Monday 1 June 2009

New home

Phew! We've finally moved house and what a strange experience it is. It's a bit like being shot into a parallel universe, leaving a familiar locality and suddenly being in a totally different one.

All my expectations and routines have to be rewritten as everything has changed - the house itself, the local streets, the shops, the neighbours, even the overheard conversations.

But what fun it is exploring a brand-new neighbourhood, having no idea what's down the next street. What will I discover? A fabulous restaurant? A useful dry cleaner? A lovely old church? Or a row of derelict houses and a pawn shop?

I could wander around for hours drinking in all the sights, alternately delighted and horrified, wondering why something amazing isn't more widely known about, or why something monstrous hasn't been burnt down.

As for the house itself, it always takes months or even years to get a place exactly the way you want it, reflecting your own tastes and interests, creating a sense of friendly cosiness. What works in one house is inexplicably wrong in another.

For a while there's always a lingering feeling that it's all a dream, that I'll suddenly wake up in my old house and find the new one was a passing mirage. Slowly it'll dawn on me that it's for real, that my senses aren't deceiving me.

In fact a couple of neighbours have already introduced themselves, as well as their cat Katy who had a good sniff round our kitchen diner before sloping off looking distinctly unimpressed. She was no doubt hoping for a new feline buddy.

And just what makes a house a home? Leah said it all in her brilliant post here.

13 comments:

  1. Nick, I think I said it before, but what an adventure. I hope you and Jenny have a wonderful time settling in and getting to know the new house and neighborhood!

    Your way of describing that vertiginous feeling of being in a new surround is just perfect.

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  2. It was a great post of Leah's wasn't it. Glad you're all moved in and lots to explore, I've missed you! It's been a while since I've moved house and frankly, when it happens I'll relish the moment! Enjoy!

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  3. Congratulations on finishing your move! I hate packing everything up but it's so fun settling in to a new spot. I'm sure you two will have it looking like home in no time!

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  4. Welcome to your new home :)

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  5. Leah - Vertiginous is exactly the word. I'm doing a double-take on everything as memory conflicts with the new reality.

    Baino - Yes, I hope you'll manage to make a move soon after wanting to up sticks for so long.

    Liz - We did the packing ourselves last time and it was hell. This time we got the removal men to do it and it was a breeze, I recommend it!

    Suburbia - Thanks. It's just great to have managed it after planning it for so long!

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  6. The weather's always great in the East too :-) Enjoy your new home!

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  7. Dave - Well, the weather's blistering hot at the moment, but I suspect that's true across most of the UK....

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  8. Congratulations on the move- exciting times. Good luck discovering your new neighbourhood.

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  9. Red - Thanks. On the plus side, I've found a fabulous park, on the minus side, very few garages for car repairs....

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  10. Have fun exploring life around your new home! I think it's too much fun re-organising your space inside your home too. Congratulations to both of you.
    Hugs,
    Gx

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  11. GayƩ - You're right, it's fun organising the inside and putting our own imprint on it. Can also be fractious though when Jenny and I strongly disagree about something!

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  12. It's a very exciting time - glad you're enjoying it!

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  13. Conor - We're certainly enjoying it. New discoveries and surprises every day - as well as the usual tiresome glitches with phone companies etc!

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