This is our last week(ish) in our house O.O – we are on the move into the wilds of Essex! It’s not really sinking in as a proper move as we’re not selling the house (are renting it out), but it is the last weekend we’ll be here as a family and if we come back to visit it won’t be our home any more. A bit odd, to say the least. Mum had a good point though – she said with this house it’s been almost like two houses in one – there was the house of our childhood, which in my mind at least is characterised by memories of a large sunbaked lawn, and then the house of later years, which was extended as we grew older and messier. The layout and thus use of both upstairs and downstairs differed significantly between the two “houses” and the changeover was 1995ish, when I was about 14. I love this house dearly but because we’re not selling it and we know the tenants there isn’t that emotional wrench. Preparing for moving is emotionally charged; I keep finding old toys and games from the past and actually spent some time playing with my Puppy in my Pocket. My doll Joanna (who is only 8 months younger than Ding) has an huge box of clothes, a cot and a highchair, and this is after I got rid of some clothes. What is she ever going to do with all those clothes?! Can’t get rid of them though…
I’m looking forward to the new house. We still have our own rooms there despite the fact that Ding’s married with her own home and I’m moving back into PB house and taking it over fully. I can just see new house at Christmas – it’s got that sort of Charles Dickens style that’ll lend it well to decent decs – Mum’ll hate it – DUST! Mwahaha 😉 So yeah – not really sure what to feel about the move (except feeling smothered by all the crap I own) so will need to write more later I expect.
Also on the moving front, as I alluded to, is me moving from my little flat back into PB house. The house tenants suddenly en masse handed in their notices, which was both timely in that I want the house empty, and slightly inconvenient as half the various contracts in my little flat are 12 months, and I’ll have to take 6 month hits. However it looks like I won’t be living alone. I decided to take in a lodger to help with the costs etc. but specifically to take in a friend. So my officemate and mad Brummy bint will be moving in with me if all goes to plan. And then, for added oddness, her brother will probably also be joining us. Although I don’t ideally want to live with people (one of my life ambitions is to live in a cave on a hillside, although only if it has broadband) there is a world of difference between living with random tenants who were there before you were, and living with a friend whom you get on with. Or at least so I’m told – having never lived with friends I can’t comment!
I made wine! It’s pink and cloudy and unfinished (buying some demijohns to rack it into since it’s currently living in a bucket in the kitchen) but it tastes like sweet wine and has alcohol in it! Stupidly easy to make – seriously – it’s sweet fruit tea with yeast. That’s what wine is. There’s a series of wine articles here (link) that explain how to do it if you’re interested. The yeast is optional-ish – as well as some fruit tea bags I used elderflower from the garden so it had it’s own yeast. I’ve added some wine yeast since to make it less sweet as I’m not a sweet wine person, although it’s certainly drinkable now. I also have five 75cl bottles (old Canada Dry bottles) with homemade elderflower champagne that is ready to drink. I’m not sure if it’s as successful – last time I tried it it had a distinct taste that was wrong although I can’t put my finger on who – elderflower can stink when it’s slightly old so I wonder if that’s the taste of older elderflower heads, but the last time I tried it it was still young – it’s had a good few weeks in the bottles since then (which despite having the gas released once are rather firm again!). Still – worth a try! It evidently worked – if it tastes bad then that’s poor choice of flowers rather than failure of champagne making-ness. Next will be elderberry wine using hopefully the berries I picked from the same tree last year and froze.
Moving on.