why we are here
long ramblings...
I met adam in august 2003 at a meet in york. He hefted my broken suitcase full of rocks around. I already knew him from jasidog.com and the chatroom from there. We got on quite well. We both badgered one of the other people from that meet to have another one at his house, stay overnight. He eventually did, in october. So that is when we started as a couple, I would say. He lived in Cleveland, me in Sussex. Long way apart. Follow lots of journeys on national express (8 hours) or me driving (9 hours). Too short weekends and nasty goodbyes at the coach station.
I was going to Australia in January. I left my nanny job before that, because they were moving to Scotland at easter anyway. Went to Australia. We decided that we would move in together when I got back. I applied for a couple of jobs before I went in random middle england places, secured one interview.
Went to Australia for 4 weeks, with my parents and other family, for a family wedding. Had great time but missed adam quite a lot. Came back on a monday after valentines day 2004. Adam came down the same day. Had job interview in Rutland on the thursday. Drove up and back in the same day. Interview successful, had trial day the next wednesday. Booked hotel in Corby (lovely) for 2 nights. Was late for work the day because it snowed and traffic was crawling. However, got the job to start the monday after that, 1st March.
Had nowhere to live. Possibility of lodging with a friend of ex-boss, I wasn't that keen. Found an advert in paper after I had accepted the job for residential caravans to rent. Rang up, went to see, reserved a towable caravan for £65 a week, in the corner of Leicestershire.
Went back to Sussex. Packed up some stuff. Adam stayed at my parents house after I left to drive up to rutland to get the coach back to cleveland. Arrived at caravan, very dirty. Had to clean it before I was putting any of my stuff in it. Borrowed crappy hoover from the owner. No running water. Mouldy toilets and shower. Crappy sofa bed thing. Cold, snow, frost, draughts.
Started new job on Monday 1st March. Adam came down with all his belongings in one suitcase on the friday, for good. I had food poisoning so could't go and get him, the caravan site owner went to Harborough to get him for me. I was quite ill for a few days. (Never keep a rice dish in the fridge for 2 days and then eat it for lunch).
Adam had to find a job. Took him into town at 7.30am when I went to work so he could look. Got interview in Stamford. Got temp job in our town after 2 weeks. He still had to hang around in the mornings for an hour til he could go in.
After 4 weeks in the tiny caravan we moved into a bigger static one for £85 a week, that actually had a table and a double bed in it. Luxury. Occasionally I cleaned the shower in the block before we got in it. Constantly amazed that public people actually came to that site at bank holidays and things.
Did laundry at laundrette and dried it whenever possible on home made washing line outside caravan. Also had own personal picnic table, nice at weekends when spring came on a bit. Nice dicky birds singing in the fields next to the caravan, nice walking 2 miles to the pub on quiet roads on a friday night. I like talking to cows. Nice having the rain drumming on the roof when snuggled in bed. Nice having no bills.
After a bit I got a promotion, payrise and a permanent job, and adam also got a semi permanent job in the same company he temped in, in the finance-ish department. No more massive portion of his wages going to the temp agency.
All this time saving money for a deposit on a rental house. Finally had enough, started looking seriously. Saw one in the paper, went into agents the next day on the off chance someone could take us. They did, it was this house, ready in 4 weeks time due to refurbishment. Looked at a couple more to compare, perfectly nice and ready to move in, but more expensive and miles less character. Decided we could wait 4 weeks for the perfect house.
Finally moved into this house on 28 May 2004. My parents helped us with the rental of a van and we brought all my furniture and belongings up from sussex. Now have lots of bills and no saving capacity :D But lovely warm house, running water, don't have to get dressed and go out in the rain to go to the toilet or have a shower or do the washing up.
The house came with a washing machine, oven and dishwasher. Adams mum gave us lots of things - towels, saucepans, a mirror, to help fill our cupboards. We purchased a fridge freezer, a sofa and a coffee table. And loads of other setting up house type stuff. And a computer. And a home cinema thing when my cheap dvd player died. And plates, cups, more saucepans, tea towels. Living is expensive :)
I really like living here. I miss the caravan in some ways, in that I had more access to the outside, it was much quieter at night, and there weren't any bills apart from rent. Rutland has, for example, one of the most expensive council tax things in the country. And the telephone line rental! Anyway.
I have an allotment, because there is not a square inch of outside with this house. It's only up the road but I usually drive because all my tools live in the car. We both walk to work, save lots on petrol.
Our respective families are about 3 hours away each. I miss my family a lot, even though it doesn't take long to get there to see them. Especially my mum. But we talk on the phone often.
I miss sussex because that is where I grew up and my family all live there. But I like living here because nowhere is too far away. From sussex to get anywhere you have to go round london and it's refreshing not to have to do that. I like the countryside, although I miss going for walks with my mom and the dog. There aren't many trees in this particular part, but adam says it's nothing compared to northumberland. It's very different to sussex - much more space, less people crowded in. Lots of nice little villages. I wish my parents would move up here :D
I can still get to london from peterborough on a weekday on the train for £12.50, cheaper than from sussex, although it takes an hour longer. And if we want to go other places, like the Peak District for camping, it's not far. Or Norfolk, or Wales, anywhere. Much more central, hence the east midlands thing.
Adam and I got engaged in the beginning of December 2005. I doubt we will stay here forever, who knows. It's fine for now though :)
picture of us in york (adam on the left, smoking) http://www.housemaidsknee.co.uk/york/york.jpg
I met adam in august 2003 at a meet in york. He hefted my broken suitcase full of rocks around. I already knew him from jasidog.com and the chatroom from there. We got on quite well. We both badgered one of the other people from that meet to have another one at his house, stay overnight. He eventually did, in october. So that is when we started as a couple, I would say. He lived in Cleveland, me in Sussex. Long way apart. Follow lots of journeys on national express (8 hours) or me driving (9 hours). Too short weekends and nasty goodbyes at the coach station.
I was going to Australia in January. I left my nanny job before that, because they were moving to Scotland at easter anyway. Went to Australia. We decided that we would move in together when I got back. I applied for a couple of jobs before I went in random middle england places, secured one interview.
Went to Australia for 4 weeks, with my parents and other family, for a family wedding. Had great time but missed adam quite a lot. Came back on a monday after valentines day 2004. Adam came down the same day. Had job interview in Rutland on the thursday. Drove up and back in the same day. Interview successful, had trial day the next wednesday. Booked hotel in Corby (lovely) for 2 nights. Was late for work the day because it snowed and traffic was crawling. However, got the job to start the monday after that, 1st March.
Had nowhere to live. Possibility of lodging with a friend of ex-boss, I wasn't that keen. Found an advert in paper after I had accepted the job for residential caravans to rent. Rang up, went to see, reserved a towable caravan for £65 a week, in the corner of Leicestershire.
Went back to Sussex. Packed up some stuff. Adam stayed at my parents house after I left to drive up to rutland to get the coach back to cleveland. Arrived at caravan, very dirty. Had to clean it before I was putting any of my stuff in it. Borrowed crappy hoover from the owner. No running water. Mouldy toilets and shower. Crappy sofa bed thing. Cold, snow, frost, draughts.
Started new job on Monday 1st March. Adam came down with all his belongings in one suitcase on the friday, for good. I had food poisoning so could't go and get him, the caravan site owner went to Harborough to get him for me. I was quite ill for a few days. (Never keep a rice dish in the fridge for 2 days and then eat it for lunch).
Adam had to find a job. Took him into town at 7.30am when I went to work so he could look. Got interview in Stamford. Got temp job in our town after 2 weeks. He still had to hang around in the mornings for an hour til he could go in.
After 4 weeks in the tiny caravan we moved into a bigger static one for £85 a week, that actually had a table and a double bed in it. Luxury. Occasionally I cleaned the shower in the block before we got in it. Constantly amazed that public people actually came to that site at bank holidays and things.
Did laundry at laundrette and dried it whenever possible on home made washing line outside caravan. Also had own personal picnic table, nice at weekends when spring came on a bit. Nice dicky birds singing in the fields next to the caravan, nice walking 2 miles to the pub on quiet roads on a friday night. I like talking to cows. Nice having the rain drumming on the roof when snuggled in bed. Nice having no bills.
After a bit I got a promotion, payrise and a permanent job, and adam also got a semi permanent job in the same company he temped in, in the finance-ish department. No more massive portion of his wages going to the temp agency.
All this time saving money for a deposit on a rental house. Finally had enough, started looking seriously. Saw one in the paper, went into agents the next day on the off chance someone could take us. They did, it was this house, ready in 4 weeks time due to refurbishment. Looked at a couple more to compare, perfectly nice and ready to move in, but more expensive and miles less character. Decided we could wait 4 weeks for the perfect house.
Finally moved into this house on 28 May 2004. My parents helped us with the rental of a van and we brought all my furniture and belongings up from sussex. Now have lots of bills and no saving capacity :D But lovely warm house, running water, don't have to get dressed and go out in the rain to go to the toilet or have a shower or do the washing up.
The house came with a washing machine, oven and dishwasher. Adams mum gave us lots of things - towels, saucepans, a mirror, to help fill our cupboards. We purchased a fridge freezer, a sofa and a coffee table. And loads of other setting up house type stuff. And a computer. And a home cinema thing when my cheap dvd player died. And plates, cups, more saucepans, tea towels. Living is expensive :)
I really like living here. I miss the caravan in some ways, in that I had more access to the outside, it was much quieter at night, and there weren't any bills apart from rent. Rutland has, for example, one of the most expensive council tax things in the country. And the telephone line rental! Anyway.
I have an allotment, because there is not a square inch of outside with this house. It's only up the road but I usually drive because all my tools live in the car. We both walk to work, save lots on petrol.
Our respective families are about 3 hours away each. I miss my family a lot, even though it doesn't take long to get there to see them. Especially my mum. But we talk on the phone often.
I miss sussex because that is where I grew up and my family all live there. But I like living here because nowhere is too far away. From sussex to get anywhere you have to go round london and it's refreshing not to have to do that. I like the countryside, although I miss going for walks with my mom and the dog. There aren't many trees in this particular part, but adam says it's nothing compared to northumberland. It's very different to sussex - much more space, less people crowded in. Lots of nice little villages. I wish my parents would move up here :D
I can still get to london from peterborough on a weekday on the train for £12.50, cheaper than from sussex, although it takes an hour longer. And if we want to go other places, like the Peak District for camping, it's not far. Or Norfolk, or Wales, anywhere. Much more central, hence the east midlands thing.
Adam and I got engaged in the beginning of December 2005. I doubt we will stay here forever, who knows. It's fine for now though :)
picture of us in york (adam on the left, smoking) http://www.housemaidsknee.co.uk/york/york.jpg
