It’s the night before. We are sitting here on a camp-bed mattress listening to the kids’ deep-sleepy breathing in their now-empty bedrooms as storm ‘Gertrude’ buffets the trees in our garden. We moved here ten years ago when there was no house – just our tatty old static caravan to keep us sheltered from the elements. The neighbours (affectionately, I hope!) christened us the ‘gypos’. When we listened to the wind in those days, we lay there praying that our 100 year-old beech tree wouldn’t come crashing through the van roof in the night and squash us flat.
We had just moved to a new town, a new area with no friends or contacts just so we could build our own house. We’d spent 6 months looking far and wide for a plot of land that we liked and could afford and this was it. It was the start of an adventure for us and ten years down the line things have come full circle. In the morning we’ll leave our fabulous home for the last time. Literally (actually literally), our blood, sweat and tears went into building this place. We’ve been through highs and lows here. From the stresses of trying to conceive, to the joy of bring our babies home from the hospital. We’ve watched them grow here, watched them learn to crawl, walk, talk, lose teeth, start school, make friends and had sugar fuelled, bouncy castle bonanza birthday parties.
We’ve been wholly welcomed by the neighbours and community and have made tons of great friends, we’ve been absorbed into this area and been shown great kindness and love. There’s a blunt honesty with the locals in these parts that takes you back a bit at first but more often than not it’s a fein for a bit of healthy brutal banter. We love it here and we love the people. Leaving this place after 10 years makes you realise how deep your roots can grow in a relatively short space of time.
The goodbyes unexpectedly started months ago for me when taking the car in for a service. I suddenly realised that it would probably be the last time that I would see Bob and Julie who’d I’d got to know so well over the years. They’re not ‘friend friends’ and we won’t swap details and keep in touch but we know about each others’ lives and I look forward to catching up with them when the car goes in. We care about each other and I realised that there are these levels of friendships everywhere throughout your day and your lives and whilst we’ll not lose our close friends, these are the ones we’ll truly leave behind.
We’ve said bye to some great friends today and had a last FaceTime on UK soil with my Mum. Leaving is hard but it’s such a privilege because it really makes you appreciate everything you have gained from it, the friends you made and the love you’ve felt. Faced with saying goodbye, people share things with you that might otherwise go unsaid and it’s been very humbling and touching.
We came here to build a house but we’re leaving behind our home.
In the morning we leave our home but we’re starting our new adventure, together as a family. We’ll be back to visit and we’ll see our friends and family soon but in the meantime we’ll set off south and head for the mountains!
Oh yes… and we still need to find somewhere to live. Eek!
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