May 112016
 

British Telecom has overcome its reticence and we now have wires to the outside world.  They’re a bit thin, and a bit slow and weedy, but no matter.  We are connected.

Thank you all for your cards and gifts!  (There have been a few tears – it’s easy to be brave and careless before the event.  It’s all real now).

All the old email addresses are the same.

I posted some pictures, as promised – starting at the bottom of the page and working up.

It is really wonderful – regardless of the leaky roof and lack of kitchen, the filthy tiles and the weird wallpaper, the artisans who say they’re coming and never turn up – it’s just wonderful.  The weather has helped – snow which only stayed long enough to look gorgeous, and then sunshine with the odd shower.  I watered the garden yesterday.

We’re finding our way around pretty well – we sort of knew it before from walking, but it’s not like being here.  Little independent shops are brilliant, but have odd opening hours, and close for lunch.     The recycling centre closes on a Wednesday.  I have turned up there THREE TIMES now on a Wednesday.

The drive to Northallerton on a Monday morning to take Andrew to the station is (at this time of year, at least, because it’s already light at 5.30 and the weather is clement) gorgeous.  I must remind myself of that when it’s pitch black and freezing and we can’t see the hills and dales.

The bird life is great – curlews and oyster catchers wake us up, barn owls sing us to sleep.  I hadn’t expected waders, but the river has boggy bits and shale banks and they feed there.  We hear a kingfisher, but haven’t seen it yet.  The usual suspects come to the feeders, with the addition of siskins.  There’s a little waterfall affair which empties into the little pond in the garden, and the birds come morning and evening to drink and have a bath.  It is impossible to work under these conditions.  Hopeless.  We find ourselves gazing out of the window – twitching while the house falls down.

Most important though, is that both Kate and Molly are happy now that we’re finally here.  They love the place, it’s safe for the children, it’s just down the road should either of them need us.  I think we did the right thing.

Enough twaddle.  More pictures another day should anyone be interested.  Meanwhile the email now works, so communication can happen again!

 Posted by at 9:32 am

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