Two-month recap!
I told some people about the dream for the move before we went – we were moving to rural Wales to change our lives. I wanted more outside space that I could enjoy with the dogs and opportunities to turn the place into a business at some point in the future. People were generally intrigued and thought we were brave to take on the challenge of a run-down property with unkempt land in an area where we knew no one. The magnitude of what we were doing never really phased me. I saw it as an adventure. An adventure that with some time and a lot of hard work would pay off.
People keep asking me how we’re getting on, and that, along with reaching the two-month mark, has given me some time to reflect on this. My response to the ‘how are you getting on?’ question is always followed by an anxiety ridden laugh and a now stock ‘It’s been an adventure!’ response.
At times it has been really hard. When we first moved in, we had electricity but that was it. We had no water until I could clean the tank out, which took a few days. The water still tastes funky, and I really need someone to come out and service the system, but we’re boiling our water and getting by. The only heat we could muster for the first few weeks was a small log burner in the living room and a single electric radiator. The solid fuel central heating system is massively inefficient, and we struggle to keep the house at a consistent temperature. We’re cold 90% of the time (got to thank the Welsh snow for that too), but you adapt and put on an extra layer or 5. Our first weekend in the house we had storm Burt and the back of the house flooded, with water coming through the wall and up through the floor. That was quickly followed by storm Darragh and a tree falling on our power line. We had to move out for 5 days until the power was finally restored. Did I mention we had mice? It comes with the rural life that field mice are everywhere. I could have done without them running through the kitchen most nights. When I finally managed to evict them from there, they decided the floors and our inaccessible loft space would be a good place to nest. Have I won that battle yet? We haven’t heard anything for nearly two weeks so maybe.
As with any adventure, we’ve had a few lows. We’ve also had some real highs – being self-sufficient and fixing the oven myself when it broke so we could have normal meals again. Getting the pump fixed that restored the central heating that allowed us to have hot water. Getting new electrics done in the kitchen so we could run the new washing machine. Getting the roof leaks fixed so I didn’t have to lie in bed and listen to the drips every time it rained. Installing new guttering and downpipes to the front of the house ourselves. Some of these things may seem inconsequential or even silly to you, but at some point, you have to learn to appreciate the wins, no matter how big or small they may be. What we have learnt over the last two months is resilience. When it all feels like it’s falling down around your ears, can you carry on? The answer is always yes by the way. We’ve learnt how to problem solve issues we know nothing about and learnt a lot of new skills along the way.
The adventure is far from over. I did buy a project for the potential after all. Do I regret the move? Absolutely not. The air is clean, I can see every star in the sky at night and the dogs absolutely love it here. There will continue to be ups and downs, but I will always celebrate the small wins.