It is some months since I updated this blog. The most important thing to have happened since February is that we have moved from Leeds to Glanton, Northumberland. This has entailed me leaving my job and Neil transferring from Leeds to Alnwick and going from full time to part time. These are all pretty big changes for us. Moving to Northumberland is something we have wanted to do and talked about for sometime, we both love the area and I, as an only child, wanted to be nearer to my mum as she got older. Well we are nearer because we have moved in with her, and it is working out ok at the moment. It has meant a change of role for me, I am now chief cook and bottle washer whereas before I went to work and got home to a hot meal because Neil finished work before me, house work was shared and mostly done in a rush at the weekend. Now I am not working and Neil gets home about 2pm and I have a meal waiting for him.
Village life is different too, quieter but with more social gatherings. The beginning of November saw the start of the fox hunting season, and the first meet is always at the pub opposite our house, so we have a grandstand view of hounds, horses and red coats. Dozens of people from the area congregate to watch and meet one another, then some go off afterwards to follow the hunt by car. The Fox hunting ban does not seem to have made any difference, although I don’t know how many foxes they caught in the past or what happens now.
This was followed closely by bonfire night, as I have said in a previous post, in Guiseley this was like living in a war zone for two or three nights depending on which day of the week the 5th fell. There were about half a dozen loud bangs in Glanton, and I saw a couple of fireworks burst in the night sky while I was out walking with Trixi but did not hear the corresponding bang.
Trixi has adapted well to the change of routine and country life. She particularly enjoys the longer walks we try to take on Neil’s days off. Again things are a little topsy turvy, in Guiseley we could walk into the country, here it is mainly road walks from the house and we have to go further a field for a more country walk through the hills. Luckily we don’t have to go far as Glanton is situated on the edge of the national park.
So what do I miss from the old life? The people mainly, the reading group I set up and reading in general. I no longer have the 20minute commute twice a day when I used to do most of my reading and although Neil still goes to bed before me I tend to spend my evenings chatting or watching TV with mum rather than reading.
Are we glad we made the move? yes
Village life is different too, quieter but with more social gatherings. The beginning of November saw the start of the fox hunting season, and the first meet is always at the pub opposite our house, so we have a grandstand view of hounds, horses and red coats. Dozens of people from the area congregate to watch and meet one another, then some go off afterwards to follow the hunt by car. The Fox hunting ban does not seem to have made any difference, although I don’t know how many foxes they caught in the past or what happens now.
This was followed closely by bonfire night, as I have said in a previous post, in Guiseley this was like living in a war zone for two or three nights depending on which day of the week the 5th fell. There were about half a dozen loud bangs in Glanton, and I saw a couple of fireworks burst in the night sky while I was out walking with Trixi but did not hear the corresponding bang.
Trixi has adapted well to the change of routine and country life. She particularly enjoys the longer walks we try to take on Neil’s days off. Again things are a little topsy turvy, in Guiseley we could walk into the country, here it is mainly road walks from the house and we have to go further a field for a more country walk through the hills. Luckily we don’t have to go far as Glanton is situated on the edge of the national park.
So what do I miss from the old life? The people mainly, the reading group I set up and reading in general. I no longer have the 20minute commute twice a day when I used to do most of my reading and although Neil still goes to bed before me I tend to spend my evenings chatting or watching TV with mum rather than reading.
Are we glad we made the move? yes
posted by Cath at 10:02 pm
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