been Away For So Long

This is the longest I have ever been absent from this little space of mine. There have been days I've felt guilty, weeks I've not cared, but amidst all of life's goings on, the months have passed. The seasons have changed, and our way of life has adapted accordingly. Every time I catch up with a friend, or speak to a family member, I feel as though we have lots of catching up to do, and in a similar vein, this post aims to do just that. So without further ado, here's a (condensed) update, and if you're still there reading and interested, I thank you for your patience. As I'm often reminded, all good things come to those who wait.

Where I'm Living

We're still in the tent! Making it through the winter wasn't easy, especially on the nights when the water froze in my glass, the fire struggled to ignite and I was wearing a hat, scarf and gloves to bed. Things still aren't perfect, but the lighter evenings and milder mornings make our daily routine much more bearable. It's looking like we'll be in it until at least Christmas, so I'm going to relish every moment of the summer months when they arrive, to save as memories for those cold, cold nights to come.

A Big Announcement

It's a relief to announce that I've quit my job. I'll be there until the middle of July (that's the education sector for you!), but after that point I will officially be without employment. This decision was one of the most difficult I've ever had to make: as a society we are conditioned to feel like failures if our careers don't bring us lots of success, money and happiness. My job brought me a little success, enough money to live a comfortable life, but for a long time I haven't really been happy. It's taken a while for me to be in the position where quitting was even possible, but ultimately I realised that the apathy just isn't worth it. 

If you're interested in my reasons for leaving the mainstream education sector, they are pretty much summed up in this video.

New Ventures

I'm not going to just sit around and do nothing once we reach the middle of July - my conscience, desire to be 'doing' and my bank balance entirely forbid this - but as yet my plans are not finalised. That's not to say that I don't have plenty of them, however, so here's an indication of what I'll be up to:

• As we're building our own house (in the relatively slow manner that comes with doing everything yourself) I would like to dedicate as much time as possible to the project over a period of 4-6 months. If we're going to be out of the tent before January, things need to be moving more quickly, and while I'm not really any good at tasks like brick-laying, I know that there are lots of jobs I can be getting on with.
• In addition, I'll be working on the land, trying to make our vegetable consumption as self-sufficient as possible with the space we have. Since Christmas, Dan has been a pescatarian, so planting, harvesting and cooking our own vegetables has never been more important. 
• My sister owns Wold Couture, and designs and makes unique wedding dresses. She's a genius, but she hates the online world, so after making her a new website last month (it's here if you're interested!), I'll be helping a little with the marketing side of the business.
•  I'm also in the process of setting up my own business. Finally! It's a dream I've had for a long time, and while I'm still in the early stages, it's exciting to be getting going with it. The goal is to provide inspiration for a simple, sustainable lifestyle through an educational programme of courses. If it's something that you might be interested in, there's a link here to leave your email address so that you'll be the first to know of any new developments.

There's been a lot more going on, but as I said, you're getting the condensed version here. Now, that's me, but what have you been up to?